The false accusation that Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, are eating dogs and cats is a blatant example of racist and xenophobic rhetoric, peddled by figures like Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. This narrative fits neatly into a long-standing fascist playbook that scapegoats immigrants, particularly people of color, as the source of societal problems. It serves as a distraction, a convenient smokescreen to shift blame away from the real issues afflicting the United States—such as systemic inequality, corporate influence in politics, and the erosion of workers' rights—and instead place it on vulnerable populations. Such disinformation echoes the propaganda tactics employed by authoritarian regimes throughout history, most notably the Nazis in pre-war Germany. In a similar fashion, the Nazis promoted falsehoods about Jews, accusing them of all manner of social ills in order to justify their brutal policies of marginalization and extermination. The goal was not merely to vilify but ...
A Progressive Viewpoint concerns progressive topics focusing on current issues such as the 2024 Presidential Election, income inequality, food prices, social justice, universal health care and participatory democreacy.