Bishop Joseph W. Tolton: Harris must respond to Trump’s attack on Haitians and Blackness

The disgusting insults hurled toward Haitian immigrants keep coming. After Donald Trump and his MAGA running mate, JD Vance, spread vicious rumors about Haitian immigrants eating dogs and cats in Springfield, Ohio, leading to death threats in the community, a racist congressman has made the news for further spreading vile rumors about the immigrants.& Congressman& Clay Higgins, R-La.,& recently tweeted, “These Haitians are wild. Eating pets, vudu, nastiest country in the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters.” In an extremely weak response, House Speaker Mike Johnson brushed off the comments as unfortunate and suggested that we just move on. The idea of rebuking the vile racism expressed by Higgins apparently never crossed the speaker’s mind. These recent racist incidents call for a strong and forceful response, and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate for U.S. president, is poised to do just that. Since beginning her campaign, it’s clear that Harris is being extremely careful to not be known as “the female” or “the Black” candidate. However, Trump and his MAGA sycophants are determined to use race baiting as their primary strategy to mobilize their base. And their reprehensible plan cannot go unanswered. Trump’s recent onslaught of vicious accusations against Haitians...