My folks taught me early on that the default position, until proven otherwise, is to treat every individual with courtesy and respect, whether male or female; black, brown, or white; old or young; tall or short; fat or thin; poor or rich; well-educated or uneducated; attractive or unattractive; English-speaking or other language-speaking. They made me feel that's the way Americans should be, and anyone who tells you otherwise has some sort of an agenda and should be avoided if at all possible. I realize not everyone was raised that way, but I wish it was that simple for everyone.