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We Should Recognize Every Individual

To The Reader’s Forum:

Last Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, I went with my husband to pick up a few things at Walmart. As we entered the store a few people passed us on their way out. They were speaking in the Spanish language. All of a sudden, from a little further down the entryway, a man called out, “Speak English!” He then went on to say that if they wanted to live here they should speak English. We are Americans, etc., along that line of thought. I was too shocked to respond in the small amount of time it took for this exchange to take place, and now I feel so embarrassed for both myself and also for the man who spoke these words.

People are losing their humanity. With the rise of nationalism the United States of America has put itself on the wrong track. We need to relearn the lessons of recognizing the dignity of every individual, and especially to empathize with the “other” person who has his own struggles in trying to fit into this country of immigrants. We need to relinquish the fantasy that we are superior to others and revert to the kindness and understanding we owe to everyone, especially the other.

Carol Samuelson

Jamestown

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