Naw barf! You keep beating around the bush here. We used illegal for ages, then the PC media folks switched to the less offensive undocumented label because it has a less pejorative sound. Even though it fails to describe the reality or even meet a logic test.
Yeah, language changes. We don't call handicapped people crippled anymore, but that doesn't mean anyone thinks they can get out of their wheelchairs and walk now that they aren't crippled anymore. You don't have to be such a PC snowflake about whether people use the words you approve of. barfo
The way I understand it, the issue many people have with the migration toward using "undocumented" vs "illegal" is that it seems to be an intentional avoidance of a word that casts a negative aspersion on the status. "Illegal" means against the law, and we innately understand illegal to be inherently bad. "Undocumented" simply connotes a lack of paperwork, and who can't relate to being in--or even being responsible for--a situation that was completely valid but lacked proper documentation?
True! It does indeed and is often misleading as hell! Thus the problem with the generic usage. A criminal alien with a rap sheet including one or more deportations is not undocumented.
I'm a liberal, and I have no problem with "illegal," nor do I have a problem with "undocumented." I have neither a vested interest in stigmatizing them nor in validating their crossing the border as "not against the law," so the term is of little import to me. I might posit that one reason that a lot of people have switched terms could have something to do with the term "illegal immigrant" defining people as "illegal" and people can't be illegal, only their actions. But that may be too hippie-liberal for some? "Hey, maaaan...people can't be illegal."
I suppose it depends on whether your intentions are to, communicate vs obfuscate the correct status of the person.
I don't think either term obfuscates their status--everyone understands what an "undocumented immigrant" is.
Perhaps this is true. But when you use the term when it is untruthful, such as when the dude has a length rap sheet, you are obfuscating what the immigrant is as you did not communicate it.
"Illegal immigrant" has nothing to do with "rap sheets." We don't call American citizens with long rap sheets "illegal citizens." The term isn't untruthful. Illegal immigrants are undocumented. Which term you use depends on what aspect of their status matters more to you. But pretty much every adult in this country knows that the two terms refer to the same concept, so there's really no obfuscation going on.
Hey, if you're confused by the term and feel that your view of these stories is being obfuscated, I can't and won't speak for you!
As someome who used to run criminal history checks i can tell you many here illegally are well documented and have been deported multiple times. The only dpcument missing is the right to be here. Most if the giys who get DUI's dont even give a shit, they get deported, and sneak back over in a week. Had a few of them tell me see you next week on the way out the door with ice. To top it off, im pretty sure they get out of all the financial punishments a citizen has. For instance, a citizen is forced to buy incredibly expensive insurance. Illegals dont use insurance so they dont pay shit.
Seem like only a couple days ago someone in S2 was telling us about how unlikely it is to be involved with an "undocumented person" with out insurance in an auto accident. Good post sheed. Everyone needs to know how it works. Like why your uninsured motorist rates are so fucking high these days. That is the insurance for the illegals but it only works for you if you have your car insured with collision. Liability only and your screwed when the illegal crunches your ride.
when i was 16 i had a 3 car wreck caused by an illegal. they had already collided and i slid into them on an icy bridge. it was deemed my fault simply because she didnt have insurance and we didnt have uninsured motorist insurance. seems pretty fair.
