Letters to the Editor

Do these politicians have no shame?

To the editor:

The small city of Springfield, Ohio, has been turned into a target of anti-immigrant hate by Donald Trump and JD Vance, echoed by many of their followers. They spread the vicious lie that Haitian immigrants — who are legally documented and were invited by the town leadership to settle there — are eating  people’s pets.

The police chief and city manager of Springfield and the Republican governor of Ohio all have publicly declared this is not true. And  please note that in traditional Haitian culture, the eating of dogs in particular would be regarded as sinful.

Dishonest politicians and their followers hope that fanning the flames of anti-immigrant hatred will mean votes. Power, that’s all this is about, and winning elections no matter how disgusting the tactics. That’s why Trump sabotaged the comprehensive immigration bill Republican and Democratic senators had worked on: Trump did not want to solve the border problem because as he said that would “make Biden look good.” 

But worst of all is the cruel way a family’s terrible tragedy is being used for political gain.

Last year in Springfield, a minivan crashed into a school bus. Aiden Clark was killed and 26 other schoolchildren injured. His father, Nathan Clark, pointed out that Aiden was “not murdered” as Donald Trump claimed, but was “accidentally killed by a migrant from Haiti,” who was found guilty of vehicular homicide and sentenced to at least nine years in prison. This horrible accident is being used to poison  the discussion about what to do with the border and immigration.

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Here is what Aiden’s father said about this terrible tragedy and the anti-immigrant hatred the Trump crowd are promoting: “I wish that my son, Aiden Clark, was killed by a 60-year-old white man. I bet you never thought anyone would say something so blunt, but if that (type of) guy killed my 11-year-old son, the incessant group of hate-spewing people would leave us alone. The last thing we need is to have the worst day of our lives violently and constantly shoved in our faces .... They make it seem as if our wonderful Aiden appreciates your hate, that we should follow your hate .... We have to get up here and beg them to stop. Using Aiden as a political tool is, to say the least, reprehensible for any political purpose. And speaking of morally bankrupt politicians Bernie Moreno, Chip Roy, JD Vance and Donald Trump, they have spoken my son’s name and used his death for political gain. This needs to stop now... They can vomit all the hate they want about illegal immigrants, the border crisis and even untrue claims about fluffy pets being ravaged and eaten by community members. However, they are not allowed, nor have they been ever allowed, to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio. I will listen to them one more time to hear their apologies ….”

So far over 30 bomb threats in Springfield. Schools and children terrified. And now JD Vance admits that the story about immigrants eating pets is actually false! But he says its ok to make stories up to get people’s attention (and votes).

Do these politicians have no shame?

Stephen Wall

Waynesville

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