As the fallout continues from Tony Hinchcliffe's racist remarks at a rally for former President Donald Trump in New York this past weekend, the comedian's hometown Roman Catholic diocese and high school alma mater are publicly condemning his actions.
Hinchcliffe was born and raised in Youngstown, and graduated from Ursuline High School. In what he called he later called a comedy set during Sunday's event at Madison Square Garden, the host of the popular "Kill Tony" podcast made a number of lewd observations about Latinos, Jews, and Black people that drew pushback even from the Trump campaign.
On Tuesday, both Ursuline and the Diocese of Youngstown released a joint statement rebuking their native son for his comments. The statement was issued through the Rev. Richard Murphy, the school's president, and Principal Matthew Sammartino:
"The Diocese of Youngstown and Ursuline High School do not espouse the views of Mr. Tony Hinchcliffe and do not promote his ventures. There is no room in the Church of Christ, nor the world, for hatred of one's brothers and sisters, or for any malice to be held in one's heart against them. Lastly, we reject his use of comedy as a means to attack the human dignity due to all our brothers and sisters, especially the most vulnerable among us.
"The school and Diocese of Youngstown will make no further statements pertaining to this unfortunate and uncalled for situation."
Among other things, Hinchcliffe referred to the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico as "a floating island of garbage" while also making stereotypically offensive remarks about Black people, Jews, and Palestinians. Following the rally, the Trump team released its own statement saying, "This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign."
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Elsewhere in the Catholic Church, Archbishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico Roberto González Nieves penned an open letter to Trump blasting Hinchcliffe's comments about the island. He also called on the Republican presidential nominee to personally apologize.
"I enjoy a good joke. However, humor has its limits," González wrote. "It should not insult or denigrate the dignity and sacredness of people. Hinchcliffe's remarks do not only provoke sinister laughter but hatred. These kinds of remarks do not have a place in a society founded upon 'liberty and justice for all.'"
However, when asked about Hinchcliffe on Tuesday, Trump did not apologize. Instead, the ex-president claimed he didn't hear what was said and didn't even know who Hinchcliffe was, telling reporters, "I don't know him, someone put him up there."
The Diocese of Youngstown's six-county jurisdiction in Northeast Ohio includes Ashtabula, Portage, and Stark counties, as well as Mahoning, Columbiana, and Trumbull.
