No more memes. There is nothing funny about Trump and Vance's lies about Haitian immigrants

Are we done with the cat memes yet? I hope so. For over a week, jokes about saving Ohio's pets have consumed all the oxygen in my social media feeds. In a way, it was a logical response to former President Donald Trump's crude attack on Haitian immigrants during his ABC debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. I'm referring, of course, to his denunciation of Haitian refugees in Springfield, Ohio, saying, “They eat the dogs!”

While many initially focused on the humor of this ridiculous spectacle, I can't help but find it funny. The more we learn about the impact of this racist attack and its origins, the more obvious it becomes that Trump and his running mate JD Vance are leading their supporters down a very dangerous path. And those who amplify their story with jokes are – perhaps unwittingly – joining a new group of “others” who are dehumanized and victimized by thinly veiled hate speech.

Where does this nonsense come from? There are conflicting reports about the origin of the lie. Some believe it began with a third-hand Facebook post that the author (who withdrew her daughter from school out of fear for her safety) later retracted. But the neo-Nazi group Blood Tribe first amplified these false claims in August. These white supremacists knew exactly what they were doing with a baseless attack that reads like a page from the original Nazi playbook. In this case, the Nazis used propaganda “to demonize Jews and create a climate of hostility and indifference to their plight,” as the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum puts it. And now Haitian refugees are the focus of similar propaganda.

It is not my job to accuse Trump, Vance, or others in leadership positions of having motives for spreading the lies about Haitian immigrants in Ohio, but they cannot claim ignorance of the danger they are fomenting.

Springfield is undoubtedly struggling to accommodate the influx of refugees who have come to town legally and have bolstered the local economy by answering the call for jobs in the small town. So many new residents have arrived that schools and social services are overwhelmed. True leaders would not scoff at this struggle, but would look for ways to use their positions to help Springfield.

He points to bomb threats that led to the closure of public schools and colleges, city offices and even a community festival celebrating diversity. Springfield Mayor Bob Rue says those who continue to repeat the lies “need to know that they are harming our city and it is their words that are doing that.” He points out that Republican Gov. Mike DeWine “has been supportive … and has helped with resources to help stabilize our community, as any public official should.”

Vance admits he “made up stories”

Although neither Trump nor Vance have provided evidence to support their claims, after about 11 months of calls, the local sheriff's office could not find any evidence that anyone had harmed pets in the area.

Does this danger worry Trump, Vance and their MAGA colleagues? Are they, as leaders, urging their followers to moderate their rhetoric before someone gets seriously hurt? No. They're upping the ante. Vance acknowledges that it's “of course possible that all of these rumors turn out to be false” (they already have), but adds in a social media post: “Let's keep posting cat memes.”

He then said the quiet part out loud in a CNN interview, emphasizing that he felt the need to “invent stories so that the … media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people.”

When asked if the false rumors were “a story you made up,” Vance replied, “Yes!” He then said the claims were based on “reports from … voters,” although no such reports were documented.

Springfield Mayor Rob Rue says, “We need peace and calm in our community.” I would add that we need to make fewer jokes and hold more accountable those who use their public platforms to spread lies that incite hatred and endanger our communities.

Marj Halperin is a communications consultant for nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Her political commentary has appeared on WGN TV, CTV Canada and WCPT Radio.

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