Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Following some crude and racist insults made during Sunday's rally for Republican candidate for president Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York City, members of the local Puerto Rican and Hispanic community gathered on Tuesday in Downtown Buffalo to stand in unity and condemn those remarks.
It was comedian Tony Hinchcliffe who reference Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean" during his speed at the rally. He also included lewd and racist comments about Latinos, Jews and Black people just a little more than a week from the 2024 Presidential Election.
Despite some allies urging Trump to apologize for the comments made by Hinchcliffe and speakers at his rally this past weekend, Trump, instead, called the rally an "honor to be involved" in, calling the scene a "lovefest" - the same term he used to describe the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
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It wasn't long after the comments from the rally had made its way around social media and television that State Assemblyman Jon Rivera started receiving phone calls and the texts of the disparaging and outrageous comments against not just Puerto Ricans, but also the Hispanic and Latino community at large.
"They were tired, not only already of being not perceived as equal among those in the Republican Party, but truthfully believe what I believe, which is sometimes those comments are made at places like Trump rallies to plant seeds in the minds of those that are aggressive, that could be violent, and we've seen it time-and-time again. We saw it with the Asian community towards the end of Trump's term, we see it now with the vitriol against the Haitian community in Ohio, and we know that we're just part of that," said Assemblyman Rivera in an interview with WBEN.
Rivera feels the Trump campaign makes it clear that there are people that should perceive themselves as Americans, while there are others that shouldn't.
"Our response to that is, we are American. We are proud Americans. Many of us are veterans that have fought in wars, that have dedicated their lives, and contribute to this community every day. So to come out and sort of allow that rhetoric to exist without a response would be wrong, on our part," Rivera added. "We felt strongly that we needed to bring a clear message that we are unapologetically Latino, but we are unapologetically American."
Kelly Hernandez, director with the Hispanic Heritage Council of WNY, says the message from the Hispanic and Latino community needs to be clear that these comments will not be tolerated.
"We do not want to disseminate hate anymore, and the leadership of this country needs to realize that. No matter who is in office, they cannot spread hate anymore. And those comments were not just made for Puerto Ricans, but they were also made for other races and other cultures that make what our country is today," said Hernandez with WBEN. "We're a vibrant part of this country, and we're here to stay. That's the message overall."
Rivera says he has received plenty of Democratic support from his partners in government, both locally and in neighboring states. What stands out to him is how Latinos are not just perceived by the Trump administration, but also by the local GOP.
"It says a lot that the local Republican candidates that are running for office this year have not denounced it publicly, probably out of fear. So many Republicans are afraid to rock the Trump boat, but I look that in the face and say that that's cowardice," Rivera said. "We're standing here today, and truthfully, this isn't a crowd of just Democrats. We stand together believing not only that we have to stand up, vote, but we need to move in the kind of power that we have. There are so many Latinos across this country, we know we can make effect in elections. That was just the kind of, dare I say, motivation that I think a lot of Latinos needed."
Hernandez feels the City of Buffalo and Western New York should be an example across the nation for how people come together and support one another despite the hostile nature of what's being said.
"Western New York is a special place. We have people from all backgrounds, all races and all faces, and everyone is here working together. Western New York should be an example to the rest of the country. We work together," Hernandez said. "One thing about Latinos: You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us."
One thing Hernandez and the other leaders at the Hispanic Heritage Council of WNY promote to the community is civic engagement, especially in a time like this with the 2024 Election just one week from Tuesday.
"No matter which way you vote, we just want people to get out and vote and make a difference," she said. "We say in Spanish, 'Tuvos es tu voto.' Your voice is your vote. So we want people to get out and make a difference, and really, really make our numbers count."