SACRAMENTO – U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., rose to prominence in the 1950s as he leveled wild allegations about communist infiltration in the U.S. government. Communism was an international threat at the time – and some sympathizers had indeed gained positions of power – but his recklessness turned into a witch hunt that destroyed lives and ultimately undermined the cause he was touting.
His popularity collapsed precipitously after an exchange during one hearing, where he accused U.S. Army attorney Joseph Welch of having a colleague with communist ties. In one of the most famous – and effective – retorts in political history, Welch said: “Until this moment, Senator, I think I never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness. … Have you no sense of decency?”
The last sentence has become a common retort whenever one’s political opponents become unhinged. It’s one that sprung to mind as former President Donald Trump and his vice presidential pick, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, have continued to repeat baseless claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. As Trump said during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris: “They’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats.”
Have you no decency, sir? Are there no limits to your cruelty or recklessness? Are you unconcerned about the impact of such allegations on the individuals and families who live there – or the resulting bomb threats and disruptions after you spewed such falsehoods? And why has Vance doubled down on this nonsense even after these stories have been debunked?
The whole cat-eating nonsense was first promulgated by actual neo-Nazis, per a Wall Street Journal report. The newspaper did what the Trump campaign was unwilling to do – some basic fact-checking on its veracity before spreading it to a national audience. Vance at one point argued that whatever the specifics, he was focusing needed attention on the problems of immigration in the heartland.
There’s nothing wrong with sparking policy discussions about immigration, its impact on rust-belt communities and the strains it places on social services and whatnot. But accusing actual human beings (ones here legally, no less) of falsehoods as a way to illustrate some perceived problem – and endangering them in the process – is an outrage. It’s unconscionable for a man who touts his Christian devotion. Thou shalt not bear false witness, you know.
We can lay some of the blame on Miss Sassy. That’s the Springfield cat that went missing in August. My long-haired orange tabby Marigold disappeared for a spell a few weeks ago, but I didn’t file a police report accusing my immigrant neighbors of taking her, as the Springfield cat owner did. But that’s apparently what happened. When pressed on the source, Vance pointed to that police report.
The Journal did some basic legwork. The sassy kitty showed up a few days later in her owner’s basement – and the owner publicly apologized to her Haitian neighbors. Fair enough. An apology from Trump/Vance also seems in order, but MAGA never admits mistakes or back tracks. Now Trump plans a trip to Springfield to stir the pot some more, even as local officials beg him not to come.
Some conservative journalists even went on the hunt to confirm pet-eating stories and one published a piece alleging that immigrants from another continent might have been eating pets in a different Ohio city. It shouldn’t need to be said, but weak after-the-fact “collaboration” in no way substantiates or justifies cruel allegations against Haitians in Springfield.
The Dispatch’s Kevin D. Williamson nails it: “The case against the Haitians isn’t that they are welfare malingers or cat-eaters – or even that they are illegal immigrants who came here thanks to Joe Biden’s lax border enforcement, which most of them aren’t. The real issue is that by working overtime and investing in the community, they have made life more challenging for a reliable Trump-voting constituency: marginally employed white people on the dole.”
If you don’t think he’s onto something, then you’re missing the often-abominable attacks on Haitian immigrants published on X and other sources.
I got my start in journalism in a small Ohio city (Lima). I understand the difficulties facing struggling rust-belt towns that are losing population and are now besieged by social problems. But an influx of hard-working people can be a boon. Springfield companies are thrilled with the Haitian workforce. Newcomers present challenges, but dying cities endure worse challenges (falling revenues, collapsing home values, crime).
As a final note, like Vance my wife took that Hillbilly Highway out of Appalachia. I guarantee these migrants had some unusual habits before assimilating into middle-class culture. Our nation literally was built by “illiterate exotics from distant lands,” Williamson added. I’d say it’s a core reason for our country’s greatness.
To politicians and their supporters who disparage people who’ve done nothing more than come to America for opportunity, I’ll repeat Welch’s words: Have you no sense of decency?
Steven Greenhut is Western region director for the R Street Institute and a member of the Southern California News Group editorial board. Write to him at [email protected].
