Even some of Donald Trump's most ardent supporters will admit that he is spreading lies. However, they give him a pass on his tactics – saying they are just ways to shake things up and anger liberals. However, Trump's lies are doing real damage.
A case in point is the recent lie promoted by Trump and his fellow Senator JD Vance that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, OH are eating people's pets.
How Lies Begin
As you can guess, everything started on Facebook. A post created by Springfield resident Erika Lee reads:
“My neighbor told me that his daughters friend lost his cat. He checked pages, archives, asked everywhere, etc. One day on his way home from work, as soon as he got out of his car, he looked towards the neighbor's house, where the Haitian people live, and he saw his cat hanging from a branch, just like you. “I slaughtered a deer, and they carved it to eat.”
The document went on to say, “I was told that they did this to dogs, they were doing it in Snyder park with ducks and geese, as I was told that in the end by the Rangers and the police.” Please keep a close eye on these animals”
So, according to the post, the information comes from a neighbor who heard it from his daughter, who heard it from a friend. That's at least three degrees of separation from the alleged incident. Therefore, it does not qualify as true. It qualifies as a baseless rumour.
It's actually like a twisted rumor since city officials including animal control, the police, and the mayor have reprimanded it. Notably, the mayor, Rob Rue, is a Republican.
Another Republican, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, also said the rumors are not true. Lee recently deleted his post. However, Trump and Vance doubled down on these lies. They show it in almost every appearance they make. It's almost like they can't talk about anything else. Because of that, there may be a reason for that.
Four Floods
Former Trump adviser and current prisoner Steve Bannon said the purpose of the lie was “fill the place with shit“. By that, he meant that by producing enough lies and distortions, a section of society could be overwhelmed and manipulated.
By that measure, Donald Trump is perhaps the most powerful manure spreader in American politics. And Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, thinks he knows why.
“There's more to it than demonizing immigrants — although that's part of what he's doing,” Buttigieg said. he told CNN last week. “This is a ploy to get us to talk about the latest craziness he's done, whatever urban legend he's promoting — right now about people eating cats or geese or whatever — because he can't get us to talk about his record.”
Trump included the cat-eat-cat Haiti lie in the presidential debate.
Hate Speech Raises Hate Groups
One of the effects of hate speech is that it attracts hate groups. One hate group that has erupted in Springfield since Trump and Vance started promoting the cat-eat-cat Haiti lie Ku Klux Klan.
Speaking on ABC News' “This Week,” DeWine had this to say about the impact of Trump and Vance's unsubstantiated claims:
“There are hate groups coming into Springfield. We don't need these hate groups. I saw a letter yesterday that the mayor told me about from the so-called KKK. Look, Springfield is a beautiful town. They are good people. They welcome people. We have challenges every day. We are addressing those challenges.”
However, before the Klan arrived in Springfield a Neo-Nazi white supremacist group, the Blood Tribe, came to town. They held a march in August carrying swastika flags. Besides, a member of the group issued an important warning.
“I came to deliver a word of warning,” a representative of the Blood Tribe told the Springfield city commission. “Stop what you're doing before it's too late. Crime and violence will only increase with every Haitian you bring in.”
The hate speaker identified himself as Nathaniel Higgers. Nate Higgers is a common name used by white racists.
“This idea that we have hate groups coming in, this discussion must end. We must focus on moving forward and not being eaten by dogs and cats. It's just funny,” said DeWine.
Ridiculous But He Believed
Even if every public official in Springfield, the governor, and an army of state and national reporters decides the story is not true – there are a large number of people who believe the lies.
More than 50 percent of Trump and Vance supporters believe the lie is more likely to be true. A YouGov poll After the debate they found that 22 percent of Trump supporters believed the lie was “definitely true” and 30 percent thought it was “probably true.”
The Effects of Their Words
Believing passionate lies often leads to violent acts. So far, there have been no murders as a result of the lies perpetuated by Trump and Vance. However, there were consequences although Vance denied any responsibility.
“Nothing I've said has led to threats,” said Vance.
However, local officials seem to disagree. said Rue The New York Times the threats were a “hateful response” to the Haitian people and insulted “national politicians, on the national stage” who are “lying about what is happening and misrepresenting our community.”
In a separate interview, Rue added, “All these political leaders who attacked our city, must know that they are harming our city, too it was their words that did that.“
Trump and Vance Lie and Threaten Violence
A Springfield Haitian church has been vandalized twice.
Since then numerous bomb threats have led to the closure of public buildings.
Last week the town hall was closed due to such a threat. Some city and county offices were also closed as a precaution. In addition, subsequent bomb threats led to the temporary closure of several schools, a local college, hospitals and medical facilities. Bomb threats have also been directed at the homes of city officials.
Because of those threats, state police now sweep all schools every day.
Trump first pleaded ignorance and then expanded the lie.
“I don't know what happened with the bomb threats,” Trump said. “I know it was taken by illegal immigrants and what happened is terrible.”
DeWine set the record straight, saying, “What we do know is that the Haitians in Springfield are legal. They came to Springfield to work. Ohio is on the way, and Springfield has restarted many incoming companies. “
Vance helps celebrate
In the world of poker, a player who tells himself that he has a bad hand is said to be telling other players. Telling may come in the form of a sideways glance, a nervous tickle or a general display of discomfort.
In the case of JD Vance – his telling opens his mouth.
“The American media ignored these things until Donald Trump and I started talking about cat memes,” Vance said. “If I have to make news so that the American media will pay attention to the suffering of the American people, then that is what I will do.
“I say we're building a story, which means we're building the American media and focusing on it,” said Vance. “I didn't create 20,000 immigrants coming into Springfield because of Kamala Harris' policies.”
In a separate interview no Spectrum NewsVance spilled the water.
“Now it is possible that the citizens are lying but I have not seen evidence that they are lying to me, so I choose to keep trying to believe them, try to talk to them and try. to hear their concerns,” said Vance. “I will not call these residents liars if they come to me and give me proof of this.”
Vance later added, “Maybe they're all wrong.”
However, they persist
In his CNN interview, Vance expanded Hatain's menu to include geese.
“A lot of the things that have been said by the media have been completely unfounded since they were confirmed,” Vance said, citing a 911 call made by an Ohio resident who said he saw a Haitian immigrant stealing a goose.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said it has no record of a claim. However, viral photos allegedly showing the incident soon surfaced. Ohio Department of Wildlife, he told TMZ the photos were actually of a man from Columbus, OH holding a bird that had been hit by a car.
They Have No Shame
As if lying about Haitians eating cats and geese wasn't enough, last week Vance wanted to bring a dead baby into the debate.
Aiden Clark, 11, died last year when a 60-year-old Haitian resident accidentally rammed his van into a school bus. The van driver was in the country legally. He was tried, convicted and sentenced to prison.
“You know what's guaranteed?” Vance tweeted last week. “That the child was killed by a Haitian immigrant who had no right to be here.”
That night, at the town meeting, Aiden's father Nathan had this to say:
“I wish 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 guy killed my 11 year old son, an endless group of hate mongers would leave us alone. The last thing we need is to have the worst day of our lives with violence and always shoving it in our face, but even that is not good for them. They take you one step further. They make it seem like our wonderful Aid appreciates your hate, that we should follow their hate.”
Later, Clark added:
“This must be stopped now. They can spew all the hate they want about illegal immigrants, the border issue and the untruths about domesticated animals being destroyed and eaten by members of the public. However, they are not allowed and have never been allowed, we count Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio. I will listen to them again to hear their apology.”
Unfortunately, there has been no apology from Trump and Vance. Meanwhile, the lies continue.
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