Thread: campaign-to-eliminate-illegal-

"Put this here before RB moves it!
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4476706/camp ... mmigrant-/

The Constitution and use of 'illegal immigrant'

By Leo E. Laurence

Frequent use of the phrases "illegal immigrant" and "illegal alien" by our mainstream media is being questioned in order to remain faithful to the principles of our U.S. Constitution.

SPJ’s Diversity Committee met during the 2010 convention in Las Vegas and decided to engage in a yearlong educational campaign designed to inform and sensitize journalists as to the best language to use when writing and reporting on undocumented immigrants.

Some believe the phrase illegal alien originated with fiery, anti-immigrant groups along the U.S.-Mexico border, such as the Minutemen. Gradually, the phrase — along with illegal immi-grant — seeped into common usage. It is now even used by some network TV newscasters.

Yet it remains offensive to many Latinos, and especially Mexicans, and to the fundamentals of Ameri-can jurisprudence.

However, there are some national publications, including The Nation, that regularly use the preferred phrase: undocumented immigrant.

"Immigrants always have been the canaries in the mine shaft — an early-warning system about the health of the U.S. economy," columnist-author Linda Chavez wrote.

After my post on this issue on the Diversity Committee blog, Miryam Wiley, a 20-year SPJ member, wrote to me:

"As a journalist who has written for more than a decade about undocumented immigrants, I applaud you for your suggestion (about) 'suspected' illegal immigrants. ... I have encountered resistance from my editors when I used the word 'undocumented' to refer to immigrants. I have seen my text changed, under my byline, to conform to the AP style. I found that disturbing but did not have a say in the mat-ter. I often remind people that the word 'undocumented' is a better choice. This week, a lawyer thanked me for making that choice."

The AP Stylebook unfortunately says that "illegal immigrant" is preferred over "undocumented worker."

"The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) is concerned with the increasing use of pe-jorative terms to describe the estimated 11 million undocumented people living in the United States," NAHJ says.

It is calling for a national discussion and re-evaluation of the use of the phrase illegal immigrant. "The term criminalizes a person," the organization of Latino journalists contends.

NAHJ recommends: "Instead, use 'undocumented immigrant' or 'undocumented work-er’â€

What nonsense. Whats next saying its offensive to use the word "murderer" in large context when refering to those who fit that definition? We must now say "other life ending human"?

Illegal-forbidden by law

Alien- a resident born in or belonging to another country who has not acquired citizenship by naturalization

Immigrant-a person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence.

What fits by the english language definately seems to be illegal alien, illegal immigrant is a long step already.

Now we're not saying "hispanics are all illegal aliens" or other such comments. We are saying "illegal aliens are illegal aliens". If your not an illegal alien that you are whatever your status is. Theres no racism or crudeness to it. Just plain and simple english.