Thread: "IMMIGRANTS" OR "ALIENS"

THE RIEHL WORLD
Clearing the coastal fog

'Immigrants' or 'aliens'?

By: RICHARD J. RIEHL - For the North County Times



Two weeks ago radio shock jock Don Imus was fired for flippant, racist remarks he made about the Rutgers University women's basketball team. Although his words were universally condemned, some felt the punishment didn't fit the crime. They argued that his charitable works show he is a good man, guilty only of incredibly bad judgment for borrowing hip-hop lingo for a misguided attempt at humor. Some said his firing would create a slippery slope that would alert the PC police to keep an eye on all of us.

The big question now is whether the debate over free speech versus words that wound will have legs. Will this be the beginning of a dialogue resulting in the toning down of the vicious rhetoric and personal attacks that have become the stock in trade of the daily talk shows? Will the music industry stop marketing hip-hop artists who get rich off songs filled with cruel and abusive lyrics? Will Imus resurrect himself in a kinder, gentler form? Or will this be just another passing attack of cultural introspection, with everyone breathing a sigh of relief when it's over?

I was thinking about that when I noticed how often the word "aliens" pops up in letters to the editor and in NC Times online edition feedback from readers commenting on illegal immigration. The angriest writers avoid using the word "immigrant." Words matter, as Imus learned, so what's the difference between aliens and immigrants? The American Heritage Dictionary says an immigrant is "a person who moves from one country to settle permanently in another," while an alien is "an unnaturalized foreign resident of a country, a noncitizen, a person who is not included in a group; an outsider, a creature from outer space, as in an invasion of aliens."


That explains why those of every political persuasion are proud to say we are a nation of immigrants. "Immigrants" summons up visions of covered wagons, the huddled masses at Ellis Island, and pride in our national heritage. "Aliens" sets a group apart as unwelcome outsiders, less than human, worthy of fear and loathing.

According to the dictionary definition, we have a lot of aliens living among us legally. We call them green card holders, or lawful permanent residents. In fact, according to the Department of Homeland Security, more than a million noncitizens are given that status in the U.S. each year. Mexico sends us more than any other country. One in five is a Californian. To call them "aliens" dehumanizes them, just as it does those living here without legal status.

Which brings me back to the Imus affair. It wasn't until the targets of his slur held a press conference, revealing themselves as classy young women, worthy of our highest respect for their achievements in school and on the basketball court, that the cruelty of his abusive stereotyping was fully understood. Whatever your position is on immigration reform, suggesting we are being invaded by aliens adds more darkness than light to the discussion.

-- Carlsbad resident Richard J. Riehl is a freelance columnist for the North County Times. Contact him at RiehlWorld2@yahoo.com.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/04 ... _26_07.txt

Comments On This Story

Note: Comments reflect the views of readers and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff.

ProudAmerican wrote on April 26, 2007 9:29 PM:"You caught us. Yep, we were comparing illegal aliens to green, one-eyed martians. I guess we will be arrested by the PC police for symantics. I went to dictionary.com and found 9 definitions for 'alien' in Random House Unabridged Dictionary. Those racists, those "angriest writers" had the nerve to say that immigrant is a synonym for alien. The dictionary folks actually spew additional slurs like "a resident born in or belonging to another country who has not acquired citizenship by naturalization" and "residing under a government or in a country other than that of one's birth without having or obtaining the status of citizenship there." Don't they know that definitions like that only add darkness to debate."

Foriegn Invaders? wrote on April 26, 2007 10:58 PM:"Alien is the word used in Federal Immigration Law to describe a foreigner. Title 8, Section 1101 of the United States Code provides the following definition: '(a) As used in this chapter - (3) The term "alien" means any person not a citizen or national of the United States.' The United States Codes is a compilation of statutes (or laws) passed by Congress and signed by the President. The laws have been codified for hundreds of years. Further, since the 1300's, alien has meant foreigner in the English language. In 1944, a science fiction writer used alien to mean from another planet. Now that much 'education' now comes from watching Hollywood movies, the Sci-Fi meaning is the only meaning understood by the uneducated. So Reihl has authored this brilliant social thesis, that the use of the word alien is mean spirited and dehumanizing, even though many laws using the term were written before the SciFi meaning was added as an alternate meaning! The term 'illegal alien' is legally precise and is used often in Federal Law. An example is 8 U.S.C. 1621(d). What is really happening? Foreign invaders to this country have failed to fully learn English. Now they are offended because of their ignorance of the English language. America is not required to amend all of its laws to accomodate the recent wave of uneducated, ignorant, and arrogant foreign invaders. (There! I did not call them illegal aliens. Are you happy now?) Most of those offended by the used of the term 'illegal alien' are political hacks who learned English as a second language mostly by watching Hollywood movies, and who now understand 'racist' to means a white person against illegal immigration. STOP THE INVASION!"

