In a fiery response echoing through the corridors of Philadelphia’s political landscape, local leaders are rallying against the offensive remarks made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe during a recent Donald Trump rally in New York.
During the warm-up show at Madison Square Garden, merely a preamble to the former president’s appearance, Hinchcliffe chose to launch into a series of shockingly crude jokes, dragging into the spotlight fraught topics such as the Middle Eastern conflict and the intricate fabric of Black and Latino identities with reckless abandon.
“These Latinos, they love making babies, too,” he quipped, before delivering his punchline: “There’s no pulling out. They don’t do that. They c– inside, just like they did to our country.” Laughter, if it could be called that, followed.
Moments later, he again cast aspersions on the Puerto Rican community, saying, “There’s a lot going on. I don’t know if you guys know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.” His riddles of humor were met with a grim mix of claps and derision.
As if that weren’t enough to stir the pot, Hinchcliffe persistently belittled cultural narratives, recounting a jarring anecdote about “carving watermelons” with one of his Black friends, further deepening the controversy.
In the face of this outcry, Trump campaign spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez hastily declared, “this joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
These people have no sense of humor. Wild that a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his “busy schedule” to analyze a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist. I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set. I’m a… https://t.co/VFxHRcdv5k
— Tony Hinchcliffe (@TonyHinchcliffe) October 27, 2024
In light of these incendiary remarks, Philadelphia Councilmember Quetcy Lozada (D-7th District) and Senator Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania) took to the stage of public discourse, denouncing Hinchcliffe’s comments with fervor.
Lozada, accompanied by other prominent Latino leaders, convened a press conference on Monday to make their stance unequivocally clear: “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my community, it’s that we will not be silenced in the face of injustice, especially in Philadelphia, where we boast the second-largest Puerto Rican population in the United States,” she exclaimed.
Taking aim at Trump himself, Lozada harkened back to the infamous moment when the ex-president tossed paper towels at Hurricane Maria victims in Puerto Rico. “He wants to act like he doesn’t harbor disdain for Puerto Ricans, but history tells a different story,” she charged. “Those insults align seamlessly with the trajectory of his past indifference towards our community.”
Senator Bob Casey echoed this sentiment while unveiling a new apartment project in West Philadelphia. “More than 400,000 Americans of Puerto Rican descent call Pennsylvania home,” he stressed, urging every elected official to condemn such diatribes. He called out his Republican rival, Dave McCormick, demanding an explicit disavowal of these jokes as a litmus test of integrity.
McCormick soon responded, asserting, “A comedian made an extremely inappropriate comment, one that doesn’t align with my own views on Puerto Rico, or President Trump’s.” His tone mirrored that of a man aware of the critical Puerto Rican electorate as the battle for Pennsylvania’s vital votes heats up.
On the Democratic side, the stakes were raised further as Kamala Harris made a point to engage with the Puerto Rican community. Just hours before, she visited a local Puerto Rican restaurant, articulating a vision for revitalizing the island and expressing her commitment to Puerto Rico through the establishment of a dedicated task force.
As the discourse around Puerto Rico swirls, reactions reverberated not just from political circles but also the cultural arena. Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny lent his voice in support of Harris, sharing a poignant video that underscored the electoral significance of Puerto Rican voters. His vibrant platform echoed a collective sentiment: “there’s so much at stake in this election for Puerto Rican voters and for Puerto Rico.”
As the lines between humor, politics, and identity intertwine, one thing remains clear: the ominous shadow of Hinchcliffe’s flippant remarks has triggered a crucial dialogue, igniting an urgent need for accountability and solidarity within the community.
