(POLL) Is it now ok to call undocumented workers "illegals"?

[pampango]

There's a long thread on GD on this question with, as you would expect here, many passionate posters on both sides of the question.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6518529

I'm interested to see if there is any correlation between one's comfort level with the term "illegal" and support for or opposition to immigration reform.

Do DU'ers who find the term "illegal" offensive tend to support reform and those who find the term to be nonjudgmental tend to oppose reform? It would seem consistent to me if those who support reform are more sensitive to any perceived slighting of this class of people, while those who oppose reform that would benefit this class would be less interested not offending them or their supporters. OTOH, maybe a person's comfort with the use of a term that some find offensive is not indicative of that person's position on reform.

[donco6]

1. I think this poll needs

[Gidney N Cloyd]

2. Nah, I think it's

[pampango]

3. Sorry about that. Don't know how that happened, but it's fixed now.

:)

[stray cat]

4. Is it ok to say something is illegal?

[populistdriven]

6. nope its illegal

[asdjrocky]

7. Of course it is.

Have you ever broken the law? If so, and seriously, who hasn't at one point or another, we'll call you an illegal from now on.

If two or more of you law breakers are are gathered together, I'll say, "Hey, look at the illegals."

Think about it man.

[KittyWampus]

13. Jaywalking as an act is a crime. Residing in the USA without documents is an ONGOING crime-

it's illegal every moment the lawbreaker is here illegally.

[asdjrocky]

15. I see.

So someone is only an "illegal" when they are breaking the law? So for the time you were jaywalking, you were then an "illegal"?

People that speed all the time, are they always "illegals"? What about someone who likes to smoke a joint or two at night, are they always "illegals" or just when they are in the act of smoking?

The word dehumanizes people. It really is that simple.

[KittyWampus]

18. Look, I don't use the term "illegal". And I don't see DU'ers using it either. I think this thread

is yet another instance of some DU'ers proving how Uber-Liberal they are.

My point goes to the FACT, that undocumented migrants are here illegally and calling them illegal aliens or illegal workers or illegal migrants is accurate.

[pampango]

19. At this point about 2/3 don't feel there's anything wrong with calling people "illegals".

I don't know how many use the term here, but so far many don't have a problem with it.

I'm not sure how voting (anonymously unless you wish to post a reply) in a poll allows one to prove they are more liberal than thou.

[lukasahero]

16. Something or someone?

Or do you even recognize there's a difference?

[T Wolf]

5. Using the word "illegal" as an adjective is fine. Using the term "illegalS" as a noun is

bigoted because it reduces the person to that one characteristic.

[el_bryanto]

9. That is a good distinction

It is a denial of their basic humanity. Which I suppose is the point.

Bryant

[G_j]

10. #1

[KittyWampus]

14. You mean like calling every Republican who objects to Obama for any reason a "Racist"?

And thereby ignoring issues of Class?

BTW, I agree with not reducing people to a one word label that simplifies an issue.

[lukasahero]

17. Thank you!

That is the distinction that few here care to make.

[petronius]

26. I think it would depend on context. In a discussion or migration or employment,

"illegal" is a shorthand term with a clear meaning. I don't agree with the notion that it is automatically racist, bigoted, or dehumanizing. On the other hand, if it's used consistently to mean any non-white migrant, then it would seem to be code for something else...

[asdjrocky]

8. kick

[Kali]

11. the border patrol around here uses the acronym UDA

UnDocumented Aliens. Sometimes I use the term "illegals," other times "Mexicans," because that is who we are usually talking about around here, but mostly I refer to these PEOPLE, by the term "migrants."

Of course any term you use can be offensive, if it is accompanied by a sneer and an ignorant, racist attitude or position on the issue.

[KittyWampus]

12. Are DU'ers REALLY just using "illegals" or "illegal workers/aliens"?

From my observation DU'ers use 'illegal worker/alien' and NOT just "illegals".

[Iggo]

20. Shoulda been a straight Yes/No poll.

[EndersDame]

21. I think alot of RWers use Illegals as a euphamism for Wet Back

I don't like it

[pampango]

22. "I believe that's for the persons for whom the word is being used to decide."

On another thread lukasahero posted the above. As I responded on that thread, I think that is a common sentiment among progressives. Rather than come up with our own terms for groups of people, we tend to let members of those groups decide what terms are acceptable, e.g. African Americans, Latinos, gays, etc.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6521095

Interestingly this sentiment does not seem to apply for the group of illegal immigrants. I'm not sure if that is because our disdain for the group is so intense that we don't care what they prefer (and we don't trust the activists who agitate on their behalf enough to adopt the terminology they recommend) or that we just don't know what term they prefer, so we can't start using it.

[butterfly77]

23. Here is what is ILLEGAL..

I think that Bernie Maddoff taking a grandmother's life savings that she was saving for her retirement is ILLEGAL,.and the fact that she has to work as a greeter at walmart for minumum wage is ILLEGAL..

The signing of NAFTA was ILLEGAL because it killed our manufacturing sector.

Signing over Nuclear technology by the bush adminstration for mangoes was ILLEGAL..
Goldman Sachs and Hank Paulson are illegal that was UNDOCUMENTED.

Calling my President a liar was ILLEGAL!

No child left behind is ILLEGAL! When Bush didn't put any funding in the budget for education..

Arresting people for wearing a shirt at a Bush townhall was ILLEGAL! Not arresting a man for carrying an AK47 at an Obama townhall is ILLEGAL!


WAKE UP EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[butterfly77]

25. As a matter of fact..

where is that 9 billion dollars that was missing in Iraq?

[BlooInBloo]

24. I'm not a fan of calling groups of people by adjectival names (illegals, blacks, jews, etc...)

I'll pretty much always opt for "illegal immigrants", "black folks", "jewish people", "gay folks", etc.

I prefer making explicit the fact that they're all people.

I realize there exist a non-stupid reason for "jews" to be ok, but I still prefer the explicit "people" marker.

[pampango]

27. Guess the voting is finished. Here's a summary.

The use of the term "illegals" to refer to undocumented workers was not problem for 31 voters and was only offensive to 13. Of the 31 who have no problem with the term, 18 opposed immigration reform in 2007 and 13 supported it.

With regard to immigration reform in 2007, there was an even split: 22 who favored it and 22 who opposed it. Of they 22 who supported the 2007 reform, 13 didn't mind the term "illegals" and 9 were bothered by it. Of the 22 who opposed reform in 2007, were not bothered by the term and only 4 thought it was offensive.

1) An even split on immigration reform. A DU poll is about as far from scientific as you can get, but it may reflect a "down-the-middle" divide on the subject among DU'ers.
2) Immigration reform opponents were, except for a handful, not bothered by the use of "illegals".
3) Reform supporters were more offended by the use of the term, but still only a minority.

Thanks to all who voted. :)