Illegal Immigrants Protest Being Called “Illegal” – Should We Do Away with the Term [POLL]

One night, on a different topic, someone asked me the question, “…when, as a nation, did we become so politically correct?”

The first think I came up with was that it had to have been an outgrowth of the “me” decade of the ‘80s.

It seemed as though once 1990 rolled around with the prospect of a new millennium on the horizon, society became more sensitive.

Music became more introspective.

Movies, TV shows all seemed to follow suit.

It was as though there was this great fear that we were all about to meet oblivion with the coming of Y2K; and as such, needed to make amends before meeting our destiny.

Alas, Y2K came and went…but the “sensitivity” that we so carefully cultivated in the decade before became a cottage industry.

Words used to describe certain physical and mental characteristics became anathema; as did other words previously used to describe ethnicities.

I need not go into them here. You already know what they are.

We went out of our way not to “step on each other’s toes!”

Hence, the current climate of political correctness.

Which is where we now arrive…at a movement to do away with the term “illegal immigrant” to “undocumented immigrant”….because according to a group of illegals, the term “illegal” carries with it a negative connotation.

According to this:

A small group of immigrants gathered in Woodbury (on Long Island) Monday to protest the use of the word "illegal" to describe those who have entered the United States without documentation.
Coordinators said they prefer the phrase "undocumented immigrant."

Osman Canales, 23, an immigrant rights advocate in Huntington who organized the protest, said using the word "illegal" criminalizes a whole community. "It's a racist word against our community, so we're just here to raise awareness," he said.

The protest mirrored a larger effort nationwide to push media outlets and people in general to stop using the word "illegal" when referring to immigrants.

The "Drop The I-Word" campaign was organized by The Applied Research Center, a New York City-based racial justice think tank. Its goal, according to its news website, Colorlines.com, is to "eradicate the slur 'illegals' from everyday use and public discourse."
Campaign coordinator Monica Novoa said that in two years, 14,000 people have signed the group's pledge.

"Using a phrase like 'illegal aliens' or 'illegals' . . . reinforces the notion that you could treat another individual as less than a human being," said Alina Das, assistant professor of clinical law at New York University.

But Gallya Lahav, associate professor of political science at Stony Brook University, said the term "undocumented" has flaws.

"It's a politically correct way of saying illegal," she said.

"What you're also talking about in proper form are the real undocumented -- asylum seekers -- people who are fleeing for threats of their life or freedom."

So, to summarize, calling the immigration status of a given individual or group “illegal” carries with it a stigma!

Political correctness run amok!

Maybe we should just all be wearing blindfolds!