The woman who appears to have inadvertently sparked a viral far-right hoax that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, are kidnapping and eating people's cats and dogs has come forward to say she regrets that her social media post caused so much confusion. Former President Donald Trump even promoted...
  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
    109·
    6 days ago

    According to the report, Erika Lee, a resident of Springfield, posted to Facebook commenting on a neighbor’s cat who had gone missing — and mentioned that the neighbor had been suspicious the cat might have been attacked by Haitians who lived in the neighborhood.

    Racist, but I believe that she didn’t intend for it to cause a national thing. She wanted to be racist on a small scale, not cause schools to get bomb threats. Well, this is what you caused, shithead. Probably the biggest thing you’ll ever accomplish. Take a bow.

    • RunningInRVA@lemmy.world
      42·
      6 days ago

      I think more of the blame should fall on Trump. She is at least apologizing, despite her racism. Trump shone the national spotlight on this city by amplifying an obvious lie in front of 10’s of millions of people last Tuesday and his squad reacted as they always do.

      • AngryPancake@sh.itjust.works
        31·
        6 days ago

        Honestly, the small scale racism is a huge issue. These constant small arguments is what manifests it in people’s heads.

        But yeah Trump is an ass, fuck him.

    • mosiacmango@lemm.ee
      35·
      6 days ago

      Its worst than the qoute. She posted a story her neighbor told her about her daughter’s friend’s cat. So the source of the story was 3 layers of people removed from her.

      When the news reached out to the neighbor, she said that it was an acquaintance of a friend, so even less reliable.

      So yes, wholley racist, even as she claims it wasn’t. She was pissed at legal migrants moving into her community, and spread racist rumors about them to feed that anger.

    • Bakwerk@feddit.nu
      3·
      6 days ago

      Haven’t heard of cats being used as sacrifice in vodou. If it was a bunch of chickens, goats or sheep missing she’d have more of a case as those are often victim to brutal torture within the religion. Nothing new as all religious people are always terrible no matter what level of melanin in their bodies or origin of religion.