Dear Haiti Friends,
No doubt you’ve been hearing the distressing news from Springfield, Ohio, where Haitian immigrants have been insulted with untruths repeated over and over on the news and made into “funny” memes. There just isn’t anything funny about making up or perpetuating a story that results in bomb threats toward children. For some background, a PBS report from Springfield:
This brave statement was made by the parents of the boy tragically killed in the school bus/car accident (each clip contains only part of the full statement):
Parents of Ohio boy killed in crash call on politicians to stop using son’s death ‘for political …https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21MCCsj3JCU
A bright note is that the people of Springfield are coming to eat at the local Haitian restaurant to show support for the Haitian community:
Springfield Community Flocks To Support Haitian Restaurants In Light Of Trump Rumors
And finally, some background and perspective from The New Yorker:
Let’s hope Springfield can be left alone in peace to continue to figure out its new way forward through the ordinary ups and downs of a city trying to regenerate itself and old and new residents learning to get along.