SPJ Diversity Committee launches journalistic campaign against the term ‘illegal immigrant’

Daily Caller ^ | 12/27/2010 | Matthew Boyle

[moonshinner_09]

The Diversity Committee of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) is seeking to “inform and sensitize” reporters nationwide about how “offensive” the term “illegal immigrant” is to Latinos.

Diversity Committee member Leo Laurence announced the campaign against “illegal immigrant” and “illegal alien” terminology in the latest issue of the organization’s magazine, Quill, writing that those who have not obtained citizenship

but have entered the country without any prior approval should be called “undocumented workers” or “undocumented immigrants.”

In his report, Laurence quotes SPJ Diversity Committee chairman George Daniels as saying, “this is not about being politically correct,” but about aiming to “minimize harm,” when reporting. When Daniels says “minimize harm,” he is referring to one of the major tenets of SPJ’s code of ethics, which many journalists nationwide follow.

Laurence defends SPJ’s new campaign by offering an interpretation of the Constitution that provides for constitutional rights for everyone, including non-citizens, saying that any person should be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. He said that, constitutionally, a judge is the only person who can deem anyone or anything “illegal.”

[arthurus]

This is like the evolving terms for those who used to be Negros and for people who used to be retarded. The problem is not the term used. It is the fact that the people the terms refer to are disdained and not approved by the rest of the society. So long as that disapproval continues the terms used, no matter what they are will, will rapidly gain the pejorative sense and the campaign to retire the terms in favor of terms perceived to be more euphonious will continue. Changing the terms does not change the disdain factor.

[freespirited]

Maybe someone will start a campaign explaining how offensive terms like “undocumented Americans” are to normal people.

[The Comedian]

Let's call them Muslims.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[bruinbirdman]

"That, by definition makes them ILLEGAL."

Personally, I'm rather favorably disposed to STIGMA.

Call a spade a spade, illegal alien. There's no immigrant about it.

yitbos

[mulan]

Yes, and they need to assimilate themselves as Americans, especially learning to speak English! And very very important that they should be more serious about education and knowledge, improving their IQ as a whole.

[Zeppo]

In his report, Laurence quotes SPJ Diversity Committee chairman George Daniels as saying, “this is not about being politically correct,” but about aiming to “minimize harm,” when reporting.

Translation: This is about being politically correct.

Professional journalists?

Nope - professional liars is the correct term.

[srajan]

So by this definition, people who embezzle will have “undocumented riches” since the term illegal gains sounds so accusatory. I wonder what SPJ would have thought is the right word for a Wall Street swindler before conviction - “undocumented millionaire and philanthropist” perhaps?

[bruinbirdman]

"people who embezzle will have “undocumented riches"

Word Nazis would make the word "illegal" illegal.

yitbos