Bad words: 'illegal immigrant'

[Locutus]

Journalist Asks AP, NY Times To Stop Using Term “Illegal Immigrant”…

Journalist Jose Antonio Vargas on Friday issued a challenge to news organizations to stop using the term "illegal immigrant" — and his first targets are The Associated Press and The New York Times.

After giving Friday’s keynote address at the 2012 Online News Association Conference in San Francisco, Vargas spoke with POLITICO and followed-up on his comments that he and his non-profit group Define American would focus on getting the media to stop using what he deems an inflammatory and inaccurate phrase.

Vargas, who made waves in 2011 with his New York Times magazine essay "My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant," said his first step to stop the media from using the term "illegal immigrant" will be to meet with the individuals in charge of each news organization’s style and encourage them to use "undocumented" instead, or to explore other alternatives.


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Jose Antonio Vargas 'illegal immigrant' - POLITICO.com






The thought and hurt-feelings police are up to their old slippery tricks. :lol:

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Two days and no comments, this crowd is thoroughly cowed. Some think anyone, anywhere, anytime has the right to enter Canada or the USA. There is a group in Canada called nooneisillegal.org Come one come all. Even with these dolts, Canada is still a good country. But then, why take immigrants who can't get a job? They won't pay, you will. The price of nice is lots of dough.

 

[BaalsTears]

I don't like the term "illegal immigrant" either. I prefer "illegal alien." It's more accurate.

 

[Durry]

The term illegal is the correct term when your not legal.
Undocumented could mean you are legal, you just haven't gotten your documents filled out yet.

I say, call it like it is !!

 

[B00Mer]

I don't like the term "illegal immigrant" either. I prefer "illegal alien." It's more accurate.

Hay Caramba!!

 

[skookumchuck]

Isn't this the same mind set that had the Obama crowd call the Fort Hood shooting "workplace violence"?

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Isn't this the same mind set that had the Obama crowd call the Fort Hood shooting "workplace violence"?

Comical.

Attacking a US military base could easily be classified as terrorism. Doing so is a deterrent. It is not a regular workplace. You can't just quit whenever you feel like for example. You are AWOL and the other kind of MPs (military police) will come and get you. The Bay does not, and cannot do that.

Random shootings are not terrorism, they have to have an agenda, a plan, and some associates. Otherwise its just some loon spouting off. Terrorists have goals, their own state, overthrowing a current state or just terror to get rid of some soldiers from a territory. This mindset says that immigrants do not conduct terrorism, or they are never bad.

The FLQ had some specific goals to go along with their bombs and kidnappings, they wanted an independent Quebec.

 

[karrie]

But, if we remove the term 'illegal', it undermines the US's entrenched policy of criminalizing its populace. Take away the term illegal, and suddenly they don't sound like a personal threat. Take away the term illegal, and say 'undocumented', and suddenly it puts you in mind of people just working and trying to make a life for themselves. Putting a PC spin on it makes them sound human, makes them sound like neighbours who just didnt have the money or education to follow the rules, instead of the imminent threat that they really are. We can't have that. Them illegals will just have to deal with the facts of the matter.

 

[Durry]

. We can't have that. Them illegals will just have to deal with the facts of the matter.

Your right, for a country to prosper it needs to have law, ORDER, and Good government.

You only have to look to a country like the sh^t hole country of Mexico to see what happens when you allow law and order to take a back seat.

 

[karrie]

Law, order, and good government, doesn't need to come at the cost of human civility. Quite the opposite. Xenophobic, oft racist, criminalization of your fellow man undermines good government, and it clearly undermines law and order if one looks at the size of American prisons.

 

[Durry]

A countries first responsibility is to look after its own people.
It is not Americas responsibility to look after all the losers from other countries.

The best thing anyone can do to help other countries, is to go there and help them learn to help themselves. Taking someone in to your country does not help the others left in their country.
Kinda pretty basic, but probably not for the lefties!!

 

[Locutus]

Using a new age 'soft' word for something like this is obvious...and simply an attempt to appease, legitimize or take the sting out of this that or the other.

Rape; or sexual assault?


