Jonathan Martin writes:

Springfield was once a manufacturing hub. Perched on the interstate between Dayton and Columbus, it had tire and farm implement factories. Like a lot of Midwestern towns, that economy declined in the 1970s and 1980s. Yet in recent years, a number of jobs have been created in the area and with that a demand for more workers.

It’s the same story in all of Ohio, which is why [Ohio Gov. Mike] DeWine made a point in his second inaugural address, last year, of saying: “If you are a legal immigrant who has recently come to this country looking to build a better life, to earn a living, to create a home for your family, and to contribute to your community, I invite you to come to Ohio, because you will be welcome here.”

Since the end of Covid-19, the demand in Springfield has only grown and the Haitian emigres have filled a number of jobs. Tensions in the community, however, grew last year when a Haitian ran into a school bus, injuring a number of children and killing one.

The DeWines, having suffered their own loss, recalled the pain of the parents.

“We went to the funeral, it was just the worst thing in the world,” said the governor.

I noted that, just a few hours before the presidential debate, the father of the boy who was killed in that accident had gone to the Springfield City Council to demand Trump and Vance not invoke his son’s name.

“This needs to stop now,” Nathan Clark said. “They can vomit all the hate they want about illegal immigrants, the border crisis and even untrue claims about fluffy pets being ravaged and eaten by community members. However, they are not allowed, nor have they ever been allowed, to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio. I will listen to them one more time to hear their apologies.”

My mention of Clark’s comments jolted the DeWines, who were more emphatic, and admiring, speaking about the brave father than they were anything else in the two days I spent with them.

“That guy had the guts and his wife had the guts to go in there in front of the world and to people who were clearly on the other side in that audience and to say that,” exclaimed the governor.

“He doesn’t have anything to gain,” Fran DeWine interjected.

“He had nothing to gain!” the governor responded to his wife. “And he just drilled them.”

Feeling a bit more confident himself, DeWine, alluding to Trump and Vance, said “their comments are just hurtful, they’re hurtful to a lot of people, and people listen and they hear that he’s kicking everybody out, anybody who’s not born here.” [Continue reading…]