Listen to this note:
During the first debate between presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, the former Republican president falsely claimed that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating residents' pets, including dogs and cats.
These statements provoked a mocking reaction from Harris, who pointed out that they were completely false.
The debate moderator then intervened to refute Trump's claim, saying that neither the local police chief nor the mayor were aware of any such activity in the city.
As expected, social media exploded with memes mocking Trump's statements. Videos of animals in casseroles, images of dachshunds with bread around them, DJ mixes using Trump's words, are some of the reactions that went viral, generating laughter in many sectors.
However, the other side of this story is much more worrying, especially for immigrants of color in Springfield. After Trump's statements, many of them are now afraid to go out to the stores, take their children to school or even leave their homes. The situation has become so tense, that several universities and schools have opted to move to online classes due to bomb threats and mass shootings.
Ohio's Republican governor has come out to deny Trump's claims, saying there is no record of incidents where pets have been eaten.
It is important to exercise empathy in this situation. In the United States, unfortunately, there is a lot of ignorance regarding the ethnic diversity of the population. Often, all those who speak Spanish are considered Mexican, those with Asian features are identified as Chinese, and anyone who wears a turban is assumed to be Arab. Now, many dark-skinned immigrants in Springfield are seen as possible Haitians, a community that has been the target of discrimination and hatred.
Imagine being a person of color, an immigrant in this country who came to a town in need of labor and is now an integral part of that community. Imagine that, after irresponsible comments from a presidential candidate, you see white supremacists marching through your neighborhood, the place where you have worked for years and where you raise your children.
Suddenly, your coworkers and people on the street look at you differently, believing that you might be out to eat their pets, all because someone they trust has told them this lie.
Plus, imagine getting a notification from your school on a Monday morning warning you not to take your kids to in-person classes and that, for the indefinite period, classes will be held online for safety reasons.
When we put ourselves in the shoes of this immigrant community, we realize that the videos and memes mocking Trump are no longer funny. There is a vulnerable community in danger, facing a growing climate of hate and discrimination.
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