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As the son of an immigrant and the husband to one as well I am irritated to no end by this blatant disregard for the truth and intentional misrepresentation. Obviously it's agenda driven, the secular fundamentalist neo-libs know that if they say what's really happening, people are entering this country illegally with no regard to our laws, they will have no sympathy and it will be more difficult for them to further their one world open border society. Therefore they have to use misleading and false labels like undocumented immigrant or even just immigrant. After all, no one wants to be mean to immigrants, now do they?
I remember a couple of years ago when there was a huge rally in downtown LA (I was still living there at the time) and the media called it an immigrant rights rally. Why would immigrants be rallying? what rights would they want or need? They're here legally and are citizens like everyone else. Once again, the media let us down and lied to further their agenda. Had they called the rally what it was, a gathering of illegal aliens they wouldn't have gotten too much sympathy.
All I ask for is honesty. Is that to much to expect?
It's a euphemism, one of dozens we use today. It's "P.C.", which takes the 'rough edges' off a term or expression. Its goal is to 'not offend', but unfortunately, it also results in changing the very MEANING of what one is discussing.
Some words (like the notorious "N" word) were well-overdue to be 'retired'. But PC can get out of hand...and now, many of us can't even RECALL the "truth" of much of what we're discussing. For example..
--There are no more "bums", "tramps", or "winos"....they're "the homeless"..
---"Abusive bullies" are now folks dealing with "anger-management issues"...sometimes these issues result in "Fist-Nose contact" with other parties. Sometimes the police are summoned to administer a "wood shampoo", before whisking the parties off in their "black-and-white taxicab" to the local "holding facility" for an overnight "time out"....
---"Martyrs" once were people willing to die in order not to renounce their faith. "Martyrs" are now people willing to kill many innocents, and themselves, in order to 'punish' those not of their faith..
---ALL adult males, regardless of lifestyle, hygeine, drunkenness, and willingness to use violence, are now 'gentlemen"...ALL adult females are now "ladies"...
---Drug addicts are now those who suffer from "substance abuse"....
---People who cannot--or will not--care for their children have "parenting issues"..
---women who have child after child out of wedlock are now "single Moms". Their missing male partner(s) are now "absentee fathers".
---People who enter the country illegally, skipping to legal process, were once "illegal aliens" but are now "immigrants".
Euphemisms allow us to discuss these folks without "judging" them, or sounding "mad" at them. It's easy to get angry at a 'shoplifter'...but, if he can be referred to as a "non-traditional shopper", it makes him sound less 'bad'...
(Dictionary.com)
im·mi·grant
–noun 1. a person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence.
(Dictionary.com)
un·doc·u·ment·ed
–adjective 1. lacking documentation or authentication.
2. lacking proper immigration or working papers.
(American Heritage Dictionary)
un·doc·u·ment·ed
adj.
Not supported by written evidence: undocumented income tax deductions; undocumented accusations.
Not having the needed documents, as for permission to live or work in a foreign country.
n. A person not having proper documentation, especially for immigration.
(American Heritage Dictionary)
il·le·gal
adj.
Prohibited by law.
Prohibited by official rules: an illegal pass in football.
Unacceptable to or not performable by a computer: an illegal operation.
n. An illegal immigrant.
illegal alien
–noun 1. a foreigner who has entered or resides in a country unlawfully or without the country's authorization.
2. a foreigner who enters the U.S. without an entry or immigrant visa, esp. a person who crosses the border by avoiding inspection or who overstays the period of time allowed as a visitor, tourist, or businessperson. Compare resident alien.
Also called illegal immigrant.
They all mean the same thing. In the English language, we have many words and even phrases with the same or similiar meanings. These are called synonyms.
Last edited by sponger42; 06-02-2008 at 03:34 PM..
Reason: Fixed my BB tags
If you are not sure what the word "immigration" means then you can answer your own question if you're willing to spend about 30 seconds with a dictionary.
Stop politicizing every word - it defiles our language, which actually has a use besides politics.
If you are not sure what the word "immigration" means then you can answer your own question if you're willing to spend about 30 seconds with a dictionary.
Stop politicizing every word - it defiles our language, which actually has a use besides politics.
If this is directed to me, I don't get it? I didn't ask what immigration meant. I asked why illegal aliens are referred to as immigrants. Immigrants are here legally, therefore illegals shouldn't be referred to as immigrants. First off, it's a lie to further an open border one world agenda. Secondly, it's offensive to those who came here legally.
Whoever said that its a euphemism, I disagree. Euphemisms have at least some truth albeit in a vague manner.
If you are not sure what the word "immigration" means then you can answer your own question if you're willing to spend about 30 seconds with a dictionary.
Stop politicizing every word - it defiles our language, which actually has a use besides politics.
I believe that b. frank's post was directed towards sponger42; not you
If this is directed to me, I don't get it? I didn't ask what immigration meant. I asked why illegal aliens are referred to as immigrants. Immigrants are here legally, therefore illegals shouldn't be referred to as immigrants. First off, it's a lie to further an open border one world agenda. Secondly, it's offensive to those who came here legally.
Whoever said that its a euphemism, I disagree. Euphemisms have at least some truth albeit in a vague manner.
Take that up with the dictionary. If you can show me a definition of immigrant in the dictionary like the one you describe then i'll start calling them a different name.
Btw, Legal immigrants have better things to do and think about than being offended by illegal immigrants being called immigrants.
Btw, Legal immigrants have better things to do and think about than being offended by illegal immigrants being called immigrants.
You're right. MOST legal immigrants inwardly chuckle at the sheer 'spunk' of those resourceful illegals. "Boy I wish I'd thought of that", they often remark to each other. "Here, like a gosh-darn fool, I went through all that "citizenship" BS, waiting in line for months and years. Guess the joke's on ME....ya gotta hand it to those illegals for 'taking the bull by the horns' and cutting right through all that pesky 'red tape', yessireeee".
Most legal immigrants, as you say, admire illegals, and the few who DO speak out against them are mostly just jealous. Illegals know better than most of us how to overcome obstacles.
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