The Evil President and Congress wrote on April 26, 2007 11:12 PM:"I looked it up! Democratic (D for Devil) President Bill Clinton signed a Federal law, written by a Republican Congress (R for Racist) that used the term 'illegal alien'. Riehl has exposed Bill Clinton and Congress for what they are, Sons of the Devil! Meanwhile, the Saviors of Mount Zion migrating as crusaders into the United States are the only thing preventing the Almighty from wiping the evil debate from the face of the earth! Can those faithful and full of light save America from its darkness and fallen debate!"

Richard wrote on April 27, 2007 3:21 AM:"Aliens is the correct word to use to describe those who come to America from another country or planet. What word you may use skirts the issue, contributing nothing helpful to the debate."

I agree with Proud American wrote on April 27, 2007 5:14 AM:"Alien is the proper word for those in our country illegally. "

So Wrong wrote on April 27, 2007 5:35 AM:"Mr. Riehl, your comments are wrong in so many ways. The ALIENS we are against are the ones that come here to take from us without giving back! They take our money without paying taxes, they take our medical benefits without paying for them, they drive illegally without insurance, they are immune to any legal challenges because they keep nothing here for us to take if they hurt us by all of their illegal activites. AND finally, they have no desire to become a part of this country to be a PROUD American, all they want to do is take, take, take and then leave! SO WRONG, SO VERY WRONG!"

dave from oceanside wrote on April 27, 2007 6:16 AM:"The context and tone of the discussion implies the meaning of the word “Alien”. When the tone of the discussion is mild, then in this case we are talking about a man, woman or child, not a creature from outer space. So “unwelcome outsider” such as someone who will suck up more social services or “worthy of fear” such as terrorist or drug runner is the implied meaning “alien” takes. If a person is writing in an aggressive way you could assume “Alien” is used to dehumanize these invaders thereby bringing to light in the discussion the importance of the matter. The person who fits the definition of a legal immigrant is what this country will accept, not an illegal alien. "

You're Right wrote on April 27, 2007 7:43 AM:"Mr. Riehl has got one thing right, aliens are unwelcome outsiders. That's why he sees 'alien' used so frequently, and ACCURATELY, to describe illegals."

They are just wrote on April 27, 2007 7:49 AM:"a bunch of law breaking ILLEGAL ALIENS to me!"

Madam Patriot wrote on April 27, 2007 7:51 AM:"Kumbaya my lord, Kumbaya... Quick! where's the nearest tree to hug. Mr. Riehl you've hurt my 'feelings.' The tears are welling up as I write this. Pass the Kleenex please."

Latent Racist Message? wrote on April 27, 2007 7:56 AM:"A racist message may be embedded in this article. The writer equates darkness in a negative way, and light in a positive way. Applied to humans, the message being conveyed may be that being dark-skinned is a negative, and being light-skinned is a positive. Like Imus, maybe the writer should be fired for using such a racially insensitive comparison. By the way, this comment is as silly as this article!"

The INS uses the word wrote on April 27, 2007 8:23 AM:"ALIEN On their Resident Alien cards and what they are is ILLEGAL aliens when they do not enter the country through proper channels with proper permission."

... mexico! wrote on April 27, 2007 8:40 AM:"We are winning! The American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico on Thursday urged the U.S. Congress to implement, without further delays, a pilot program that would allow Mexican truckers to haul freight throughout the United States. The U.S. Department of Transportation initiative has been postponed numerous times, most recently by a U.S. Senate provision blocking funds for the program that would permit 100 Mexican freight-hauling companies to operate past the 20-mile border zone they are currently restricted to. Which means no MEXICAN TRUCKS ON OUR FREEWAYS!!! "

Real Citizen wrote on April 27, 2007 8:58 AM:"How about breeders with anchor babies? this term is very politically correct!!!!"

Craig wrote on April 27, 2007 10:28 AM:"Mr. Riehl writes in his last paragraph "It wasn't until the targets of his slur held a press conference, revealing themselves as classy young women, worthy of our highest respect for their achievements in school and on the basketball court that the cruelty of his abusive stereotyping was fully understood." What have the ILLEGAL ALIENS revealed to us during their protests? That they are still loyal to Mexico? That they still haven't made the effort to learn English? That sneaking into this country should earn them the same rights as those who waited in line and did it the right way? I don't feel the need to respect them, they have shown no respect for MY country or tax dollars."

