When comedian Tony Hinchcliffe took the stage at a Donald Trump rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night, his offensive comments about Puerto Rico shocked the world. It’s possible that no county in Pennsylvania was more shocked than Lehigh County – which, along with its neighbor Northampton County, makes up one of the most vital regions in one of the most vital states for next week’s election.
As of 2023, more than 27% of Lehigh County’s population was Hispanic or Latino. It’s one of the highest percentages of Hispanic residents among Pennsylvania counties, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
So when Aurea Ortiz, a longtime Lehigh County resident and proud Puerto Rican, heard the comments:
“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.”
She says she was in disbelief.
“They want the Puerto Rican vote and they’re insulting the Puerto Ricans. I don’t understand the huge stupidity in a race that is so close to do this stupid thing, like call Puerto Rico garbage.”
Another resident, Guillermo Lopez, whose parents were fundamental in forming the Bethlehem Puerto Rican Beneficial Society, says he wasn’t as shocked to hear the comments.
“It’s hurtful, but why are we so surprised? We have been allowing this dog whistle approach to grow into a full bullhorn now for years.”
The topic of Hispanic and Latino residents and immigrants has become a regular one for former President Trump. At another rally in State College this weekend, he talked about “illegal aliens” and “convicted murderers” entering the country. He even used the term “garbage.”
“We’ve become like a garbage can for the rest of the world. They’re throwing all of their garbage into our country.”
In the days since Tony Hinchcliffe’s remarks, the Republican Party, and the Trump Campaign more specifically, has attempted to distance themselves.
Aurea and Guillermo see these comments as a trend. Aurea likens this incident to Trump’s visit to San Juan following Hurricane Maria in 2017, when he tossed paper towels into a crowd of residents facing devastation.
“And I was wondering why we are not respected like we should. Like, we are American citizens…And why should we feel like we are always a second class citizen?”
Guillermo imagines the response being similar to that of Puerto Rican residents in 2019, when they called for Governor Ricardo Rosello to resign amid a scandal. Every night, they’d take to balconies and front steps and street corners to bang on pots and pans in protest.
“We’re a passionate people, and when you come after us, we will react, and we will push back, and we will move forward. I can hear the pots and pans, I can hear the people with their wooden spoons. I can just hear where they will drown out the ugly voices.”
But is the anger around these comments enough to affect the rapidly-approaching election? Guillermo says they are, and reads me a post from one of his friends on Facebook.
“And he said, ‘Up until yesterday, I was willing to not vote at all because I was fed up with both candidates in both parties. But after listening to this commentary that occurred at the Trump rally yesterday, I have no choice but to vote now. Now you and your jabroni cronies are trashing my people, my culture, my land and my heritage. Everyone is free to vote for whichever candidate they see fit. I will now be doing the same as I see fit.’”
Aurea doesn’t see her fellow Puerto Ricans forgetting Hinchcliffe’s jokes on Election Day.
“This is like taking a group of people and thinking that, ‘This group of people, we just could take advantage of them and not have any consequences… When you insult a Puerto Rican, you insult all of us, and I don’t know how any other Puerto Rican will not feel that. That’s our land, and we are good people, and we should never be called garbage.”