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Ronald Readan’s last speech as president has resurfaced in the wake of anti-immigrant sentiment being peddled by modern members of the Republican Party.
Former president Donald Trump sparked outrage after he amplified false rumours that Haitian immigrants in Ohio are abducting and eating pets during a debate with Kamala Harris.
There is no evidence that Haitian immigrants in an Ohio community are doing that, but the town has been subject to bomb threats in the aftermath of the debate, with local officials calling for a cooling of the anti-immigrant rhetoric.
During the lively TV discussion with VP Harris, Trump specifically mentioned Springfield, Ohio, saying that immigrants were taking over the city.
“They’re eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there,” he said.
Harris called Trump “extreme” and laughed after his comment, while debate moderators pointed out that city officials have said the claims are not true.
Trump’s comments echoed claims made by his campaign, including his running mate Ohio Senator JD Vance, and other Republicans.
They contrast starkly to what Reagan said on the matter during his final speech as president, where he pointed out that America’s ability to embrace ‘new Americans’ is what makes it a great country.
“And since this is the last speech that I will give as President, I think it is fitting to leave one final thought, an observation about a country I love.
“The torch of Lady Liberty symbolizes our freedom and represents our heritage, the compact with our parents, our grandparents and our ancestors.
“It is that lady [who] gives us our great and special place in the world. For it’s the great life force of each generation of new Americans – ‘ new Americans ‘– that guarantees that America’s triumph shall continue unsurpassed into the next century and beyond.
“Other countries may seek to compete with us. But in one vital area, as a beacon of freedom and opportunity that draws people of the world, no country on Earth comes close.”
Watch the clip below:
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