GFN wrote on April 27, 2007 11:24 AM:"Mr. Riehl, my dictionary describes aliens as, 1. a foreign born inhabitant of a nation, 2. a person born in and owing allegiance to a country other than the one in which he lives--distinguished from citizen. You are attacking writers for "dehumanizing" others when the writers are using a proper, correct description of those who come here illegally. To tie this into the Imus affair is tortured logic. Using the word alien is proper; calling the educated, poised college girls, "nappy-headed ho's" was not. Imus should have been fired, yet, he has the right to return and probably will...hopefully, as you said, in a kinder, gentler form. "

GFN wrote on April 27, 2007 11:25 AM:"Most Americans are not against immigration or immigrants. The basic Hispanic illegal immigrant has many excellent characteristics that fit well with the American lifestyle. They are religiously based, mostly Catholic; honest; caring and sharing; family oriented, and they have a strong work ethic. These are wonderful values in a group. And, yes, there is work for them in our system, and that is good for us all. The problem is that the federal government has allowed overwhelming numbers of them to impact our society, yet has not been accountable for the costs to the states that are most negatively impacted. This frustration is what causes most of the animosity between American citizens, who are negatively impacted by this surge of aliens, and their unresponsive government; it is also the root of what you call “angry” letter writers."

Real Citizen wrote on April 27, 2007 11:40 AM:"The NCT will never print anything when I refer to them as mindlessly reproducing."

And I thought wrote on April 27, 2007 1:48 PM:"Escondido was bad.... Just after 7:00 Thursday morning, a woman called 911 saying her husband had been kidnapped. Police came to the house in the 10,000 block of South Epperson Lane. That's near Nogales Highway and Summit Street. Fourty-one illegal immigrants were taken for questioning from the home. "

Come visit mexiko! wrote on April 27, 2007 1:56 PM:"Violence triggers travel advisory for Mexico The U.S. State Department has renewed travel advisories to Mexico because of continuing violence and kidnappings, particularly in border cities under siege by warring drug gangs. "

Add Your Comments or Letter to the Editor

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/04 ... _26_07.txt

criminal invaders

It is PC gone wild in this country! It will be our downfall. This brings to mind the recent story about a school in Maine that has pulled all pork products from it's school luncheon menu to not offend any Muslim students. No more ham sandwiches, etc. Unbelievable! When are we going to take our country back?

I absolutly refuse to use the term immigrant or undocument worker or migrant. This is a very concious decision. If they come across our border and are here illegally, then I will call them illegal aliens.

I will not be badgered into being PC. If I accidentaly write immigrant (I am fighting off the brain washing) I will go back and edit it.
This is not about insulting or demeaning THEM.
This is about keeping the message clear for US.

I won't change on this. I don't care who gives me hell about it.
They want to change the way we use our words to slowly change the perception. I won't let them do that. I am going to continue to be "In your face" about illegals. When I stop doing that, it is time for me to lie down and let someone else pick up the American flag and take over.....

"Resident Aliens" and "Illegal Aliens".

Internal Revenue: Defines Aliens

Immigration Terms and Definitions Involving Aliens

A general summary of U.S. immigration terminology follows.

Alien
An individual who is not a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.

U.S. National
An individual who owes his sole allegiance to the United States, including all U.S. citizens, and including some individuals who are not U.S. citizens. These individuals would include citizens of certain U.S. possessions such as American Samoa and Northern Mariana Islands.

U.S. Citizen

An individual born in the United States.
An individual whose parent is a U.S. citizen.*
A former alien who has been naturalized as a U.S. citizen
An individual born in Puerto Rico.
An individual born in Guam.
An individual born in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

*The Child Citizenship Act, which applies to both adopted and biological children of U.S. citizens, amends Section 320 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to provide for the automatic acquisition of U.S. citizenship when certain conditions have been met. Specifically, these conditions are:

One parent is a U.S. citizen by birth or through naturalization;
The child is under the age of 18;
The child is residing in the United States as a lawful permanent resident alien and is in the legal and physical custody of the U.S. citizen parent; and
If the child is adopted, the adoption must be final.

It appears that the American Heritage Dictionary is a little off, with the American Definition. I'm sure they didn't consult the Immigration and Naturalization definition either.

Dixie