'Multispeak' Obscures Debate Over Migrants

Los Angeles Times ^ | 12-18-2003 | Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar

[boris]

'Multispeak' Obscures Debate Over Migrants

Ridge and Bush have a disagreement on policy for undocumented immigrants, or do they?

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — In less than a week, the Bush administration has sent out what at first appear to be conflicting signals over how to deal with an estimated 8 million to 11 million illegal immigrants, mainly Latinos.

Answering questions at a south Florida town hall meeting last week, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said granting undocumented immigrants some form of legal status would make sense. But at his news conference Monday, President Bush asked to set the record straight and declared that his administration is "firmly against blanket amnesty."

[snip]

Instead, the seeming contradiction stems from the confusing language of the immigration debate — what one expert called "multispeak." Legalization may sound a lot like amnesty to the average person, but when it comes to immigration, the two terms mean different things.

"Amnesty" has come to mean acceptance with few questions asked. It would put immigrants on a smooth path to U.S. citizenship. "Legalization" is a new buzzword connoting a higher standard. Applicants for legalization would have to meet certain work, personal and residency requirements, go through background checks and a waiting period, and maybe even pay a hefty fee.

"This is a kind of Orwellian multispeak," said B. Lindsay Lowell, an immigration scholar at Georgetown University.

[ikka]

"This is a kind of Orwellian multispeak," said B. Lindsay Lowell, an immigration scholar at Georgetown University.

I am a big fan of Orwell - but I do not remember "multispeak", just newspeak. Am I wrong on this?

[1234]

Border control or IMPEACHMENT

[Hollywoodghost]

We need to be clear. When we say Illegal aliens we are really saying "Mexicans" (90% are from this sad land) . They do not come here to blow up buildings but to build them and find a better way of life. This is the same reason most (almost all of us) came here in the first place. We need to make a distinction between Aliens who want to do us harm and ones who just want to work.

[ikka]

I agree with you that there is a distinction; however, we cannot absorb so many immigrants without significantly changing our culture. And many areas where these new immigrants live are quickly turned into garbage-strewn slums.

[HiJinx]

[SAMWolf]

All the illegals deserve is a one way ticket back across OUR border.

[HiJinx]

On this forum, even though we generally talk about Mexicans, we recognize and talk about all illegal immigrants.

We are concerned about the criminal element that we know, from experience, comes across both borders illegally.

We are concerned about the flood of money taken out of our economy, to the tune of $12 Billion per year, by immigrants of all stripes.

We are concerned about the rapid dilution of our culture of Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness, and a sense of personal responsibility for social transgressions.

The flood of immigrants, illegal and otherwise, is costing us dearly in all terms.

You said We need to make a distinction between Aliens who want to do us harm and ones who just want to work. Well, no we don't. We need to distinguish between those aliens who come to us with Visas in hand and a desire to become an American and those aliens who cross outside our border checkpoints.

If you can't do it the right way, don't do it. Period, end of discussion.

[HiJinx]

Is this what you were trying to say the other day? That by trying to focus us on 'no amnesty', the current administration is going to go ahead and legalize the millions of illegals anyway?

That's what I took away from your posts...

[Reaganwuzthebest]

They do not come here to blow up buildings but to build them and find a better way of life.

Oh yeah, like you said, illegal aliens are just coming here for a better life:

Family Values Don't Stop At The Rio Bravo

[HiJinx]

I couldn't agree with you more.

Go home, and try to come back across the right way.

We'll welcome you with open arms if you're coming here to be a part of the greatest nation on earth and to help us keep it that way.

Otherwise, it's Hasta La Bye-Bye, Amigo!

[DumpsterDiver]

When we say Illegal aliens we are really saying "Mexicans" (90% are from this sad land).

I don't have a source handy, but I believe that Mexicans make up approximately 60% of all illegal aliens.

They do not come here to blow up buildings but to build them and find a better way of life.

We have no idea who is here or what they want to do. All we know is that they are here illegally. Finding a "better way of life" is coming at the expense of American citizens.

We need to make a distinction between Aliens who want to do us harm and ones who just want to work.

How do you plan on doing that? Asking them?

Wanting to help someone "find a better life" is what started this massive problem. It started out as a trickle and is now a tsunami. It has to stop.

[Sabertooth]

Is this what you were trying to say the other day? That by trying to focus us on 'no amnesty', the current administration is going to go ahead and legalize the millions of illegals anyway? That's what I took away from your posts.

Exactly, they're going to try to legalize Illegals while claiming they oppose Amnesty.

Schwarzenegger successfully fooled a lot of people in this regard during the recall campaign.

Any politician, including President Bush, who says they "oppose blanket Amnesty," is telling the truth while lying about other things.

Imagine a politician who proudly, consistently, and exclusively claimed he was opposed to "first degree murder," while his hirelings were studiously fishing for ways to legalize manslaughter.

Such multispeak is the semantic equivalent of what this President is saying with regard to Illegals, and to what Tom Ridge is currently doing.

[B4Ranch]

"multispeak" fits right in with the word "essentialism" (n) -The practice of categorizing a group based on an artificial social construction that imparts an "essence" of that group, which homogenizes the group and effaces individuality and difference.

[gubamyster]

LA Times ILLEGAL ALIEN multispeak:

undocumented immigrants = undocumented workers = immigrants = clients (as in clients of coyotes) = migrants = migrant workers = day laborers = undocumented farm workers = alien workers

[SAMWolf]

I have have no sympathey for any illegals no matter where they come from and dispise anyone who comes here and refuses to become American, but try and turn us into the same crapholes they left in the name of "diversity and tolerance".

Try pulling that "diversity and tolerance" crap in the hellhole you left and see what happens.

[DLfromthedesert]

Yeah; work, collect welfare benefits, have children who are citizens, force bilingual teaching in schools, get free health care, and force redistricting to accommodate their "communities of interest" even though they legally cannot vote, and are not even HERE legally.

[HennepinPrisoner]

Border control or IMPEACHMENT

Amen!

[SandRat]

When will be able to stop trying to define the meaning of "is?"

PC speak is killing us!

[JustPiper]

Hmmmmmm...
Multispeak = a term for politicans who speak out their @$$