What started as an ignorant rumor about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, OH has exploded into a bogus rallying cry and full-blown racist attack on an innocent, hard-working immigrant community.
An image of a Black man carrying dead geese was used to create and spread the false, racist and dangerous rumor that Haitians in the small midwestern town were stealing residents’ dogs and cats and eating them.
The former president employed the ridiculous story as a whining point during the recent debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. This wasn’t his first time insulting Haiti as it repeated his 2018 antics when he denigrated both the Caribbean island and Africa.
The idea that this was happening in Springfield has been both debunked and denounced by everyone from a city factory where Haitian immigrants are working and the city’s mayor to the state’s Republican governor and every legitimate media outlet.
But that hasn’t stopped the hate or threats.
Now, the town of 60,000 residents has been inundated by media outlets, conspiracy theorists, Nazis, the Proud Boys and bomb threats, the latter of which have resulted in the closures of government offices, schools, Wittenburg University and Clark State College and the homes of the mayor and other government officials.
While the response to debunk the ignorance and fight back against the hate spread by the former president, his running mate and their MAGA supporters has been swift, one group has remained surprisingly silent.
Sports.
How can athletes, especially Haitian athletes, remain quiet as these unjust, racist attacks continue to be perpetuated to the point where lives are being threatened?
The strongest denouncement to date came from the Miami Heat, who posted the organization’s feelings on X on Monday.
“The Miami HEAT staff, like Miami itself, is a diverse and brilliant mix of vibrant cultures, including many members of our Haitian community,” wrote the Heat. “The false narrative surrounding them is hurtful and offensive and has sadly made innocent people targets of hateful speech and physical threats.
“Our Haitian employees, fans and friends deserve better.”
This was a good statement by the Heat, particularly as Florida, according to the 2022 US Census, has the largest Haitian population in the U.S. with over 500,000 residents.
Yet the effort hasn’t been replicated by any other Florida teams including the Dolphins, Hurricanes, Jaguars, Magic, Marlins, Buccaneers, Rays, Panthers or Lightning.
Even in New York, which has the second-high Haitian population (approximately 197,000), the teams have gone silent. That’s especially frustrating to see with the Brooklyn Nets and New York Yankees, which have large Haitian populations in Brooklyn and the Bronx, respectively.
And where are the Haitian athletes/athletes of Haitian descent? Why haven’t they said anything?
Former NBA player Olden Polynice, who is Haitian, wrote on X, “I can honestly say as a Haitian I’ve never had a craving for dogs or cats. I don’t know of any Haitians doing that either.”
Yet he didn’t denounce the hatred.
So why all the silence from sports?
How can some leagues and teams proudly support Black Lives Matter and initiatives to stop Asian and Jewish hate, not say anything when the Haitian community is being targeted, once again, by the former president?
How can they feel comfortable celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month this month (which they should), yet, outside of the Heat, say nothing to denounce the hateful attacks against a community whose homeland is being ripped apart by political upheaval and gang violence? Mind you, Haiti shares the island in the Caribbean with the Dominican Republic.
Yes, the dogs and cats rhetoric is absolutely ridiculous and laughable to the point where you don’t even want to say anything because it’s so foolish.
Yet that rhetoric has successfully enflamed the gullible MAGA base to rally around this foolish claim and continue to fuel it, which is why silence cannot be an option.
Leagues, teams and players should not fear wading into this situation because it’s not a political one. Instead, it’s a human issue where a group of human beings are being racially targeted and now threatened based on a lie.
So if sports can stand up for other groups and causes, it can, and must, do the same for Haitians.
