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Vivek Ramaswamy gets standing ovation from Ohio netizens amid ‘Haitian migrants eating pets’ row: 'I don't even blame…'
Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur who competed for the Republican presidential nomination, hosted a town hall meeting on Thursday in Springfield, Ohio.
Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur who competed for the Republican presidential nomination, hosted a town hall meeting on Thursday in Springfield, Ohio, a city that has become the hot topic in the 2024 presidential race following the baseless rumors of ‘pet eating’ against Haitian immigrants.
Springfield, which boasts a sizable Haitian community, gained national attention after former President Donald Trump made remarks during the presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, implying that immigrants were stealing and eating residents' pets. The debunked claims have been making the rounds on the internet and in the press following the debate, and several bomb threats were made against local institutions.
Ramaswamy meets Haitian community's representatives and city officials
During his Springfield visit, Ramaswamy spoke to Springfield residents and paid attention to their concerns about the toll the city has seen since the influx of Haitian migrants.
Before the town hall, Ramaswamy, a Donald Trump supporter, met with representatives of the Haitian community and city officials. About 200 Springfield people attended the event in the small banquet, while another 100 were accommodated in an overflow room.
The biotech entrepreneur made it clear to the Haitian group that he did not hold them responsible for their desire to come to the United States, but he was critical of the “federal policies” of the Biden-Harris administration.
Ramaswamy addresses concerns of Ohio netizens
Chrissy, a 66-year Springfield resident, chastised city officials for failing to arrange a public gathering of this kind to discuss the key issues.
In response, Ramaswamy stated that the city official were invited to the town hall but they did not show up.
“I think there's a culture of fear, actually. I think the reason they're not here tonight is not because they don't care about this, it's because they're scared,” he said.
Calling Ohio citizens “good, patriotic Americans who love their country and city,” Ramaswamy said that they are “struggling because the people who they elected to run their federal government all the way down have let them down.”
Brock, who is half Black, raised concerns about the “hateful language” that has “spiked” since their town gained national attention.
Brock, a resident of Springfield for more than 20 years, opened up about encountering racist slurs and also shared how two of his friends with darker skin tones were ejected from stores and accused of being Haitian.
Meanwhile, a woman informed Ramaswamy that one of the “immigrants” with a “machete” chased the his daughter out of a Walmart.
However, the cops “never checked on the crime” after her daughter filed the report.
Ramaswamy responded, affirming that he does not believe that the US is a “racist country,” but he also acknowledged that there has been a “weird uptick in racial tension in this country” that he did not experience growing up. He linked the rise in bigotry to the DEI [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] ideology, which he claims “creates more racial animus.”
When one of the attendees asked Ramaswamy if he intended to run for Ohio governor, the audience erupted in wild applause and gave him a standing ovation.
“I'm a little more inclined than I was ten seconds ago,” Ramaswamy remarked.
As the city's troubles with the immigration crisis have turned into an important issue in the 2024 contest, Springfield has been inundated with national media attention.
