"Illegal Aliens" is a racist slur

[TitanTiger 20,708]

Georgia Latinos Object to 'Illegal Aliens' Label

Friday, February  27, 2004

ATLANTA — Each year, nearly 1 million foreigners unlawfully sneak into the United States.

But don’t call them "illegal aliens" because that's the moral equivalent of a racial slur, according to the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (search).

"We do find that term very offensive and liken it to the 'n' word as well," GALEO Executive Director Kerry Gonzalez said, referring to the derogatory term used to describe black people.

Gonzalez is urging Georgia lawmakers to use the term "undocumented workers" when referring to foreigners who enter the United States.

But immigration control advocates say it's just an attempt to use political correctness for political gain. While racial epithets are used to harm the innocent, the word "illegal" describes those who break the law.

"When we have public discourse we have to talk about illegal aliens. After all, U.S. law refers to all of these people sneaking into our country as illegal aliens," said Phil Kent of the American Immigration Control Foundation (search).

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_st...,112680,00.html

Help me out here. These folks are not citizens of the U.S., and they are here by breaking the laws of this country. How exactly is "illegal alien" racist? I mean, "undocumented worker" makes it sound like they lost their wallet somewhere in the desert on the way here, or they left their green card at home. They aren't "undocumented", they never applied for documents in the first place. They are ILLEGAL. Stop trying to redefine terms you don't like.

[AURainman 6]

Illegal means illegal. This P.C. world is soooo stupid sometimes. They should be asking themselves, Why are we called illegal? Maybe its because YOU ARE!!!! Until you become an American the LEGAL way, I have every right in the world to call you what you are, regardless of whether what you are hurts your pride.

[MDM4AU 337]

No one chooses to be white, black, yellow, etc. No one chooses to have a disability.

YOU CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT TO DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY OR THE WRONG WAY!

If you chose to come here with a disregard for the law, you are ILLEGAL!!!!

You can't be discriminated against for something you choose to do!

[CarolinaTiger 0]

didn't read the article...is it the "illegal" part or the "alien" part that's offensive?

:roll:

[TitanTiger 20,708]

It's the whole term. The "illegal" part implies they are lawbreakers (which they are), so they prefer the more innocuous term "undocumented". Sounds more like they just haven't gotten their papers in the mail yet or something. The "alien" part implies that they are not citizens of this country (which they aren't), and that makes it sound like they don't belong here (which they don't without going through the proper procedures), so they soften that one to something that sounds positive like "workers".

Clear as mud?

[Tigermike 3,427]

I propose a compromise, how about Undocumented Illegal Aliens!

[SLAG-91 1,578]

Besides that, hearing Genesis sing "I tell ya, it's...no...fun...being an undocumented worker" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

This is just more PC crap running downhill.