Every human needs to feel respected, even the least powerful.
This point was etched into my brain when I saw a homeless man soliciting the patrons of a fast food restaurant in Florida. The cashier, a street-wise New Yorker, loudly and coldly told the man that he needed to leave. Everyone in the restaurant looked up to see what was happening. I suspect the man felt embarrassed, humiliated, rejected and attacked. I was surprised, though, at how defensively he reacted.