Singer-songwriter John Legend posted a video calling on residents of Springfield, Ohio, to embrace newcomers from Haiti and reject negative stereotypes about them.
Legend was born and raised in Springfield. Platform He took the opportunity to speak directly to his 15.8 million followers on Instagram, saying he was inspired by the criticisms former President Donald Trump made about immigrants during Tuesday's debate.
“So I think we all need to have that same kind of kindness that we wish our ancestors had when they immigrated here.”
“Springfield has had a large influx of Haitian immigrants.” The singer said. “Right now, our city has been shrinking for decades. There aren't enough jobs, there aren't enough opportunities, so people are leaving the city and going elsewhere.”
He further noted that the local economy is growing and there is a shortage of workers to meet demand.
“And during this same time, there was chaos and unrest in Haiti, and the federal government was providing visas and immigration status to a certain number of Haitian immigrants so they could come into our country legally,” he continued.
“There are a lot of reasons why this is a challenge for my hometown,” the singer said, “but at the end of the day, these people came to Springfield because there were jobs and they were willing to work.”
He went on to compare these immigrants to others in American history who came from Poland, Italy, Ireland and Germany.
“They commit crimes less frequently than native-born Americans and they will assimilate and blend in over time, but it will take time. So I think we all need to have the same kind of tolerance that we wish our ancestors had when they immigrated here with our Haitian brothers and sisters,” he continued.
“Nobody eats cats,” he added. “Nobody eats dogs.”
He concluded by appealing to the Christian tradition of “love your neighbor as yourself and treat the stranger as Christ.”
Local authorities have denied reports of Haitian migrants eating pets and killing animals in broad daylight, but the claims have gone viral on social media, spawning countless memes and jokes. Regardless of the veracity of the claims, some argue that the large and sudden influx of migrants is straining social services and putting a strain on residents.
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