Now AP agrees. (cc photo: Vertigogen)
The Associated Press announced a change in their style guide: The wire service will no longer refer to “illegal immigrants,” except in direct quotes. The term “illegal,” AP‘s new rules state, refers only to actions, and not to people.
Though they say it’s just the result of an ongoing in-house effort to rid the Stylebook of “labels,” the change is undoubtedly a victory for activists, who have called for years for journalists to stop using the term. Not only because it’s dehumanizing. As AP‘s executive editor Kathleen Carroll points out, it’s also bad reporting, a “lazy device” that obscures meaningful distinctions.
Rinku Sen of Colorlines.com–whose “Drop the I Word” campaign was critical here–concurs, but adds that that “laziness” has real-world impact, blocking reasonable discussion of policy issues. For years, Sen wrote,
immigration restrictionists have been stopping all discussion cold with “what about illegal don’t you understand?” Well, we did understand–that the word hid severe problems in the policy, that it has been applied selectively to people of color (undocumented, green-card holding, and citizens alike), and that it fuels hateful action.
If AP‘s style change reflects awareness of those harmful impacts, on people as well as reporting, it’s hard to see what excuse other outlets have for continuing in the old way. So far, the Chicago Tribune has indicated they won’t change because it would make headline writing too hard. And the New York Times reacted strangely, with ombud Margaret Sullivan telling readers the paper plans to make changes, but “the Times‘ changes will probably be more incremental.”
Once you’ve acknowledged that something’s the right thing to do, it’s hard to see why you’d want to do it slowly. But if AP‘s move shows the times are changing, maybe the Times can change too.
How do you drop a term “incrementally”?
You do
Or you don’t
Don’t you?
And let’s award the Don Young Prize for Sensitivity in Media to the Trib for its nonsensical response.
How do you drop a term “incrementally”?
First you decide to not use it,
then you decide again not use it further,
finally you decide to actually quit using it…
And pretty soon, you actually don’t use it as often as you used to….
most of the time,
when you really think about it.
The forewarning bell must ring out, that the borders are not only unsafe for the Border Patrol, but for county sheriffs, town people, ranchers and land owners who live along the border region and live in danger every day; some of these regions either the South side or in our nation are being controlled by the drug cartels. The border fence remains an anomaly, because this administration continues the crowing from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and the left wing press that the border is secure. If it wasn’t such a mind anesthetizing lie, it would be laughable when the border is not anywhere near safe? That it stretches on for miles with nothing to separate the United States from Mexico, but some old lengths of rusty barbed wire. If you tend to be are interested in the truth about the Southern border, you can see actual aerial photographs showing where the politicians have been misled, given a deliberate tour of the border fence where it exhibits it strongest points, but few politicians ever venture out of the area and so remain ignorant; never seeing outside of the towering fence barriers in heavy population areas. The American Patrol group has done extensive surveys of the regions where there is non-existence border fence. Video and picture displays the fence where it’s very prominent in heavily populace sectors, but outside these confines it dwindles mostly to nothing.
THEY ARE COMING AND WILL KEEP COMING IN EVER LARGER NUMBERS, ENCOURAGED BY THE MAGNET OF MASS AMNESTY. INCIDENTALLY—WHEN IS AN ILLEGAL ALIEN OR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT NOT ILLEGAL, WHEN THE COME TO THE U.S. LEGALLY?
The2006 Secure fence as originally planned for most of the U.S. border is most visible in San Diego, California and that’s it? Just 15 miles erected as a physical deterrent, decorated with cruel concertina barbs and erected as two fences right down into the sea. In actual fact its two parallel barriers that according to records is completing an exception job, of inhibiting thousands of poverty stricken illegal aliens, criminal elements slipping into California. Janet Napolitano can say what she will about the so called great fence built through California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, as “Free Speech” is allowed at this present time, but people are currently beginning to wonder why the Obama Administration is buying up tons of guns and bullets literary. Anyway–don’t take my word for anything that I enumerate, but judge for your selves by going to the American Patrol website.
America has a choice, which they can keep paying hundreds of billions of dollars to support the illegal alien invasion annually; a free ride for the illegal parents of children, which should only go to true citizens and residents with green cards. It’s obscuring the true fact, that slavery was the instigator of the 14th Amendment law, NOT crafted to give the progeny of illegal parent’s citizenship, for all their babies. THE BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP LAW WAS MEANT FOR THE DECENDANTS OF THE SLAVE TRADE IN THE 19TH CENTURY. This is a trillion dollar party package that has been going on for generations in pandering to potential undocumented Liberals and Democrats and thus finally destroying the wealth of America; a free giveaway in this rising welfare country. Never has there been a president that has given away food stamps in massive quantities, whether you are here legally or not? America is turning soft, where if you don’t want to work this administration will accommodate you as a “Freeloader.” Not just illegal aliens either, but citizens/legal residence as well? Our only possible chance to alleviate this drain on America’s prosperity is for Washington to issue a NATIONAL ID CARD. IT’S PURPOSE TO IDENTIFY THE POSSESSOR AND ITS USAGE TO VERIFY YOU AS A LEGAL INDIVIDUAL, STOP VOTER FRAUD, ID THEFT AND APPLYING FOR A GUN PERMIT. THE COST WOULD BE LIKE PENNIES, TO THE DOLLARS SPENT ON SO MANY OTHER PITIFUL IMPEDIMENTS?
