What Part of Illegal Don't You Understand?

[kerewin21 2]

OPINION | October 28, 2007

Editorial Observer: What Part of 'Illegal' Don't You Understand?

By LAWRENCE DOWNES

America has a big problem with illegal immigration, but a big part of it stems from the word “illegal.” As a code word for racial and ethnic hatred, it is detestable.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/opinion/...70&emc=eta1

I'd love to see people here reconsider their use of this derogatory term on this forum. Something to think about.

[natty bumppo 297]

OPINION | October 28, 2007

Editorial Observer: What Part of 'Illegal' Don't You Understand?

By LAWRENCE DOWNES

America has a big problem with illegal immigration, but a big part of it stems from the word “illegal.” As a code word for racial and ethnic hatred, it is detestable.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/opinion/...70&emc=eta1

I'd love to see people here reconsider their use of this derogatory term on this forum. Something to think about.

what a chopfuque ...

"“Illegal” is accurate insofar as it describes a person’s immigration status." ...... he got something right ....

[Ban Hammer 13,333]

so now saying illegal is gonna be illegal

[bradcanuck 1]

"Unregistered and Undocumented Human with the Intent to Take Work and Live in the Country whilst not having a Registered status"

I prefer illegal.

[peejay 327]

I disagree with about 90% of his opinion.

Funny how illegal alien cheerleaders like Ted Kennedy, Harry Reid, etc. used the term "illegal alien" with abandon back in the day, but now that their handlers have postulated that amnestied illegal aliens are diamond mine of potential Democratic votes they have been renamed "migrants". Okies in the Dirty Thirties were "migrants". People that break our immigration laws are "illegal aliens".

To George Bush and his Corporate cronies...they are "undocumented workers" doing jobs Americans won't do for substandard wages and working conditions.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

NY Times..... figures. Trying to turn the word 'illegal' into a racial term is insanity.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

OPINION | October 28, 2007

Editorial Observer: What Part of 'Illegal' Don't You Understand?

By LAWRENCE DOWNES

America has a big problem with illegal immigration, but a big part of it stems from the word “illegal.” As a code word for racial and ethnic hatred, it is detestable.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/opinion/...70&emc=eta1

I'd love to see people here reconsider their use of this derogatory term on this forum. Something to think about.

Interesting read. Thanks for posting.

[sunandmoon 450]

"Unregistered and Undocumented Human with the Intent to Take Work and Live in the Country whilst not having a Registered status"

I prefer illegal.

I guess that would be PC.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Good thing I am not an illegal immigrant. There is no way out of that trap.

Wrong. There is. Go home.

But thanks for playing.

[natty bumppo 297]

Good thing I am not an illegal immigrant. There is no way out of that trap.

Wrong. There is. Go home.

But thanks for playing.

Next contestant ....

[Drew and Tik 0]

Illegal aliens are a drain on our tax dollars in a lot of ways. Less so than Americans with no drive to become anything useful, but they're definitely not helping the problem. And they don't get deported very often, at least not in New York. Many illegal aliens get arrested here everyday and don't get deported. Don't know why the system works this way, but I guess America is just too scared of not being PC to do something about it...or maybe, as peejay said, the corporations need the cheap labor to make their big bucks and keep the machine rolling

[kerewin21 2]

Wow, you are a bunch of people I wouldn't want to get caught jaywalking in front of.

Not calling someone illegal isn't a matter of being "PC", it's a matter of respecting them as human beings. Can you separate all the concomitant issues that go with our national problem of illegal immigration from the individual people and see them as, well, people?

It's pretty amazing to see how much intolerance there is here, especially as some of the people in this forum are applying for people who are here "illegally;" they are out of status. Should we round up all those spouses and send them packing because they're just as "illegal" as the schmuck who came here, overstayed his or her visa, and didn't find an American to marry? I don't see any of you calling members of this forum "illegals," though by your definition quite a few are, or have made the unforgivable error of falling in love with one of those horrible "illegals" you want to round up and deport.

Or does illegal not really mean THOSE people? Why aren't you up in arms about the "loophole" that exists for people who have overstayed, who can adjust their status? Are they somehow different? As far as I can tell, they just happened to fall in love with someone who could convert them from "illegal" to "legal." Why aren't you pounding on your senators' doors to make it so that any illegal person who has so declared him/herself to the government by applying for AOS be deported?

Maybe because "illegals" are actually humans.

[Fandango 1,439]

Not this again!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Why aren't you up in arms about the "loophole" that exists for people who have overstayed, who can adjust their status? Are they somehow different?

In a way yes (they came here legally) and in a way no (they're here unlawfully). And then in a very major way yes: There ain't 12-20 million of them costing the taxpayer north of 10 billion a year, bringing public health systems crushing down and accelerating the erosion of the American wage and work condition structure. A janitor used to be able to earn a living in this country, you know?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Wow, you are a bunch of people I wouldn't want to get caught jaywalking in front of.

Not calling someone illegal isn't a matter of being "PC", it's a matter of respecting them as human beings. Can you separate all the concomitant issues that go with our national problem of illegal immigration from the individual people and see them as, well, people?

It's pretty amazing to see how much intolerance there is here, especially as some of the people in this forum are applying for people who are here "illegally;" they are out of status. Should we round up all those spouses and send them packing because they're just as "illegal" as the schmuck who came here, overstayed his or her visa, and didn't find an American to marry? I don't see any of you calling members of this forum "illegals," though by your definition quite a few are, or have made the unforgivable error of falling in love with one of those horrible "illegals" you want to round up and deport.

Or does illegal not really mean THOSE people? Why aren't you up in arms about the "loophole" that exists for people who have overstayed, who can adjust their status? Are they somehow different? As far as I can tell, they just happened to fall in love with someone who could convert them from "illegal" to "legal." Why aren't you pounding on your senators' doors to make it so that any illegal person who has so declared him/herself to the government by applying for AOS be deported?

Maybe because "illegals" are actually humans.

Amen, brother! Don't let the minority here who happen to be loudest, drown out the Truth!