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Comments on Analysis
The AP drops 'illegal immigrant,' why it matters
The Associated Press moves away from the illegal label as US inches toward immigration overhaul.
Posted Apr 4, 2013
Alex Leff Global Post
The Associated Press has nixed “illegal immigrant” from its stylebook. It now dictates to stop using “illegal” when describing a person. “Instead, it tells users that ‘illegal’ should describe only an action, such as living in or immigrating to a country illegally,” says Senior Vice President and Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll’s statement explaining the move.
I think this is a slap in the face to all those true immigrants who showed their new country the respect of following the laws and coming in the right way. Most of those folks who I talk to and read about are quite angry, and justifiably so, that what they had to bust their ass for is being given away to those who broke our laws. There should be a term to distinguish the lawbreakers from those true patriots who came in the right way. Lumping border jumpers and true patriot immigrants is inexcusable, and should never be done.
They should use the term alien, but AP has eliminated this as well. Too many ignorant people kept equating the word alien with little green men from Mars. One thing I sure know is that someone who’s here without proper credentials sure isn’t an immigrant.
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2 comments on this story
I think this is a slap in the face to all those true immigrants who showed their new country the respect of following the laws and coming in the right way. Most of those folks who I talk to and read about are quite angry, and justifiably so, that what they had to bust their ass for is being given away to those who broke our laws. There should be a term to distinguish the lawbreakers from those true patriots who came in the right way. Lumping border jumpers and true patriot immigrants is inexcusable, and should never be done.
They should use the term alien, but AP has eliminated this as well. Too many ignorant people kept equating the word alien with little green men from Mars. One thing I sure know is that someone who’s here without proper credentials sure isn’t an immigrant.