Posted on 04/06/2006 6:29:49 AM PDT by John Jorsett
Three minority journalism groups are asking the American press to stop using "dehumanizing" words when covering immigration.
The terms "alien," "illegal alien" and "illegal immigrant" should be avoided, according to the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA).
The preferred terms are "undocumented immigrant," "undocumented worker" or "economic refugee," which the organizations consider more accurate and less offensive.
Some, however, question the motives of the groups. "These groups are acting political, not journalistic," said Tim Graham of the Media Research Center (MRC).
"This is not about inaccuracy, it's about identity politics. When words like 'dehumanizing' come up, it's all about sensitivity, not credibility. They are taking personal and ideological offense, not enlightening journalists."
The 2,300-member NAHJ is particularly vexed by the one-word descriptor "illegal," saying, "Shortening the term in this way stereotypes undocumented people who are in the United States as having committed a crime. Under U.S. immigration law, being an undocumented immigrant is not a crime, it is a civil violation."
The group also denounced the "use of degrading terms 'alien' and 'illegal alien' to describe undocumented immigrants because it casts them as adverse, strange beings -- inhuman outsiders who come to the U.S. with questionable motivations."
Mr. Graham, however, called for a reality check. "It's not like news organizations are using the term 'Frito Bandito,'?" he said. "And what about the definition of 'illegal'? This population doesn't choose to enter the country by legal channels, or stand in line like immigrants who played by the rules. That sounds illegal to me."
[snip]
"The words we use frame a debate, and we need to make sure those words are not loaded with baggage," said Bryan Moore, president of NABJ.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Operation Wetback: http://www.vdare.com/letters/tl_072701.htm
The preferred terms are "undocumented immigrant,"
Oh no, my friend, it is WELL DOCUMENTED. They're lawbreakers.
One problem we have is limiting this problem to Mexico and Mexicans. While they are surely the bulk of it, there are other illegals who have sneaked in here from other countries as well. I, for a fact, personally know Filipinos (yes, that is the correct spelling)who are here illegally, knocking down big bucks that Americans could be making.
Call them what the US immigration laws call them.
How about 'trespassers'?
they can K M A.......
That is not very nice of you. You are an American walking on streets of gold and living in a mansion, and it is your duty to support the rest of the world. It's the only moral thing to do. /die
Streets of gold....own a house? Those are pipe dreams of yesteryear....good jobs, along with decent pay, are being outsourced to illegals locally or to international workers.
Outsourced the good jobs; insourced the rest!
yep
I couldn't stop myself. I found the website for the NAHJ and let them know my feelings had been hurt by their press release:
Dear Marxist Activists Masquerading as Reporters:
Your aggrieved sensibilities at the use of the words "alien", "illegal alien" and "illegal immigrant" do have some basis in fact. The correct words to use when describing border gatecrashers should be either "criminal" or "felon". Before issuing any more ludicrous position statements, please read the section of the U.S. Code referenced below and open your dictionaries to the words "federal" and "crime". You may find it an illuminating experience.
"Under Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, "Improper Entry by Alien," any citizen of any country other than the United States who:
* Enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers; or
* Eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers; or
* Attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact;
has committed a federal crime."
Here's to our search for "le mot juste".
Actually, I don't condone name-calling, whether that be between family members or ethnic groups who are different than me. Besides being offensive to the person being called a name, it really tends to bring the problem to an emotional level, making it more difficult to resolve the issue at hand. It also creates the possibility of getting side-tracked onto arguments concerning the "name-calling" itself.....and the focus is no longer on the problem of criminal behavior, i.e., in the U.S. illegally.
There's a cold wind blowing...
Okay, how about Mexican invaders?
How about we turn the border area into a huge high-speed off-road track?
Then we can just call them "road kill."
Gate-crashing-thugs?
Crimmivaders?
Welfare-hounds?
Self-smuggling-contraband?
Usurpers?
Squatters?
Insurrectionistas?
5th-wheel-on-a-donkey-cart?
Elitist-subsidy?
Advanced-party-revolutionaries?
Anarchists?
The 'Illiteration Nation'?
Jorge's Kids?
There's more where that came from... ;)
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