Dear Editor,
On Thursday morning, August 22, 2023, in Springfield, Ohio, a minivan driven by a 35-year-old Haitian national collided with a school bus, which then veered off the roadway and flipped onto its side. Twenty- three children were injured, and one, 11-year-old Aiden Clark, died at the scene.
While the driver was charged with two felonies – involuntary manslaughter and vehicular homicide – some locals channeled their outrage toward the Haitian community as a whole. In Springfield, which residents proudly refer to as “Small Town USA,” Aiden’s death has become a backdrop for concern over the inundation of Haitian immigrants.
With a current population of approximately 58,000, some 15,000 Haitians have immigrated there since 2020. Residents are expressing concern over the impact of this influx on public safety, health care, and local schools.
Most recently, corresponding concerns were brought to the national forefront during the Sept. 10 presidential debate when, on the topic of illegal immigration and border security, former President Donald Trump, borrowing from an online rumor, referenced Springfield’s Haitian migrants and said, “in Springfield … they’re eating the pets of the people that live there, and this is what’s happening in our country.”
Concurrently, Nathan Clark, with his wife at his side, addressed the Springfield City Commission, condemning what they perceive as hate directed toward the immigrant community couched as a grievance for his son’s death.
His words may give us all reason to pause: “Using Aiden as a political tool is, to say the least, reprehensible … Morally bankrupt politicians … have spoken my son’s name and used his death for political gain. This needs to stop now … The last thing we need is the worst day of our lives, violently and constantly shoved in our faces.
“My son, Aiden Clark, was not murdered. An immigrant from Haiti accidentally killed him… don’t spin this towards hate … Did you know that he researched different cultures to better appreciate and understand the people he interacted with?
“In order to live like Aiden, you need to accept everyone, choose to shine, make a difference, lead the way, and be the inspiration.”
Peter Wibell, Rutledge