Reports indicate that since Senator John McCain’s “Gang of Eight” restarted their latest push for amnesty, illegal border crossing from Mexico to the U.S. have more than doubled. It appears those entering the country illegally want to be sure they are here in case a blanket amnesty pronouncement is issued. As a U.S. Border Patrol Agent who spoke on condition of anonymity made clear, a number of those entering the country illegally are doing so to escape jail time or persecution in their own country: “We’ve seen the number of illegal aliens double, maybe even triple since amnesty talks started happening. [And] a lot of these people, although not the majority, are criminals or aggravated felons.” Making matters worse, Border Patrol Agents currently face hour and pay reductions which Obama is blaming on the sequester cuts he signed into law in August 2011. This means there is less and less chance of catching illegal aliens as they cross over. Therefore, at the very time Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Robert Menendez (D-FL), Michael Bennett (D-Col.), and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) are pushing for a path to citizenship is, our border is becoming more and more porous, and everyone who can get here illegally is doing it.
Checking Amnesty Applications Would Cost $20 Billion By Stephen Frank on 04/02/2013 from the California Reports and Review website:
It costs a lot of tax dollars to allow criminals to stay in this country “legally”. Currently, just in California it costs government at all levels over $20 billion. That includes the cost of free cell phones, free health care and education, housing vouchers and the cost of jobs honest Californians cannot get. Oh, the amnesty to allow the criminals from foreign nations to stay here will cost $20 billion and give them pardons from crimes like fraud, lying on applications and other criminal acts that would put us in jail.
“Total USCIS fees, thus would have a range of $917 for the most straightforward cases to $2,612 for the most time-consuming cases. The medical examination fee, and perhaps some other agency fees, will be in addition to the range noted above, as would, in many cases, moneys used to compensate for non-payment of income taxes in the past.
Given the huge financial (as well as peace of mind) benefits amnesty will bring to the applicants there should be no fee-waiver arrangements. However, given the low income levels of most of the applicants, and presumably a low level of savings, some creative governmental arrangements probably should be made in this connection to keep the amnesty applicants out of the hands of the lawless loan sharks and their cousins, the not-quite-lawless payday lenders.”
We cannot give any ground of any kind in exchanging blows, by confronting politician in any method possible, to even calling them through the Central Washington phone terminal at (202) 224-312. Don’t forget the TEA PARTY is for maximum freedom and the U.S Constitution. REMEMBER THESE LAWS CAN STOP FURTHER WAVES OF AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION INVASION, THAT THE TAXPAYERS ARE FORCED TO PAY. Read more about the undeveloped border fence at AmericanPatrol and a surprising sensor called the “Sonic Barrier” that is far superior to the regular units they have on the border. AmericanPatrol can also illustrate to you the incompetence and intended ignorance of the risks at the border, plus daily news and views that the Liberal press is keeping hidden? Here is a few websites for petitions against illegal immigration, news and reports not seen within the pages of the left wing press. NumbersUSA carries much intelligence on specific laws, with American Patrol showing ample evidence of an extremely weak border and ineffectual management at ports of entry, including airline terminals. There is daily news also to be found here, at American Patrol and all the happenings in Washington. Corruption and abuse of all our laws, pending immigration bills and abuses in congress is available at Judicial Watch.
So if I sneak into Iran lets say…….Im not there illegally?HmmmmNo I guess I see the point.There is no suck thing as an illegal immigrant.Immigrants are legal.The word is illegal foreign nationals.Im fine using that term for all those people crossing our boarders illegally.
Guess we can stop calling convicted law-breakers “felons”, since felony refers to the level of law-breaking and not the person.
The term AP has dropped was part of a political campaign that was very successful to shift the debate away from discussing US policy and corporate demand that encourages people to cross the border illegally in favor of demonizing a group of powerless people who are often the victims of the circumstances they are blamed for with racist effect if not intent. Good riddance and now let’s talk about real policies to improve the economy on both sides of the border and create good jobs for people wherever they are born and want to live.
There is such a word as “illegal immigrant”. We have immigration laws all the way back to the Civil War. We have never been an “open to people” as they assume. Allowing immigrants to migrate here legally is what we have done more than any country on earth.
It is never enough since they think us all rich as to support, college educate and care for them all free on our tax dollars. We should even give then our jobs and support their families back in their mother country.
What do you call them? “Tax burdens”, “Criminals” who disobey our laws and disrespect our society, “Foreign invaders”, Anti Americans, or better yet “corporate cheap labor”.
Contrary to popular Conservative belief, there are many Liberals who oppose open borders and tax dollars for people who don’t pay them. 80% disapproval says both party members are united on the way our government ignores illegal immigrants and their goals in our society. Those who bring in cheaper labor as slaves have a lot to answer for as far as I’m concerned. They aren’t good people but greedy ones.