Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) Takes Up Crusade against Term ‘Illegal Immigrant’
Culture and Media Institute ^ | December 14, 2010 | Alana Goodman

Posted on 12/15/2010 8:37:11 AM PST by Zakeet

The Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ)’s Diversity Committee has announced that it will be launching a year-long campaign to educate journalists about the hurtfulness of phrases like “illegal immigrant,” which is the term currently preferred by the influential AP Stylebook.

The label “remains offensive to Latinos, and especially Mexicans, and to the fundamentals of American jurisprudence,” wrote Leo E. Laurence, a member of the SPJ Diversity Committee and the editor the San Diego News Service (which appears to be this blog that was last updated in August, 2009.

Seeing as most Latinos in the U.S. are not illegal immigrants – and since the term has no racial or ethnic connotation – it’s hard to see how it would cause offense to this group. In fact, the only people who should really be put off by the term are illegal immigrants themselves (or their advocates), who don’t believe unlawful residency in the U.S. should be a crime.

Laurence argues that the terms “undocumented immigrant” or “undocumented worker” should replace “illegal immigrant,” because the U.S. legal system presumes that one is innocent until proven guilty.

“One of the most basic of our constitutional rights is that everyone (including non-citizens) is innocent of any crime until proven guilty in a court of law,” wrote Laurence, whose bio notes that he holds a law degree. “Simply put, only a judge, not a journalist, can say that someone is an illegal.”

Obviously you don’t need to go to law school to understand that basic concept. And it’s certainly important to use words like “suspected” when writing about a specific individual whose immigration status has not yet been determined. But it has absolutely nothing to do with getting rid of the term “illegal immigrant” altogether.

Drunk drivers are also innocent until convicted in a court of law – and yet the Miami Herald headline “Miami police cracking down on drunk drivers” hasn’t warranted a similar critique from SPJ’s civil libertarian crusaders. Car theft, too, is considered a crime that must be adjudicated through the legal system. But when the AP reports that “Newport News police want to reduce car thefts,” does the SPJ consider this a violation of the constitutional rights of the car thief community.

There is simply no difference between those headlines and ones like, “Miami police cracking down on illegal immigrants,” or “Newport News police want to reduce illegal immigration.” These reports are referencing a general group, not accusing individual people of crimes. They certainly don’t clash with the presumption of innocence before the law.

The SPJ diversity committee says “undocumented immigrant” is a more appropriate description. Yet living in the U.S. without any documentation of citizenship is illegal. Using the term “undocumented immigrant” is disingenuous, because it downplays the severity of the crime. It’s like calling a car thief an “unauthorized driver” – it’s misleading to the point of inaccuracy. And when a journalist makes the decision to mislead readers, in an attempt to portray a person or group in a more positive light, it can’t be called anything but pure advocacy. It’s a shame that an important group like SPJ is promoting such tactics.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: aliens; freespeech; illegalaliens; illegalimmigrants; illegals; journalism; liberals; mediabias; msm; politicallycorrect
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-89 next last
To: Zakeet
"Illegal Immigrants" ARE Insurgents..
21 posted on 12/15/2010 8:49:43 AM PST by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists) Takes Up Crusade against Term ‘Reporter’


22 posted on 12/15/2010 8:50:24 AM PST by bunkerhill7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Charles Henrickson

Or just call them POS = PrOfeSsional “pukes”.


23 posted on 12/15/2010 8:50:34 AM PST by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: refermech
"Wetback is more appropriate..."

No, no, no, they must be referred to as "non uniformed combatants" of a hostile invading force, and dealt with appropriately. IMHO

24 posted on 12/15/2010 8:50:44 AM PST by sniper63 (Did you plug the hole in the border yet daddy........)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Dilbert San Diego

It’s going to be very hard to control language....UNLESS they control the INTERNET! Back in about 1994 I was told by a “friend” that I should not refer to my husband as “husband” but as “partner.” It was the beginning of the end of my friendship...but, I have found that the “husband and wife” nomenclature has NOT disappeared.


25 posted on 12/15/2010 8:51:26 AM PST by goodnesswins (You deciding how to spend your health care $, thatÂ’s freedom. Govt deciding, thats a death panel)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: All

I wish all these yahoos would stop the bloomin’ word games.

They need to play freakin’ Scrabble or some chit to satisfy their addiction to word play.

Illegal immigrant= Illegal immigrant in the real world, where there’s rule of law.


26 posted on 12/15/2010 8:51:38 AM PST by Irenic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: refermech
I kinda lean toward Phakin' criminal myself.
27 posted on 12/15/2010 8:51:44 AM PST by skimbell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet
"Guest Workers", doing the jobs the 22% unemployed Americans won't do (U6 unemployment figures).
28 posted on 12/15/2010 8:52:09 AM PST by steelyourfaith (ObamaCare Death Panels: a Final Solution to the looming Social Security crisis ?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: crusty old prospector
I have always been fond of illegal alien myself.

How about we just make is simple for them and go with "criminal"?
29 posted on 12/15/2010 8:53:41 AM PST by Zarro (Hands off Our Junk!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

OK how about ALIEN!?


30 posted on 12/15/2010 8:53:45 AM PST by US Navy Vet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet
"One of the most basic of our constitutional rights is that everyone"

No, the U.S. Constitution belongs to We The People, NOT any Third World Julio who sneaks in to try to get the benefits of Citizenship, without EARNING it.

31 posted on 12/15/2010 8:53:53 AM PST by traditional1 ("Don't gotsta worry 'bout no mo'gage, don't gotsta worry 'bout no gas; Obama gonna take care o' me!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dilbert San Diego
They are NOT IMMIGRANTS. You have to jump through hoops and pay fees to become an IMMIGRANT with a visa. If you don't have a visa you are simply NOT an immigrant.

People here without visas must be sent back so they can pick up theirs.

32 posted on 12/15/2010 8:54:34 AM PST by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

Instead of taking up a crusade against the TERM “illegal immigrants,” they should take up a crusade AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.


33 posted on 12/15/2010 8:55:31 AM PST by Charles Henrickson (Grandson of LEGAL immigrants)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

When I first read this, I thought it was satire (”...educate journalists about the hurtfulness of phrases like “illegal immigrant...”). Guess not.

It did give me an idea for a video production: “JournOLists Gone Wild!”


34 posted on 12/15/2010 8:56:18 AM PST by Zarro (Hands off Our Junk!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

I’d be fine replacing the term with “foreign invader”, personally.


35 posted on 12/15/2010 8:56:19 AM PST by kevkrom (De-fund Obamacare in 2011, repeal in 2013!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

They are correct. There are legal immigrants, non-resident aliens, and illegal aliens. The term, “illegal immigrant” is an oxymoron, as no illegal alien should ever be allowed immigrant status.


36 posted on 12/15/2010 8:56:45 AM PST by Carry_Okie (The environment is too complex and too important to manage by central planning.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

... oh, but journalists are just “reporters.” They don’t have an agenda.... right? Uh, no? Gosh. Don’t tell me they’ve been liars this whole time! My world will collapse.


37 posted on 12/15/2010 8:57:56 AM PST by CWCoop
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: refermech

My thoughts exactly.


38 posted on 12/15/2010 8:57:56 AM PST by Americanexpat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

What they’re planning on replacing it by the term “wetback?”


39 posted on 12/15/2010 8:57:58 AM PST by from occupied ga (Your most dangerous enemy is your own government,)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

Problem solved!


40 posted on 12/15/2010 8:58:22 AM PST by mojito
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-89 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson