Discrimination, whether motivated by differences in race, nationality, religion, or gender, prevents American citizens from experiencing true freedom. Discrimination has existed in many forms, both legally condoned and legally punishable, and has become a part of American history since the days our founding fathers wrote the constitution. When they wrote the famous words, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, the God created all men equal," they probably weren't thinking of slavery, rulings of "separate but equal", and the Jim Crow laws. As a free Blackman in 1813, James Forten put it, "...they did not particularize white and black, because they never supposed it would be made a question whether we were men or not."
             In an episode of the television show "The Family Guy", the writers comment on discrimination by making a parody with the family dog, Brian, an articulate, mature, sophisticated pet, who undergoes traditional occurrences of discrimination. In this episode, entitled "Brian: Portrait of Dog", Brian gets harassed by police, refused service at local businesses, and is eventually imprisoned and sentenced to lethal injection.
             The episode starts at the Griffin's house, where the family is enduring the summer heat without an air-conditioner. Peter, the father of the household, asks Brian to enter the dog show to win money so that the family will be able to afford an air-conditioner. Brian, who drinks dry martinis and is as quick-witted as he is sarcastic, is of course weary of this task asked before him, as he will feel degraded and void of pride. Brian goes to the dog show, does well, but toward the end of the competition, it is Brian's turn to beg for a treat. This is where Brian draws the line between helping out the family and "dehumanizing" himself. By using that term I don't mean to say that Brian is human, but to an extent, es...