Rash of hateful incidents leaves Latinos feeling unwelcome

-- An Albertsons grocery store in San Diego ran afoul of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after allegedly subjecting Latino employees to "a hostile work environment." What caused the hostility? The employees were speaking Spanish. The company said in a statement that it has no set language policy. Remember when being bilingual was an asset?

-- Fox News host Tucker Carlson invited Cesar Vargas -- an undocumented immigrant and lawyer -- onto his show and bullied him. Carlson told Vargas -- who wants to become a U.S. citizen -- "I'm an American and you're not. I don't think you should become a citizen." Could we take a vote on whether ugly Americans should be able to keep their U.S. citizenship?

-- In Georgia, Republican gubernatorial candidates targeted Mexican immigrants. State Sen. Michael Williams campaigned in a "deportation bus" adorned with a message: "Danger! Murderers, rapists, kidnappers, child molesters, and other criminals on board." Another candidate, Secretary of State Brian Kemp, has bragged he owns "a big truck just in case I need to round up criminal illegals and take 'em home myself." Georgia is famous for its peaches, but these jokers seem like lemons.

What in the world is going on? If this keeps up, Latinos in the United States are going to get our feelings hurt. We might even conclude that -- even with all the "Help Wanted" signs -- you don't want us around. Someone may have to leave.

But hey, we were here first. Look it up. English settlers in Virginia founded Jamestown in 1607, but the Spanish had established Santa Fe de Nuevo Mexico nine years earlier. The Spanish could've sent them a gift basket to welcome them to the neighborhood.

We're not leaving. No way, Jose. The people who should skedaddle are the ones with the problem. You have the problem. So what else can we say -- except adios.

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Ruben Navarrette's email address is ruben@rubennavarrette.com.His daily podcast, "Navarrette Nation," is available through every podcast app.