The Miami Heat Joins Celebs, More Speaking Out Against Trump’s Racist Haitian Comments
The Miami Heat has announced its solidarity with Haitians amid the Trump campaign’s racist misinformation campaign. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance have repeatedly asserted the false claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating cats and other pets, which they based on a baseless Facebook post. The comments, which went viral after the recent presidential debate, have spurred widespread criticism from many, including North Miami Mayor Alix Desulme, who called the comments “despicable.”
On Monday, the Heat made a statement standing with stars such as Wyclef Jean and John Legend. “The Miami Heat staff, like Miami itself, is a diverse and brilliant mix of vibrant cultures, including many members of our Haitian community,” the Miami Heat said, adding, “The false narrative surrounding them is hurtful and offensive and has sadly made innocent people targets of hateful speech and physical threats.” The graphic includes a Haitian flag and a Miami Heat logo.
Florida boasts America’s largest Haitian population, according to the 2022 census. In 2010, Miami Heat members Alonzo Mourning and coach Erik Spoelstra visited Haiti to aid citizens after their catastrophic earthquake. And now, the organization has decided to air its thoughts on Trump’s comments that went viral after the recent presidential debate.
The root of the racist “theory” stems from a Facebook post made by Springfield woman Erika Lee, who shared a story she allegedly was told by neighbor Kimberly Newton about an acquaintance whose cat went missing. But Newton told NBC that her account was “misstated” by Lee who says the post “exploded into something I didn’t mean to happen.” Neo-nazi groups spread the conspiracy online, eventually reaching Vance.
Despite there being no evidence to his claims, Vance stood by his comments, telling CNN on Sunday that, “The American media totally ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I started talking about cat memes. If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
Since Trump’s comments went viral, Haitian residents in Springfield have reportedly been subject to vandalism and harassment, with an anonymous source telling the Haitian Times that they feel too anxious to perform their daily tasks.