(ThyBlackMan.com) In the middle of another national debate demonizing immigrant communities, one family has been speaking up in the midst of their own devastating tragedy to say they do not want their child’s legacy chained to hate. Eleven-year-old Aiden Clark was killed in a traffic accident in August 2023 in Springfield, Ohio, when the school bus he was riding in on the first day of school was hit by a minivan. The van’s driver was a Haitian immigrant, and Aiden’s death has become part of a larger hate- and conspiracy-filled campaign targeting his community’s immigrant residents. At the driver’s sentencing hearing in May, Aiden’s father, Nathan Clark, pleaded for this to stop, saying, “In capital letters and bold print, we do not want our son’s name to be associated with hate.” He spoke again at a Springfield City Commission meeting last week, just before more false rumors escalated the national attention on their town and led to school closings and bomb threats, reiterating his family’s painful, powerful message:
“I wish that my son, Aiden Clark, was killed by a 60-year-old White man. I bet you never thought anyone would ever say something so blunt. But if that guy killed my 11-year-old son, the incessant group of hate-spewing people would leave us alone. The last thing that we need is to have the worst day of our lives violently and constantly shoved in our faces. Even that’s not good enough for them. They take it one step further. They make it seem as though our wonderful Aiden appreciates your hate. … We have to get up here and beg them to stop.”
Nathan Clark continued: “In order to live like Aiden, you need to accept everyone, choose to shine, make the difference, lead the way, and be the inspiration. What many people in this community and state and nation are doing is the opposite of what you should be doing. Sure, we have our problems here in Springfield and in the U.S., but does Aiden Clark have anything to do with that? Did you know that an 11-year-old boy could be passionate about gardening, that he could haggle for a better price at a yard sale? Did you know that he researched different cultures to better appreciate and understand people that he interacted with? Did you know that one of the worst feelings in the world is to not be able to protect your child? Even worse, we can’t even protect his memory when he’s gone. Please stop the hate. I said to Aiden that I would try to make a difference in his honor. This is it. Live like Aiden. Thank you.”
Live like Aiden. As Aiden’s father spoke, his mother, Danielle Clark, held up a T-shirt with these words printed on the back. Aiden’s example of being curious about and appreciative of different cultures, and accepting and welcoming of everyone, has already made a difference. His family is showing extraordinary strength and grace as they follow his example and keep urging others to do the same.
Aiden’s family’s stand against hate in their community has echoes of Hate Has No Home Here, the campaign that began in a Chicago neighborhood in 2016 with yard signs using a slogan created by a kindergartener and third grader. That campaign’s founders stressed that hate has no home here is a nonpartisan, independent message: “We welcome everyone to participate. This sign is a statement that, while it is okay to disagree with others civilly regarding issues, it is not okay to intimidate or attack a person or group – verbally or physically – based on attributes such as gender, ethnic origin, religion, race, disability, political party, or sexual orientation.
The colors of the sign – red, white, and blue – are the colors of the American flag, not any political party.” They add: “The Hate Has No Home Here movement is built around a simple idea: it’s easy to hate people we don’t know. … When neighbors of different races, religions, and nationalities move past indifference to investment in one another, we knock out the underpinnings of racism and intolerance, and make possible a better future for our communities.”
Once again, we should be hearing and heeding young people’s messages. Aiden Clark’s family’s plea to others to live like him is a moving challenge. We must consistently speak out and guard against sweeping intolerance, false stereotyping, and bigotry and relying on hate as an easy way out. We must continue to insist in our own hometowns and with all of our leaders that the communities and nation children and young people deserve are better than that. In young people’s own words, we must keep repeating hate has no home here.
Written by Marian Wright Edelman
Official website; http://www.childrensdefense.org
