Garcelle Beauvais is addressing the harmful “lies” being spread about the Haitian community by former President Donald Trump.
On Sep.16, Garcelle, star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, took to Instagram to denounce the damaging conspiracy theories about Haitian immigrants living in Springfield, Ohio, which Trump’s divisive rhetoric has fueled. During the Sept.10 presidential debate, Trump falsely claimed that Haitian immigrants in the city were eating residents’ pet cats and dogs, but Garcelle swiftly rebutted the vile rumors, condemning them as racist and deeply harmful.
“Staying silent in the face of racism and hate is something that I refuse to do,” the star, who hails from Saint-Marc, Haiti, shared in her video posted Monday. “This past week, the lies that have been spewed about the Haitian community — about my community — have been disgusting, deeply hurtful and dangerous. This is not about politics — it’s about humanity. We must condemn this kind of hatred.”
As a “proud” Haitian immigrant, Garcelle declared that she will not passively watch Trump undermine the hard work, gratitude, and spirit of her community. She stressed that the way to counteract the racist narrative was by voting out the Republican leader.
“The power we have is to vote, to register and vote, and stop this madness, this chaos,” The 57-year-old Hollywood star added. “We’re supposed to be uplifting each other, from our leaders to our neighbors. This has got to stop… we can’t just sit by. Register to vote. We have 50-something days. Go out and vote. We need to stop this chaos.”
Fans and celebs poured into the comments section praising Garcelle for her raw and honest video.
“Beautifully said I felt every word!!!” penned Keke Palmer.
Bravo host, Andy Cohen, wrote, “It’s about HUMANITY. Thank you @garcelle.”
Actress and director, Terri J. Vaughn, chimed in, “I Love you Garcelle! I stand with you and by you and everything you’ve stated here. Vote for Humanity!”
Source: Variety / Getty
Springfield schools and hospitals are on high alert as bomb threats increase in the city due to Trump’s racist rumor.
Since Trump’s baseless conspiracy theory about the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, threats against immigrants in the city have surged. In response, the Ohio State Police have significantly bolstered their protective efforts. According to the Associated Press, beginning Sept. 17, authorities have announced that the Ohio State Highway Patrol will deploy additional officers to local schools to safeguard students and faculty following several bomb threats. Officers will perform morning sweeps of each building before the arrival of staff and students. Additionally, security cameras have been set up at strategic locations throughout the city, and a bomb-sniffing dog will be available around the clock.
The Independent noted that two local hospitals in Springfield were also threatened due to Trump’s egregious rumor. Both facilities — Kettering Health Springfield and Mercy Health’s Springfield Regional Medical Center — experienced brief lockdowns on the morning of Sept. 15 after receiving bomb threats. The hospitals, at the heart of Trump’s false claims, have since resumed normal operations. Police and hospital security conducted thorough searches and found no suspicious items.
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