Na Eng, chief communications officer for People For the American Way, highlights how Trump and Vance have made false claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, which caused significant community unrest, including bomb threats and school closures.
As a communications professional who thinks often about the contours of political narratives, this episode made me think of Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk on “the danger of a single story.”
A single story is a stereotype — a limited view of a group, perpetuated by media and culture. During the debate, which had over 67 million viewers, Trump repeated his false, dehumanizing story about immigrants. These lies fuel harmful memes and jokes, even among those who disagree with his views, which unfortunately gives the falsehood even more exposure.
