John F. Kennedy

How should I treat immigrants in my neighborhood?

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I'm walking down the street on a cool down after a run. in front of me is a truck with trailer parked facing the wrong way with some Latin American looking workers off-loading cabinetry. They're parked in front or a house whose owners are just coming out to the street dressed like they're on their way to work. The man, who by the way is white haired, dressed in a tie and a white button shirt, says, "If you don't move it, I'm going to call the police." Were they blocking his driveway, maybe. I didn't notice, but I was surprised by the agressiveness of the man's comment. Granted, I could see that the trailer only contained one double-door, upper cabinet. The workers were huffing and puffing carrying the other cabinet half-way across the street to the renovation site. The man and his wife, from their angle couldn't see that there was only one cabinet to go before the delivery would be completed. Granted, I don't know the history of the project and its inconvenience to the surrounding houses. I made a friendly, "Good morning" to the workers, partly in a knee-jerk antipathic reaction to the man's rudeness. Was this an appropriate way for the man to react? How should we treat the workers in our neighborhood who likely are not U.S. citizens, but are here and are providing a service? What's your take given the history of immigration in the U.S.?

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