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"Illegal Alien"

Is the term "illegal alien" offensive?

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Black Dog

Black Dog

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Is the term "illegal alien" offensive?

"Why do you refer to undocumented immigrants as illegal aliens? I’ve spoken with John McCain and Barack Obama, to give you two examples, and they don’t use those terms they call them undocumented immigrants. Why do you call them illegal aliens?" - Think Progress As Retailers Dump Offensive ‘Illegal Alien’ Halloween Costume, Fox Calls The Item ‘Fantastic’

It is just getting better and better.

Next thing you know the homeless will be "shelter impaired."



Could a mod add yes, no and other pole please?
 
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No, it is not offensive. Being an alien, and in the country illegally, makes them illegal aliens.
 
I don't really care if they're offended, given that they are committing a crime just by being here. Offended? Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

Do you know why BO and McCain don't use illegal alien? Because they are kowtowing to Hispanic voters, for some reason.
 
Redress said:
No, it is not offensive. Being an alien, and in the country illegally, makes them illegal aliens.
Click to expand...
Agree, but what good does it do to call them illegals??
And if they are offended, they can return to their home, or better yet, complain to the President.
 
Blackdog said:
Is the term "illegal alien" offensive?

"Why do you refer to undocumented immigrants as illegal aliens? I’ve spoken with John McCain and Barack Obama, to give you two examples, and they don’t use those terms they call them undocumented immigrants. Why do you call them illegal aliens?" - Think Progress As Retailers Dump Offensive ‘Illegal Alien’ Halloween Costume, Fox Calls The Item ‘Fantastic’

It is just getting better and better.

Next thing you know the homeless will be "shelter impaired."



Could a mod add yes, no and other pole please?
Click to expand...

Hell not its not offensive. Neither is the term "illegals". What is offensive is an attempt be pro-criminals/pro-illegals to try to lump illegals in with immigrants by calling them "immigrants" or "undocumented immigrants" or lumping illegals in with Americans by calling illegals "undocumented Americans". This offensiveness is nothing more than attempt on their part so they can falsely claim they are fighting for immigrant rights or falsely claim that illegal immigration opponents are anti-immigrant. It would be like lumping all Europeans in with Eurotrash just by simply referring to both as eurotrash.
 
Blackdog said:
Is the term "illegal alien" offensive?

"Why do you refer to undocumented immigrants as illegal aliens? I’ve spoken with John McCain and Barack Obama, to give you two examples, and they don’t use those terms they call them undocumented immigrants. Why do you call them illegal aliens?" - Think Progress As Retailers Dump Offensive ‘Illegal Alien’ Halloween Costume, Fox Calls The Item ‘Fantastic’

It is just getting better and better.

Next thing you know the homeless will be "shelter impaired."



Could a mod add yes, no and other pole please?
Click to expand...
not to me. but a costume? not so funny.
 
I don't feel it offensive.

The smartass in me calls it inaccurate - the ailiens part.

That wiseass complex works like this:

They are immigrants

They entered illegally

Therefore the correct term is "illegal immigrant(s)"

*shot*
 
liblady said:
not to me. but a costume? not so funny.
Click to expand...

How is it not funny. Its costume of a space alien in a jail/prison uniform.

If it was a sombrero,Guitar, Bushy mustache, serape and a card that says illegal alien then it would be offensive.
 
jamesrage said:
How is it not funny. Its costume of a space alien in a jail/prison uniform.

If it was a sombrero,Guitar, Bushy mustache, serape and a card that says illegal alien then it would be offensive.
Click to expand...
isn't "funny" in the mind of the beholder? geez. i didn't say it was offensive, just not funny.
 
Travelsonic said:
I don't feel it offensive.

The smartass in me calls it inaccurate - the ailiens part.

That wiseass complex works like this:

They are immigrants

They entered illegally

Therefore the correct term is "illegal immigrant(s)"

*shot*
Click to expand...
i didn't say the term or costume was offensive, just that the costume wasn't funny.
 
earthworm said:
Agree, but what good does it do to call them illegals??
Click to expand...

It's an accurate description of their status in the United States, along the lines of citizen, legal permanent resident, etc. It's a description of their immigration status.
 
Travelsonic said:
I don't feel it offensive.

The smartass in me calls it inaccurate - the ailiens part.

That wiseass complex works like this:

They are immigrants

They entered illegally

Therefore the correct term is "illegal immigrant(s)"

*shot*
Click to expand...

Technically "alien" is accurate.

Main Entry: 1alien
Pronunciation: \ˈā-lē-ən, ˈāl-yən\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin alienus, from alius
Date: 14th century
1 a : belonging or relating to another person, place, or thing : strange b : relating, belonging, or owing allegiance to another country or government : foreign c : exotic 1
2 : differing in nature or character typically to the point of incompatibility
Click to expand...

Link
 
Who cares if it's offensive? Them being in my country illegally is offensive but you don't hear the liberals whine about that, do you?

We're calling them what they are. Deal with it.
 
The term "alien" specifically is a propagandistic one used to convey an image of severe detachment and a complete and utter lack of commonalities between U.S. citizens and illegal immigrants. It's thus used to escape serious consideration or analysis of the general topic, which is why the authoritarian and anti-immigration talking heads are usually largely ignorant of the legitimate economic consequences of illegal immigrants' presence and their own proposed policies.
 
earthworm said:
Agree, but what good does it do to call them illegals??
And if they are offended, they can return to their home, or better yet, complain to the President.
Click to expand...

To differentiate them from legal aliens.
 
I have no problem with illegal alien, but "illegals" by itself seems dehumanizing.
 
It's funny. This issue is not really a right vs left issue as everyone can see.

The sad part is it is a very good example of how right or left, Republican or Democrat our government cares about nothing but voting blocks. They do not represent the interests of the people on this issue. They have not for years, and still we elect the same party's into office.
 
Blackdog said:
It's funny. This issue is not really a right vs left issue as everyone can see.
Click to expand...

That's true. It's related to the fact that there's no viable left in the U.S. and therefore few people willing to advocate a truly libertarian approach to illegal immigration that involves the rollback of trade liberalization and consequent reduction of international wage differentials.
 
I have no problems with illegal aliens, in fact, I tend to like them a good deal more than many Americans, but the term is not offensive.
 
Agnapostate said:
That's true. It's related to the fact that there's no viable left in the U.S. and therefore few people willing to advocate a truly libertarian approach to illegal immigration that involves the rollback of trade liberalization and consequent reduction of international wage differentials.
Click to expand...

And it's a good thing most people are not libertarians for that and many other reasons.
 
Agnapostate said:
The term "alien" specifically is a propagandistic one used to convey an image of severe detachment and a complete and utter lack of commonalities between U.S. citizens and illegal immigrants. It's thus used to escape serious consideration or analysis of the general topic, which is why the authoritarian and anti-immigration talking heads are usually largely ignorant of the legitimate economic consequences of illegal immigrants' presence and their own proposed policies.
Click to expand...

The term has been used for a long time. I have found nothing that says it was a term invented for "propaganda."

Evidence of such would be nice.
 
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