Singer John Legend stood up for the Haitian community in his hometown of Springfield, Ohio, after some Republican politicians spread false claims about them.
During a recent presidential debate, former President Donald Trump falsely claimed that Haitians in Springfield were stealing and eating people’s pets. Both the mayor of Springfield and the governor of Ohio dismissed these comments, with the mayor saying the claims were completely untrue.
Legend talked about growing up in Springfield and how many Haitian immigrants came to the city due to problems in Haiti and new job opportunities during the Biden administration. ABC News reports that around 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants live in the county around Springfield.
In a video on social media, Legend said, We should treat our Haitian brothers and sisters with the same respect we would want for our own ancestors when they came to this country. No one is eating cats or dogs. We all just want to live, thrive, and raise our families in a safe, healthy environment. Let’s show love to one another.
He added, I grew up with Christian values. We were taught to love our neighbors and treat strangers with kindness. Let’s apply those values to how we talk about immigrants and stop spreading hateful and racist lies.
The city of Springfield has been in the national spotlight because of these false claims, spread by Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance R-Ohio. The rumor started online after right-wing users linked a missing cat in the city to a video of a woman being arrested for allegedly eating a cat.
On Thursday, Springfield’s City Hall and other local buildings received a bomb threat. Police evacuated the area, and although it’s unclear if it was related, Mayor Rob Rue told The Washington Post that the threat contained hateful language aimed at Haitians and immigrants.