Posted on 04/08/2013 9:05:10 AM PDT by Ennis85
The term "illegal immigrant" dehumanises and criminalises people who are denied the opportunity to obtain authorisation.
Language has been in the news lately.
Last Tuesday, on April 2, the Associated Press announced it would no longer use "illegal immigrant" to refer to people living in a country without permission.
The previous week, Alaska Republican Congressman Don Young referred workers in his father's farm as "wetbacks", although he subsequently apologised for the racialised slander.
Why is language so important? What are people so upset about?
The word "wetback" is a reference to the fact that many people who cross into the United States without authorisation must cross the Rio Grande. Mexicans and non-Mexicans use the term colloquially. The US government referred to their 1954 mass repatriation campaigns along the southern border as "Operation Wetback".
In her research with Mexican immigrants, Ruth Gomberg-Munoz found that undocumented Mexicans use the Spanish equivalent (mojados) to describe themselves, even if they had not actually gotten their backs wet in the Rio Grande. Nevertheless, Gomberg-Munoz chooses not to use the word in her own writing, because many people find the word offensive.
(Excerpt) Read more at aljazeera.com ...
it’s not illegal to be a human, but it is illegal to be a human in another country you’re not supposed to be in...
hows that- better?
Oh? How ‘bout illegal alien loser...loser?
I think thats the one that finally got Jay Leno axed
The “i-word”? Are they usually this blatant about attempting to control the language? This is about as subtle as a jackhammer.
No human being is illegal
Unless of course they are neonatal survivors of abortion - or Germans who are refugees from a country whose government demands, in the name of suppressing Naziism, the same sort of suppression of children’s Christian education that Hitler himself demanded.Even if the family has what would in the context of Mexican immigrants be called an “anchor baby.”
we should call them what they are.
criminals.
Or WETBACKS!!
I wonder if this writer from Al Jazeera also wants to legitimize the Jewish settlements on the West Bank which the Palestinians have declared to be illegal?
It’s so hard to keep your biases straight.
Let me get this straight, we’re to no longer ‘dehumanize’ these pigs whose males regularly choose to expose themseves to urinate in public in the residential neghborhoods of my fair city?
OK sure, just as soon as they assimilate into my culture and start displaying some semblance of civilized behavior.
I would in the spirit of compromise Obama has shown us, be willing to replace “illegal” with “criminal”.
No human being is above the law.
Do NOT allow the Left to control the language. Notice how this writer quickly segues into the word “wetback”, knowing that that word has racial connotations. The Left is evil, and we need to stop letting them control the conversation.
There is an established procedure for entering the country with intent to stay as a permanent citizen with all the rights and privileges thereto attached. You are free to use it and welcome, sneak in in the dead of night and we'll bounce you back from whence you came.
Our "border policy" with Mexico should be a word for word copy of Mexico's border policy with Guatemala. Armed troops and live fire to support a strict no "illegal entry" policy. Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
Regards,
GtG
Nonsense. There are times when I am illegal; driving 70 in a 55 zone, rolling through a stop sign at a deserted intersection, sneaking into a posted pond for a little fishing. The difference is, I stop the action and am no longer illegal. The only way they can cease to be illegal is by doing the same; by going back.
They ain’t doin’ it!
We don’t need no stinking borders, only those Mexicans need to arrest people for crossing illegally.
Except for newborn babies, apparently.......
They are NOT immigrants, so let us drop that ‘i’ word
They are Foreign Alien Criminal Invaders
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