Christine Flowers: Lies about Haitian immigrants do a disservice to them and to America
Terence Faircloth via Flickr
A few years ago, I was riding on the El, coming back from an immigration court hearing, and a kid in a hoodie with “Bonner” written across his chest punched me in the head. It was a random attack, with no warning, and no provocation. When I picked up my phone to film him — which was probably not the best reaction but typical in this “let’s post everything” era — he knocked it out of my hand and called me some expletives I’d never even heard while stomping on my out-of-date Apple.
There were about five people on that train car: the animal in the Bonner sweatshirt, me, two middle-aged men who knew what was happening but didn’t want to get involved, and an elderly man with a cane. Guess which one got up and started intervening to protect me?
Today, that man would be accused of eating your pet cat Fluffy. The elderly gentleman who could barely walk spoke with a heavy accent and told the little thug to back off. For some reason, said thug ran out of the car when the doors opened at the next stop. When I thanked the man, I recognized him from immigration court. He had sometimes interpreted for creole-speaking clients. God placed this Haitian angel in my path.
That’s what I was thinking when the whole faux-controversy about pet-eating immigrants made a splash earlier this month.
Anyone with half a brain and common sense knows exactly what this was: political gamesmanship of the most obvious nature. There was no evidence of Haitians stealing, cooking, and dining on domesticated animals. The story was debunked before it even made national news, and still there were people saying that it could be true. There still are people who argue against all evidence that immigrants are eating pets. And then you have JD Vance, whom I normally like, perpetuating a myth from his home state.
I understand the discomfort that comes from seeing an influx of people who have different traditions, a different language and a completely different history sent to middle America. We saw that problem in Minnesota when a large number of Somali refugees were resettled in an area founded by largely Scandinavian immigrants. The “melting pot” doesn’t work as well when you try and put oil, and then water, into that recipe. In fact, it boils over.
But the way to deal with the very real problems that come from the mixing of cultures and people is not to make up defamatory stories. There are mechanisms by which we can reconcile our differences and become the welcoming society that we’ve always aspired to create.
I say “aspired,” because as the descendant of Italian immigrants with swarthy complexions and funny names, who worshiped at an altar before the body and blood of Christ, and were seen to owe allegiance to a foreign potentate, I understand that bigotry is not new to the people of Ohio. Xenophobia has always existed, and it springs more from fear of the unknown than any deep-seated hatred of immigrants. Yes, there are those who think the Ku Klux Klan was on the right track, but I insist on believing that they are in the tiniest of minorities in this big-hearted country. And yet, fear can cause as much harm as actual hatred.
That elderly Haitian man didn’t hesitate to help me. He could barely stand up, but he saw a white woman being attacked by a black teenager, and the colors and races and legal statuses didn’t matter. All he knew was that someone was being victimized, and he sprang into action.
That’s why I take these things personally. We can address the very real issues about immigration, the problems of overcrowding and criminality, the strain on our resources, the economic impact, and all of the normal things that happen when societies evolve in a less than organized manner.
But choosing to demonize people who don’t look or sound like us based on myths is anti-American, and “anti” everything I was raised to believe in.
And this should not be an issue where conservatives abandon the high moral road to liberals. Conservatives are the true party of acceptance, of empathy, and of dignity. We defend unborn life, and we defend refugees who come here with their family-based values and their desire for freedom and a better life. We have much more in common with immigrants than people who have spent the last half century pandering to them, and forcing them into some unwelcome box of victimization.
So, my friends on the right: stop demonizing people who don’t look or sound like you. One day, and I hope this day never comes, you might need their courageous and selfless aid in a dark moment.
Christine Flowers is an attorney and lifelong Philadelphian. @flowerlady61
Christine,
Thank you for sharing your story.
Fact: Officials say up to 20,000 Haitian immigrants recently “arrived” into Springfield — a city of 60,000 people about 45 minutes west of Columbus.
Fact: The unsubstantiated claims about migrants eating live animals went mainstream during the second presidential debate on Aug. 10, when Trump faced off against Kamala Harris for the first time. Trump pushed the claim and said Harris and Biden were to blame for “our country being lost” by allowing [illegal] migrants in [the way Biden Harris allowed.]
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats, 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,” he said.
Harris laughed off Trump’s comments, while debate moderator David Muir repeated statements from Springfield officials saying there were no reports of pets being harmed by migrants.
Question: Don’t you think it was absolutely wild David Muir was ready with a statement from Springfield officials?!? What a script!
