John Legend Calls For Unity After Donald Trump's 'Pet-Eating Haitians' Remark
As a native of Springfield, Ohio, John Legend refuses to stay silent following what has been described as damaging rumors about Haitian immigrants by former president Donald Trump.
The "All of Me" hitmaker called out Trump for spreading claims of "pet-eating Haitians" at his presidential debate against Kamala Harris. He implored fans to adopt peace instead of hateful lies against innocent people.
John Legend isn't the first to refute Donald Trump's scathing claims, as rapper Wyclef Jean and Ohio's government have also bashed the pet-eating allegations as false.
John Legend Implores Fans To Ignore Donald Trump's 'Racist' Claims
In his latest Instagram update, Legend shared a video of himself dressed in a white bathrobe while addressing Trump's controversial statement about Haitians. He spoke not as a singer but as a native of Springfield, Ohio.
Legend praised immigrants as "hardworking and ambitious," claiming they committed "less crime than native-born Americans" and implored fans to embrace Haitians with these facts in mind. As for Trump's pet-eating claims, he said:
"Nobody's eating cats. Nobody's eating dogs. We all just want to live and flourish and raise our families in a healthy and safe environment. How about we love one another?"
"I grew up in the Christian tradition. We said to love our neighbor as we love ourselves and treat strangers as though they might be Christ," Legend continued, advising fans to choose peace and love. In his words:
"So how about we adopt that ethos when we talk about immigrants moving to our communities and don't spread hateful, xenophobic, racist lies about them."
John Legend Reveals The History Of Haitian Immigrants In Springfield
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A post shared by John R Stephens - Springfield, Ohio (@johnlegend)
Legend claimed Springfield experienced a large influx of Haitian immigrants after it had been "shrinking for decades." The lack of jobs and resources influenced a mass migration that significantly decreased the southwestern Ohio town's population.
"So when I was there, we had upwards of 75,000 people, and in the last 5 years, we were down to, like, 60,000 people," Legend explained, noting that Biden's administration sparked an increase in jobs and opportunities but not enough people to fill those roles.
To solve this, the federal government allegedly granted visas to Haitian immigrants, allowing them to escape the "upheaval and turmoil in Haiti." Legend stressed that they entered the country legally and met the demand in Springfield for additional labor.
Fans Have Mixed Reactions To The Singer's Message
In the post's caption, Legend doubled down on his plea for peace, partly writing: "How about we love one another. See each other's humanity." However, his message sparked mixed reactions from Instagram users.
People claiming to be Springfield natives supported the singer's message, with one noting, "Thank you. I live in Springfield, and I'm appalled at the lies and rumors being spewed. Trump is inciting hate and violence."
"Thanks, John. I'm a Springfield resident, and it has been hard dealing with the blatant racist attacks," another chimed. On the other hand, critics bashed his support of immigrants, claiming Legend could not relate to the lower-class struggles.
"I just love when rich celebrities try to tell us how we should feel about certain situations," an IG user penned, while another displeased critic argued, "Elitist celebrities have no idea what's going on. When is the last time you were worried about buying or affording groceries?"
The Pet-Eating Rumors Stemmed From A Different Incident
Following Trump's "pet-eating Haitian" remarks, the Ohio government immediately shut down the allegations as false. "This is something that came up on the internet, and the internet can be quite crazy sometimes," Ohio Governor Mike DeWine revealed.
DeWine echoed Springfield Mayor Rob Rue's earlier statements about the rumors, noting that "he knows his city." The mayor stressed that the pet-eating claims were baseless and had no ties to the southwestern Ohio town.
"We have not been able to verify any credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community," Rue claimed, per BBC, adding:
"The news story regarding a cat being killed or consumed did not originate in Springfield. It actually involved a Canton woman who was arrested for animal cruelty last month."
Wyclef Jean Shuts Down Donald Trump's Claims About Haitians
Before Legend's response to Trump's allegations, The Blast reported that Haitian-born rapper Wyclef Jean had addressed the situation in a powerful statement. He reflected on his family's chance to experience the "American Dream," saying:
"I speak from the heart when I say Haitian people living in the U.S. are good neighbors and good people. We care about humanity. We care about our neighbors."
"On behalf of Haitian Americans, I ask that we stop these racist messages and accusations. Put our hands out in peace and say thanks for being my neighbor," Jean continued, advising people to vote based on facts instead of "crazy talk."
Will Donald Trump's controversial claims about Haitians influence the upcoming presidential election?
