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RACISM
Why We Can't Afford to Ignore Racism Targeting Haitian Immigrants
Doing so risks normalizing this xenophobic rhetoric
Haitians today are still feeling the backlash for the successful revolution their ancestors initiated in 1791. Before their self-liberation, this French colony was the world's most lucrative sugar and coffee producer. As a result, many White people resented their victory. Even more than the economic loss, the Haitian Revolution frightened many enslavers, as it represented an example of Black people successfully overthrowing their oppressors. To justify slavery, French colonists argued Africans in Haiti were barbaric. Sadly, we're seeing the same racist, xenophobic rhetoric espoused by some modern-day American politicians. To garner support for anti-immigration policies, for instance, J.D. Vance, the Republican Vice President nominee, parroted a debunked myth about Haitian immigrants, suggesting "people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn't be in this country." Former President Donald Trump also parroted this talking point in his debate against Kamala Harris, claiming, "They're eating the pets of the people that live there. And this is what's happening in our country. And it's a shame." We should consider the impact of such statements and where they come from.
The myth about Haitian immigrants abducting and eating pets began at a Springfield City Commission Meeting, where Nathanial Higgers, a member of a Neo-Nazi group, Blood Pride, and head of the anti-Haitian immigration march in Ohio, first perpetuated the rumor. There, he laid the foundation, suggesting "crime and savagery will only increase with every Haitian you bring in," referring to the group of migrants as "violent and unruly outsiders." This stereotyping is common among white supremacists who seek to justify their degradation of Black people and is doubly so when applied to Haitians because of their foreign-born status. Despite Haitians having a low asylum approval rate, some suggest, without evidence, that their numbers are rapidly increasing and that Americans should be frightened by demographic changes. However, there is no evidence that Haitians are systematically harming Americans. Or their pets. Indeed, Black immigrants are more likely to be subjected to hate crimes than other…