Question: Why do you waste time on this nonsense instead of doing a real news story like this one? https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/08/05/gop-vote-fraud-foes-should-fight-fishy-addresses/
Question: What are you doing to prepare for the designed chaos coming after election “day” (what a crock), or will you be led by your nose by the lying media the same way you were about this Haitian issue? That old man stood up for you because he was raised to be a man. That Bonner sweatshirt wearing punk attacked you because he was taught to hate and be afraid and segregate everyone into groups. That is what PA SEL classes teach in public schools currently, too. Those two other riders sadly have been conditioned to be sheep. I’m sincerely sorry that happened to you on the train. Not one Broad + Liberty writer has the courage to dig into the dirty voter rolls and the mail-in ballot cheating. You guys poo-pooed the idea Biden wouldn’t be the candidate just four (4) months ago; and you peddle Nippon Steel propaganda. The Broad + Liberty writers are a bunch of Democrats and RINOs and we will all get what we deserve after the November election.
Christine: Not to reduce your overall message, but I’d guess that your encounter with an elderly Haitian who came to your aid is not representative with what the reality of immigration brings in today’s world. Your defender may have immigrated here legally many years ago under laws which would carry tighter scrutiny and background information and ease of deportation. He probably also didn’t have many of the benefits that illegals get today, thereby creating a would-be citizen that needed to be creative and motivated to assimilate. I’m guessing that he recognized you also. Pet store grocery shopping or not; what is happening in towns like Springfield, Ohio and countless border towns is a crime against the legal residents of this country. The latest ICE reports regarding the levels of dangerous criminals that are running loose in our country because of laxed enforcement at the direction of Mayorkas, Harris and Biden is inexcusable, unconstitutional and dangerous for our country and it’s citizens. It proves that the class of many immigrants arriving at our shores are not the ‘best and brightest’, especially from areas of civil unrest like Haiti, Mexico, Central and South America. Until proper and effective vetting of would-be immigrants and continuous monitoring for follow up asylum and visa hearings is achieved, plus coordination of local law enforcement information from sanctuary cities, I’ll remain skeptical and guarded.
Its to bad that articles like this from Ms. Flowers are the exception, not the rule. The next time she writes a pro-Trump commentary that she is enabling people like FedUp and Michael Sweeney
Question: How many recent Upper Darby residents originally from East Africa – specifically the region at the eastern edge of the African continent encompassing 18 sovereign states and 4 territories – are currently caught up in the criminal system (funded by DelCo taxpayers) AND are also “married” to women from reservations in North Dakota that they never met?
Answer: ??? Way more than you think, Judah.
If you had that answer you would have posted it along with a link. You should stick to conspiracy theories that are more believable. Like the one about a small group of AI’s that are trying to take over the world.
There isn’t any specific data available on the number of Native Americans living on reservations who marry foreign spouses and petition for their legal permanent residency in the United States. However, each year, roughly 450,000 U.S. citizens (.1% population) marry foreign spouses and petition for them to get legal permanent residency. It’s one of the shortest paths to citizenship, just three years. There are about 326 tribal reservations and in 2020, the Census Bureau counted 9,666,058 people who identified as AI/An; so using .1% of that population would be roughly 10,000 – but I bet it is significantly higher than that each year. My understanding is in Upper Darby alone there are scores of defendants married to women from North Dakota that they’ve never met.
“Americans Say Immigrants Duped Them Into Marriage, Then Claimed Abuse to Stay in US – NBC4 Washington (nbcwashington.com)” From the NBC article…
Each year, roughly 450,000 U.S. citizens marry foreign spouses and petition for them to get legal permanent residency. It’s one of the shortest paths to citizenship, just three years.
Sampson said fraud in one-on-one cases is almost never pursued.
“The risk is huge,” said Janice Kephart. “Espionage, terrorism, criminal gangs.”
Kephart served as a terrorism counsel for the 9/11 commission. She said marriage fraud doesn’t just hurt the American spouse, it threatens national security.
“I did a study of 94 terrorists. One-tenth of them had gotten in the country and stayed in the country through a sham marriage,” said Kephart.
She believes investigators should be listening closely to U.S. citizens who say they were duped by marriage fraud, but VAWA actually prohibits that.
Investigators have to treat the American spouse as a “prohibited source of information” if the immigrant spouse claims abuse. To protect the immigrant’s safety, investigators are not even allowed to tell the American their spouse filed for protection under VAWA.
“There isn’t any specific data available on the number of Native Americans living on reservations who marry foreign spouses and petition for their legal permanent residency in the United States.” I stopped reading as soon as I read this, because everything else after that is a conspiracy theory with no facts.
Why do you celebrate your ignorance? What do you think, madam, is the specific reason why you are so misguided? Perhaps some adults were too gruff. Or perhaps it is because you “stopped reading” because you allowed your emotions to overload your ability to think.
I stopped reading because you have claimed there are women on Native American tribal lands marrying unknown foreigners. Then you opened your reply by stating there is no data to back your claim. Why do you insist in acting like a petulant child when you debunked your conspiracy theory for me?
Again – your whole mindset and response are related to TRUMP.
Seems that you are enabled solely by Trump’s existence, even when he’s not even around or part of a discussion.
Rent free, rent free in your head.
Me? I’m enabled by America and its constitution.
Truth hurts, doesn’t it.
In your case it does. In my case: not at all.
