First, I went back and listened to it multiple times and he clearly said it. If I was going to take his claim seriously, it would only be if he had pronounced it with an “m” rather than an “n”. But he didn’t. There is no way that’s a mispronunciation of “migrant” or “immigrant”.
On the other hand, he’s saying there were two Springfield residents calling to complain, and it’s possible that if he had heard those complaints or read transcripts, that language might have been used by them and so it was on his mind and part of the slip. Maybe it’s not because it’s a word he uses when behind closed doors.
But I admit even that’s a stretch. It’s just as likely, I’d say more likely, that this was his Virginia-native, conservative shitbag vernacular slipping out.
The good thing is that this slip seems to be getting the attention it deserves, based on a quick Google search.
He’s got to be planning on the fact that him being there will draw his protestors and his supporters and start riots to prove he was right all along. There haven’t been enough protests there yet, and he can’t wait much longer.
There’s absolutely no other reason for him to go there.
If the CBS moderators have their druthers, the first question in the vice presidential debate will go something like this;
“Senator Vance, in recent weeks you and former President Trump have made claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, OH were eating the pets of residents. These claims have been confirmed as false by multiple sources including Ohio’s Republican governor Mike DeWine and Springfield’s Republican mayor Rob Rue, and you yourself have acknowledged “creating stories” in a televised interview. Since then, the people of Springfield have been living in fear due to threats of violence inspired by these claims, resulting in the closure of schools and the cancellation of a popular festival. Would you like to take this opportunity to retract your claims and apologize to your constituents for the harm they have caused?”
Yeah, like he’s going to answer the question that was asked? He’ll answer exactly as he did with Dana Bash, pretending he was just trying to show the importance of immigration reform. Who cares if it makes no sense?
And then he’ll go on and on about how immigrant influx causes housing prices to go up, ignoring how American tech worker influx did exactly the same thing in Silicon Valley and Seattle/Bellevue.
That’s not really a question though. I’m sure it could be rephrased as something plausible in an actual debate, such as the following:
“Do you still stand by these claims, and what have you done or plan to do in order to address the harm that your constituents have suffered as a result of these claims?”
Debates don’t generally work like this:
But I think you could very much phrase something in the same spirit as what you proposed as a legitimate debate question. It really should be a legitimate debate question.
I read that the first Haitians arrived in Springfield in 2018, and the major influx began in 2020. Does anybody know the exact breakdown by year of when the immigrants arrived in town? I seriously doubt if you can pin the ‘blame’ of all 15,000-20,000 on Biden/Harris. And, news flash, the Haitians didn’t come across the southern border.
It’s not a mispronunciation. It’s a neologism! He should be lauded for his contribution to the ever-expanding English language. I, for one, can’t hardly wait until I get to use the word nigrant in public.
For the sarcasm impaired, I’m not serious about that.
If any POC, regardless of heritage, has any remaining questions about what’s going to happen to them if the fascists take over this should dispel their uncertainty.
Hahaha! Almost my entire family (all POCs, most first generation immigrants, some in denial on both) are firmly in the “They don’t mean us, we are the good minorities/immigrants” camp.
Note I said “should dispel”, not “will dispel”. Human nature is real good at saying “It won’t happen to me”. Until it does.
I’m generic native-born US white. My GF is Afro-Caribbean. So are many of her friends and co-workers. Miami is like that.
All of them are nervously eyeing which island to flee to if the shit really hits the fan in the USA. In some cases their home island isn’t a good idea, so they’re searching out extended family elsewhere, etc. The Afro-Americans without a recent immigrant connection are feeling sort of cornered, with no safe place to escape to.
Demetrius Williams: No, I know. I know. I know you and your folks can come down here from God knows where, and be ‘bout as black as the ace of spades, and as soon as you get here, you start acting white. And treatin’ us like we your doormats. I know that you and your daughter ain’t but a few shades from this right here.
