Dear XenopusTex:

In your last paragraph, did you suggest that you are responsible for the sporting good’s store worker hostile remark to you? Not if you were friendly to him. If you were friendly to him, then his hostility is not about you but about him and it is wrong of him to mistreat you.

Pay attention not to do to others what he has done to you: don’t mistreat others because of your pre-existing hostility.

You believe in being armed so to protect yourself in case you are attacked by one of the people who threatened you with physical harm. Do protect yourself from people who harm you or may harm you.

But when harm is not directed at you, as is the case by the defendants in the courthouse, just do your job without the extra expressed hostility.

Inherently, all of us humans are equal in worth. We were born as worthy as any other person. The drug dealing defendants you mentioned, they may change their ways, become better people to others. You showing them respect while doing your job, may- just may encourage them to better themselves.

Just like I hope that you will also change some of your ways and become a better person yourself.

Respectfully, I am a fellow human being aiming at becoming a better and better person myself.

anita