Are there some people that just don't deserve our sympathy?

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Example:

If we try to be nice to them but they just don’t appreciate it and still continue to be nasty towards us.
 
Zynxensar said:
Example:

If we try to be nice to them but they just don’t appreciate it and still continue to be nasty towards us.
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Sympathy (Webster): 2b : feeling of loyalty : tendency to favor or support

We should always be charitable.

Catechism
2447 The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities.241 Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. the corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead.242 …
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Sometimes all you can do is be as charitable as you can while accepting the other person is unlikely to change. People might disagree but reducing or eliminating contact can be prudent.
 
The simple answer is no. All people were created by God, who does not make junk.

You don’t have to leave yourself exposed to abuse, but as Vico said we should always be charitable. Pray for them. Be happy for them in their blessings and supportive of them in their trials. All this can be done without direct contact. We are not, however, to wish them ill or rejoice in their sorrows.

I’ll admit that I’ve driven some of my most vocal detractors absolutely crazy by being kind to them no matter how they behave towards me 😁 That is not easy at all, but it has converted a few hearts over the years.
 
People who are nasty towards us deserve even more of our sympathy.
Ultimately, whether a person is kind or unkind, good or evil, they are still a child of God, and their inheritance is Heaven. God loves every soul on earth immensely (no matter how good or bad they are) and so He suffers deeply every time a soul chooses darkness over Him. If we love God, we should desire a person’s salvation and sainthood, as much as God desires it.
So no, everyone deserves our sympathy, empathy, kindness and forgiveness, no matter how much they hurt us. In fact, it would be a sin to be hurtful, unsympathetic or unforgiving towards any person, no matter what they have done to us, because that person is still a Child of God. Obviously, the Church doesn’t encourage a person to remain in toxic or harmful relationships (for example, domestic violence, bullying, etc) but we are called to pray for the people that have wronged us - pray that they will be forgiven for their wrongdoings, be freed from sin and obtain Heaven when they die.
Some of the greatest Saints were sanctified by means of praying for and loving the people that hurt them. There are many, many examples of such Saints, but the greatest example is Jesus Himself. He prayed for His persecutors: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Even though they were torturing Him, humiliating Him and killing Him, He loved them so much and longed for them to obtain Eternal Salvation one day.
It’s not easy, and it takes a lot of humility and compassion, but we are called to do the same.
 
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Sympathy should not be bestowed on the basis on whether or not someone deserves it! As a matter of fact, if someone continues to treat you poorly, it is likely that they are really suffering in some way unbeknownst to you, and they have falsely turned to unkindness as a coping mechanism. Thus, they are in great need of unconditional love.

In the words of Jesus:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
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It’s probably the cruelest of people who need the most sympathy although it’s far harder when you are the victim.
 
“Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo’s hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many.”

Couldn’t resist. Major LOTR fan. Basically, the answer is yes, plenty of people don’t deserve anything. And no, that fact is not overly relevant to how we should act.
 
When does sympathy and charity cross over to enabling a person?
 
Dorothy_Brown said:
if someone continues to treat you poorly, it is likely that they are really suffering in some way unbeknownst to you, and they have falsely turned to unkindness as a coping mechanism. Thus, they are in great need of unconditional love.
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Really beautiful advice. I need to live by this.
 
They may be in great need of unconditional love, but I agree it can be challenging (that’s putting it nicely) to keep giving it to them when they aren’t nice to us. However, that is what God is calling us to do.

You can definitely continue to treat such people kindly, and pray for them. I’ve met a few in my day.

As far as “helping” them, are they in need of help, and are you in the best position to help? If the answer is yes to both questions, then by all means keep trying to help them. For example, if they’re in a nursing home and you’re a caregiver, then you need to keep trying to help the person even if they keep being nasty. If the answer is “no” to either question, then if they aren’t in need of help continue to just be pleasant and kind and pray for them; if someone else is in a better position to help, maybe see if that person is already helping or reach out to them.
 
There aren’t people that we shouldn’t be sympathetic towards, but I think sometimes direct action just isn’t the best way to be charitable in specific instances. At times all we can do is pray-- but that’s not to say use it as an excuse to get out of a mildly uncomfortable situation. As in the above post as well, sometimes knowing when someone else is better fit to help is part of it too.
 
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