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On Tuesday, Oct. 29, Adalys Sánchez-Mangual’s social media feeds were flooded with clips of comedian Tony Hinchcliffe performing at a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump, where he referred to Puerto Rico — her home country — as “a floating island of garbage.”

As the president of Syracuse University’s Puerto Rican Student Association, Sánchez-Mangual said she and her fellow executive board members knew they had to respond. On Thursday, the e-board released a collective statement condemning Hinchcliffe’s remarks.

“We all talked about how we felt about it, and we thought that it would be best to release a statement saying that we don’t think that’s okay,” Sánchez-Mangual said. “We just want the community to know that we don’t stand with that.”

The statement, written in both English and Spanish, argued that Hinchcliffe’s comments carry real consequences for Puerto Rican people. They wrote that the comedian’s jokes were harmful to Puerto Ricans and Latine communities both at SU and across the country.

Hinchcliffe, known for his comedy podcast Kill Tony, received mixed reactions from politicians and public figures for the performance. Jon Stewart, the Daily Show’s host, defended Hinchcliffe’s comments and dismissed them as inconsequential. His comments also led Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race.

The BBC reported that the Trump campaign vetted Hinchcliffe’s jokes prior to his speech, but the list did not include his derogatory comments about Puerto Ricans, Latine and Black communities. Trump also said that he didn’t know who Hinchcliffe was and didn’t hear the controversial jokes, according to ABC News.

The former president later defended Hinchcliffe on Fox News, the Daily Beast reported.

Hinchcliffe has also since stood behind his comments on social media. He wrote, “These people have no sense of humor,” in a Sunday afternoon X post.

SU sophomore Angelie Serrano, PRSA’s secretary and graphic design chair, described Hinchcliffe’s comments as “disgusting” in a Sunday statement sent to The Daily Orange. She wrote she was disappointed that the former president didn’t take responsibility for the comedian’s comments.

“Such comments are not only offensive but also reinforce harmful misconceptions about our island and its people,” PRSA’s statement reads. “We are concerned that this rhetoric, shared on a prominent platform, undermines efforts to foster respect and understanding within American society.”

Sánchez-Mangual said Hinchcliff’s comments disregard all the efforts the community has made to overcome stereotypes.

“It shocked me, in general, that someone could say that and think that,” Sánchez-Mangual said. “It enforces these hurtful stereotypes that have been around for a long time and that (we) as a community have been trying to work against.”

PRSA’s statement says that, despite adversities Puerto Ricans have faced, the community has continued to persevere.

The statement also references Puerto Rico’s history and cultural heritage, including its natural features, prominent leaders and contributions to the United States.

“Puerto Ricans have done a lot for the United States, even with our current status as a commonwealth,” Sánchez-Mangual said. “We have so many people that represent the U.S. … it felt like it was disregarding how essential Puerto Ricans are to the United States.”

The statement concluded by saying the members of the PRSA consider Hinchcliffe’s joke to be disrespectful to the country and the association hopes to create spaces on campus where Puerto Ricans and other Latine students feel respected.

They concluded with a paragraph in Spanish, which included “las palabras de odio nunca serán suficiente para opacar el brillo de nuestra isla,” or “hateful words will never be enough to darken the shine of our island.”

Serrano wrote that she hopes the statement encourages people to educate themselves before voting in the 2024 U.S. general elections. She said she wants PRSA to continue to prevent the spread of “hurtful lies” about the Puerto Rican community.

“To call Puerto Rico ‘a floating island of garbage’ is not only harmful but so completely wrong,” PRSA’s statement reads. “We love our island and hate to see it disrespected in this way.”

Published on November 3, 2024 at 11:35 pm

Contact Henry: hdaley@syr.edu