As a proud Springfield native and the son of Haitian immigrants, I find John Legend‘s recent speech to be nothing short of inspiring. Growing up in the same city he so eloquently spoke about, I share his sentiments about the hardworking, resilient spirit of our town and its new inhabitants.
As a gamer from Springfield, Ohio – home turf of John Legend – I’ve been moved to speak out about the recent remarks made by Donald Trump targeting Haitian immigrants like myself. On Thursday, John addressed these divisive words, standing up for the community that we both hold dear.
During the presidential debate on Tuesday, the previous president proposed an idea implying that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were overwhelming or dominating the city.
He stated, ‘They’re consuming the household animals, specifically the dogs and cats. In other words, they’re eating the pets belonging to the residents.’
On Thursday, Legend shared on social media that he hails from the town of Springfield, where he spent his childhood years.
The artist behind ‘All of Me’ mentioned that you might be familiar with Springfield, Ohio recently. In case you missed it, this city was brought up during the recent debate, and even discussed by some of the presidential candidates, notably an intriguing individual named Donald J. Trump.
For several minutes, Legend discussed Springfield’s past. “For nearly half a century,” he explained, “our city had been facing decline due to lack of jobs and opportunities. Consequently, residents were leaving and settling elsewhere, causing our population to dwindle. In my time, we counted 75,000 people living here. However, in the last five years, the figure dropped to around 60,000. But with the advent of the Biden administration, there has been an influx of job openings, particularly in manufacturing sectors and factories that required workers. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough locals to fill these positions. Simultaneously, Haiti was experiencing unrest, prompting the federal government to grant visas and immigration status to a selected number of Haitian immigrants, enabling them to enter our country legally.
The singer explained that Springfield’s population grew by approximately 15,000 immigrants, making the total 75,000. “You could certainly remark, ‘That’s quite a number.’ Given that it previously had just 60,000 residents, this represents a 25% rise, which is accurate.
Originally from Springfield, Ohio, John Legend voices concerns over the increasing number of Haitian immigrants, the dissemination of false information regarding them, and the recent hostile actions taken by Trump and his supporters.
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) September 12, 2024
He admitted to facing difficulties due to the change in demographic composition. “Perhaps you can picture some issues when incorporating a fresh wave of people, new languages, cultures, dietary habits. There could be various causes for discomfort, such as ensuring there are sufficient services to cater to the growing number of individuals who may require bilingual assistance. In essence, there are multiple factors contributing to potential challenges my hometown might experience.
Anyway, Legend put it straight: “In essence, these folks moved to Springfield since they found employment here, were ready to work hard, and yearned for their slice of the classic American success story.
He likened the tales of Springfield residents to “your forebears from Germany, Ireland, Italy, Jews, Jamaica, Poland. Each of these ancestries were relocated to this land, possibly without fluency in the common tongue, perhaps differing in dietary habits, and undoubtedly needing adaptations.
He went on to say, “Yet, they arrived seeking the American Dream, viewing it as a chance for personal and familial success.
Later on, Legend discussed the importance of welcoming immigrants into every neighborhood. “Here are some things to know about immigrants,” he shared. “They often thrive here. They’re diligent and driven. They have lower crime rates than those born here in America, and they will adapt and become part of our society given time. However, it requires patience, so I believe we all should show the same understanding that we would hope our forebears were shown.
He stated, “There’s no one consuming cats or dogs. We all share the same desire – to live, prosper, and nurture our families in a wholesome and secure setting. Couldn’t we show affection towards each other instead?
Legend concluded by asking his followers to consider the following: “Growing up, I was taught in the Christian faith that we should love our neighbors as ourselves and treat strangers with kindness, as if they might be Christ. Could we apply this mindset when discussing immigrants joining our communities, avoiding spreading harmful, xenophobic, racist falsehoods about them?
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-09-13 08:24