it's a matter of marginalised people being hurt and having their lives lessened by how our language is used in society.
Ok fine, so how are the lives of illegal immigrants lessened by using the term "illegal". Don't argue semantics, point to me how they are actually physically or emotionally handicapped by use of the word "Illegal".
By your standards, if the black population dropped down to like 1% of the total US population, suddenly the n-word would be ok to use since hey, it's only 1% who cares about them how DARE they take away OUR LANGUAGE
I never proposed any standards. I said that at some point, you have to draw the line between having the wider population consider a word to be offensive or derogatory or not. 1% is still a few million people, and that's a lot. You proposed that even 1 person is too many, but you still haven't explained how it's a good thing for 299,999,999 people to censor themselves just because that remaining 1 person takes a word or phrase in an insulting way that the rest of the country doesn't agree with or even understand.
Take "Illegal" for example. It's not a racial slur with a disgusting history, as with "nigger". There are plenty of slurs against Hispanics that have already been demonstrated in this thread. Illegal doesn't specify that you're Hispanic. It could also mean Asian, European...even Canadian. It is a word that describes their immigration status and nothing more. There is no way abbreviating the longhand description of their crime can possibly cause harm to them, and I have yet to see any proof otherwise.
Yes he is quite ok with "illegal immigrants". But he is not ok with "illegals". That whole paragraph is how he does not use terms that even he accepts are demeaning and bred from hate, and he lists two that he will not use that others do.
Let's actually read the paragraph and the one before it for context, shall we? Put your glasses on, this time.
This isn't about documents. It has been my experience that many of those who have trouble with the phrase "illegal immigrant" are really troubled by something deeper -- the fact that, at the end of the day, by supporting a pathway to earned legal status, they're defending a group of people who engaged in unlawful activity. For some folks, this is messy business. So they try to sanitize it by changing the language.
As a columnist, I don't mind messy. I have never used "illegal aliens," and I never will. And I don't use "illegal" as a noun. But, like many other journalists, including those at CNN, I do use "illegal immigrant." And I refuse to accept that doing so is tantamount to a hate crime. I don't want to demean anyone. But, as someone who makes his living with words, I'd also prefer not to degrade the English language.
Let's analyze:
For some folks, this is messy business. So they try to sanitize it by changing the language.
First, he says what I've been saying. People try to use different words to hide the problem or make it seem less bothersome than it really is.
I don't mind messy. I have never used "illegal aliens," and I never will.
He refuses to change the name of the problem. He prefers to say it as it is. Good on him.
And I don't use "illegal" as a noun.
Once again, show me where he says why he won't do it. Does he find it offensive? Does he find it incorrect? Does he find it dehumanizing? We'll probably never know, because HE NEVER FUCKING SAID SO.
I don't want to demean anyone. But, as someone who makes his living with words, I'd also prefer not to degrade the English language.
Right there, he says it all. He doesn't use the term "illegal immigrant" because he wants to insult people, he uses it because it's the most accurate term we have. Why doesn't he use "Illegal"? Who knows. Why shouldn't I use it? You tell me. Oh wait...you can't because you can't give any good reason why not.
Look into the Aliyah Bet. One aspect mentioned a lot about it is that the British opposed to it called them "illegal immigrants" while the Jews trying to escape pushed for the term "clandestine immigrants".
Ok first off, you're simply wrong.
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national ... ant/57424/
First use in 1937 for a Cuban. A bit earlier in 1926 for an Irishman "Illegal Alien".
Second, Aliyah Bet was an organized effort by Jewish organizations to DELIBERATELY violate the British immigration laws that were in place at the time. Even then, they tried changing the name from "Illegal Immigrant" to "Clandestine Immigrant" to make it seem like less of a crime.
Wow, sound familiar? I should hope so. People, primarily from Spanish speaking countries south of the border, DELIBERATELY violate United States immigration laws. They and their supporters try changing the name from "Illegal Immigrant" to "Undocument Worker" to make it seem like less of a crime.
Good job. You've uncovered the first documented case of people conspiring to break the laws of another nation and re-define it to get away with it easier. Oh by the way, the Jews began a widespread bombing, assassination and terror campaign in response to the British trying to enforce their immigration laws in early 1939. Good thing our own illegals haven't started doing that yet.
It's not that you want to make sure your actions do not further ongoing injustices; you just want to be able to live with yourself and not be labeled a Bad Man.
My actions DON'T further ongoing injustice, and I can live with myself just fine. I'm only labeled a Bad Man by people such as yourself who care more about challenging someone on the meaning of a word, rather than having a constructive discussion on how to solve the goddamn problem in the first place.