More on this insidious politically 'correct' smarmy activity: soft language - definition and examples of soft language - George Carlin on euphemisms

 

[TenPenny]

It is not Americas responsibility to look after all the losers from other countries.
...
Taking someone in to your country does not help the others left in their country.
Kinda pretty basic, but probably not for the lefties!!

Funny, considering where Americans came from.

 

[PoliticalNick]

Law, order, and good government, doesn't need to come at the cost of human civility. Quite the opposite. Xenophobic, oft racist, criminalization of your fellow man undermines good government, and it clearly undermines law and order if one looks at the size of American prisons.

I cannot believe someone used the word 'xenophobic' in CC. Well done K ccasion5::wav:

It is not Americas responsibility to look after all the losers from other countries.

Just ask Iraq & Afghanistan.

The best thing anyone can do to help other countries, is to go there and help them learn to help themselves. Taking someone in to your country does not help the others left in their country.
Kinda pretty basic, but probably not for the lefties!!

I agree the best way to help is getting them whats needed to help themselves. A lot of education and a smaller helping handout would go further than just sending money.

 

[skookumchuck]

Putting a PC spin on the fact of hordes of people illegally crossing a border into a foreign sovereign state simply shows a disingenuous political agenda.
It has been tried here by the MSM calling illegal immigrants "boat people", that changed the public perception of an illegal act to a bleeding heart agenda. The idea that any western nation can help everyone is patently ridiculous.

If one took politics out of the equation and asked the question of the majority populace i think we know what the answer would be.

 

[#juan]

I don't like the term "illegal immigrant" either. I prefer "illegal alien." It's more accurate.

If a person comes into this country without permission, intending to immigrate, that person is in the country illegally and is
subject to arrest. I think "illegal immigrant" is completely right.

 

[BaalsTears]

Law, order, and good government, doesn't need to come at the cost of human civility. Quite the opposite. Xenophobic, oft racist, criminalization of your fellow man undermines good government, and it clearly undermines law and order if one looks at the size of American prisons.

So are you suggesting that Americans just accept the presence of millions upon millions of illegal aliens? Would Canada do that?

 

[karrie]

who said accept it? but, treat it as what it is... a social and immigration problem, not a criminal one.

Criminalizing it actually worsens the social damage done, because once you're living in fear of the law, in fear of jail time or immediate deportation, then you're more likely to live up to the expectation that you are a criminal.

 

[BaalsTears]

who said accept it? but, treat it as what it is... a social and immigration problem, not a criminal one.

Criminalizing it actually worsens the social damage done, because once you're living in fear of the law, in fear of jail time or immediate deportation, then you're more likely to live up to the expectation that you are a criminal.

Would such a policy be good for Canada?

If a person comes into this country without permission, intending to immigrate, that person is in the country illegally and is
subject to arrest. I think "illegal immigrant" is completely right.

People who come to America in violation of American laws have the effect of diminishing the self-determination of Americans by imposing demographics of ignorance and poverty. I will never accept illegal aliens. I will resist them the same way Palestinians resist Israeli settlers. I loathe and detest illegal aliens.

Here's an illegal alien for you Canadians who love illegals...he was my god damn neighbor until he shot two guys in the head:

Live Oak teen to be tried on double murder charge - Santa Cruz Sentinel

 

[karrie]

Would such a policy be good for Canada?

.

I haven't ever noted the common use of a single term to describe unprocessed immigrants (ha, how do you like that one? lol) in the Canadian media. undocumented, unauthorized, illegal, refugee, immigrant.... so, while no one's proposed a 'policy' (he's merely pointed out to the media that as a prolific catch phrase it has potential to do more harm than good), I'd have to say it would be a moot point to approach Canadian media regarding it.

People who come to America in violation of American laws have the effect of diminishing the self-determination of Americans by imposing demographics of ignorance and poverty. I will never accept illegal aliens. I will resist them the same way Palestinians resist Israeli settlers. I loathe and detest illegal aliens.

Here's an illegal alien for you Canadians who love illegals...he was my god damn neighbor until he shot two guys in the head:

Live Oak teen to be tried on double murder charge - Santa Cruz Sentinel

And this, right here, is exactly the point. By applying a singular label, you can link everyone you so much as suspect, to this criminal. And if you keep the label itself dripping with connotations of criminality, you keep the paranoia flowing throughout the country. A country that doesn't trust its citizenry, is easy to run.