People moving from one place to another, migration and immigration, have been a part of history for as long as recorded history has occurred. Although ancient history is largely unknown, the islands of the Caribbean were first populated by successive waves of immigration. Arawak migrants, moving northward from the Orinoco delta in South America settled on the islands of the Caribbean prior to 600 A.D.

Centuries later, when Christopher Columbus first landed on a large island in the western Atlantic Ocean in 1492, the recorded history of Haiti began. He called the island, “La Isla Española” (the Spanish Island). When one of Columbus’ ships was wrecked, Columbus established the settlement, La Navidad. The first buildings were made from the timbers of the Santa Maria in December 1492. When he returned the next year he found his settlement destroyed and the settlers killed. He continued on and founded a new settlement at La Isabela in the territory of present-day Dominican Republic.

Following the Spanish explorers, French colonists arrived in the region of modern Haiti and began exporting sugar and later coffee. To support these labor intensive crops, slaves from Africa were imported. By the end of the 1700s a third of the Atlantic slave trade was coming to the colony. In 1791, slaves staged a revolt that led to the Haitian Revolution, which forced the French to withdraw. Toussaint Louverture declared independence in 1802 and Napoleon sent an invasion force to quell the revolution. The French forces encountered stiff resistance and by 1804 Napoleon abandoned the invasion and withdrew his troops.

Haiti became the first Black republic in the west. The success of the slave revolution rattled the United States, especially the slave south. The unease with their Haitian neighbors persists to this day with significant stigma directed at the people of Haiti.

Throughout its history, Haiti has struggled with its democratic ideals and has been ruled by dictators for much of its modern history. In the late 1950s François “Papa Doc” Duvalier rose to power and declared himself “President for Life.” He was succeeded by his son, Jean-Claude “Baby Doc.” Baby Doc’s kleptocracy left the country enmeshed in endemic poverty and vulnerable to several major pandemics, most notably an epidemic of African swine fever which led to the slaughter of creole pigs, the principle protein source for many of the country’s citizens. Later under a provisional military government, an AIDS outbreak caused extensive death and suffering.

On January 12, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastated the country with a death toll of over 300,000. Aftershocks followed. The capital city, Port-au-Prince was effectively leveled. Hundreds of thousands starved. On August 14, 2021, a 7.2 earthquake occurred in Haiti resulting in additional deaths, destruction, and suffering.

It is completely understandable why some people from Haiti sought to leave the country and emigrate to the United States. They have for the most part entered the country legally, worked hard and become contributing members of society. They have gone to work in services and industries in need of labor and have settled into communities around the United States.

The history of Haiti gives some explanation as to why some Haitian immigrants have encountered remnants of pre-Civil War racism and discomfort with Haiti. Irrational fears of disease are remnants of the wave of epidemics that swept the island decades ago. Haitian immigrants have encountered a lot of undeserved bias and racism as they have settled into this country. Still they have persisted and sought to build a better life for themselves and for their children.

Last week a candidate for the highest office in our country, who once held that position, in the midst of losing a debate, turned from all sense of rational argument and simply resorted to spewing lie after lie and included in that a lie garnered from the fringe right, based not at all in fact and debunked by city and county officials and then after the debate both the candidate and his running mate have continued to repeat the lie aimed at the hard-working Haitian immigrants who have settled in Springfield, Ohio. It was more than political rhetoric. It was irresponsible directing of hatred toward innocent people.

The candidate has long resorted to repeating lies not just out of a disrespect for the truth, but out of the practical knowledge that his base does not care what he does for them as long has he continues to do things against those with whom they disagree or with whom they are uncomfortable or afraid. Nearly half of the people of the country’s key swing states are saying that they intend to vote for this candidate.

The physical risk to the Haitian immigrants in Ohio is real. One only has to recall the violence directed against the Capitol on January 6, 2020, or the White supremacists marching in the streets, or other violent physical attacks that have resulted in death and injury to realize the real danger they face.

Regardless of the desperation of a candidate that is obviously struggling with cognitive decline, whose panic at crowd size causes him to exaggerate and lie continually, and whose panic at his inability to compete with his political opponent in rational argument, the use of lies that are capable of inciting violence crosses a line that no politician should be willing to cross. Then the candidate has the audacity to declare that he is the victim. It is the rhetoric of a weak coward.

But that rhetoric is holding sway with everyday people. And there is a very real possibility that the candidate that has no chance of winning the popular vote may still win enough electoral votes to become the President once again. His threats of mass deportations without regard to the legality of immigration status might be ruled illegal in the courts, but will surely result in additional suffering for people who have already suffered much in their lives.

I have wept over the attack on basic decency and the rejection of absolute truth in the past. I can slip into fear for the future. But I also know that the counter to the lies is the truth - truth that will set people free. And we must each be willing to stand up for the truth. For much is on our shoulders as citizens of this nation at this point in our history.

There is absolutely no evidence that any immigrants have stolen and eaten the pets of any people. We all need to be willing to stand up for the truth and now is our time.