It’s ‘to’ bad you failed 3rd grade English Composition also.
When refer to the document known as the “constitution” you need to capitalize the letter “C”.
You should have put commas between pet store and grocery and before “or”
“Pet store grocery shopping or not;”
“It proves that the class of many immigrants arriving at our shores are not the ‘best and brightest’, especially from areas of civil unrest like Haiti, Mexico, Central and South America.” What country did your family originally immigrate from? In the past the same thing was said about Italians, Irish, Germans, Jews, Chinese, and Japanese. They were wrong then like you are now.
European and Asian immigrants who came here legally were skilled craftsmen and hard workers and also had a level of formal education. They helped build America. Their criticism had more to do with taking jobs away from American workers.
They weren’t a result of prison and asylum releases or drug and human trade cartels or an uneducated populous. Look up the most dangerous cities in the world for violent crime. That’s where today’s immigrants are coming from.
Not during the major immigration to America in the 1800’s. The Irish were subject to “NINA” signs, no Irish need apply. The Italians were referred to as “WOPS”, without papers, believed to have lower intelligence, and criminals. Both groups considered to be dirty, uneducated, prone to large families, and loyal to the Pope. By the Protestant majority existing in America. The Chinese were subjected to the Chinese Exclusion act and Jews were openly discriminated against because they did not follow any form of Christianity. They were all considered and many were uneducated. All of these immigrants and many others were considered undesirable because they did not speak English.
All of these groups took on the type of jobs that Americans did not want to do. Construction, police, firefighters, factory work, and sanitation. All of these groups were fleeing political, religious, and political oppression, just like the immigrants of today.
This article is offensive and condescending. Garbage.
NO – it hasn’t been “debunked”!
Mentioning your pious Christianity as if anyone disagrees with you is a lesser person than you.
“We defend unborn life, and we defend refugees who come here with their family-based values and their desire for freedom and a better life. We have much more in common with immigrants than people who have spent the last half century pandering to them, and forcing them into some unwelcome box of victimization.:” Making this issue a sanctity of life issue is absurd. Nobody is devaluing their lives, and your premise that these are “refugees” is an odd choice of words.
Most of these people are here illegally and are using loopholes in our laws to get here under the guise of seeking asylum when most of them don’t qualify for it. If you want to show compassion and “do the Lord’s work” go to their country and live – help them there.
The Hattians in Springfield, OH entered the U.S. legally.
Usually I agree wholeheartedly with what Ms. Flowers has to say but not this time. While I’m sure there are some wonderful and good Haitians, that does not mean that this story about them eating cats is not true. It is difficult, if not impossible, to prove a “negative.” That said, I wish that Trump hadn’t mentioned this since it provided fuel for the Left who are wont to criticize whatever he and his team say without any proof of the validity of their claims. The “cats” remark unfortunately detracted from the innumerable substantive positions that President Trump presented in the debate.
For what it’s worth, it has been noted that a reporter, who was visiting outside Springfield, Ohio, “stumbled upon what he believed to be a skinned cat sizzling on a barbecue.” This is what was noted: “The reporter found that there’s a lot of good evidence that it actually is happening, Pat Gray of ‘Pat Gray Unleashed’ comments. ‘I don’t know if it’s prevalent, I don’t know if all Haitians are eating all cats in the area, I don’t know. But apparently, it’s happened.’ …While it was just outside of Springfield where this happened, Gray notes that ‘it was a Haitian refugee, and it was a cat, and it was being barbecued.’ ”
Why it is so difficult for people to think this could not have happened? Different cultures think and act differently. Remember that it was our “esteemed” President Obama who admitted to eating DOG when he was a child in Indonesia!
The woman who originally started the rumor has admitted she lied.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/-just-exploded-springfield-woman-says-never-meant-spark-rumors-haitian-rcna171099
How did you verify this information you so readily regurgitate? Did you go there yourself? Maybe you did and… you place your faith in someone else’s word. Wild stuff.
You delight in “polite” foolishness and stupidity. I’m choosing to be rude because you hide behind “Judah” and pretend to be nice. You are phony.
Click on the link and you will see that the woman who made the original claim says she made it up. In other words she lied.
I am polite/nice and my name is as real as yours. You on the other hand have used rude statements because your conspiracy theories are so easily debunked, so you need to throw a temper tantrum. Even the AI’s that you claim to be controlling the world know this.
Using the name of a dead man is highly unethical.
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/michael-sweeney-obituary?pid=175039684
That the woman said she lied doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Again…it is difficult, if not impossible to prove a negative! There are far more important issues to be discussed and argued about however.
She lied and is one of the first people to promote this claim. If this was actually happening, given the media and social media attention someone would have gotten video of this happening. No one has and media outlets that actually have to fact check these claims have not been able to confirm this. No one on social media has been able to provide documented proof.
You are right, “There are far more important issues to be discussed and argued about however.” You chose to bring this up in a three paragraph comment. Next time stick to the “important” issues.