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     Students of Holland High School I have written several articles about ageism and the rights of people of all ages. Now is the time where their beliefs will be tested, for now there exists in our city a vagrant violation of our rights. Three stores and no doubt more have a policy which limits the number of students allowed in their store at any one time. The three that I have seen are: the Windmill gas station on the corner of W 32nd and 160th, the Minit Mart on the corner of Washington and 18th st, and the Admiral gas station on State and 24th st.

     These all are located near schools and no doubt all use the excuse that these policies are intended to limit shoplifting by our "generation of criminals". I have spoken with the owner of the Minit Mart and she told me that groups of students would enter the store and while some would distract the cashier others would walk out with items from the store. I asked her to better define "students" and she told me all students are included, from elementary to college.

     Many of you may not find any problems with this policy, many of you may say that it is the store owner's right to restrict whosoever they wanted from their store. But this is no different then the racist system of segregation in the south that existed before the civil rights movement. In that situation a group of people were discriminated against because of their color, this is no different only a group of people are being discriminated against because of their age. This group is us, all of us, regardless of social class, race, or gender we are all affected by this hurtful policy, and if we don't speak up for our rights then no one will. That is why I intend to take this issue before the city council, and if necessary to court.

     I know most of you do not feel as strongly about this as I do, and I know most of you will not want to help me in my fight, but I would like whatever help or support you can give, not just to help me but to help yourselves. Let us together prove to the world that we are not a generation of slackers, let us prove that we can indeed make a difference.