USA - Reporters told: Don't say 'illegal immigrant'

Apparently, we're just stupid and easily misguided to hate when journalists describe illegal aliens as....errr..."illegal aliens". As a result, the Society of Professional Journalists "Diversity Committee"have decided that journalists need to be re-educated with a yearlong campaign so that they can be sensitised to the best language to use when writing about "undocumented immigrants" (the new buzz word for illegal aliens). As the Culture and Media Institute correctly notes, the only people that should be offended by the label "illegal aliens" are the illegal aliens. Makes sense to me...but wait! I have some common sense and am stupid and need to be re-educated quick sticks.

A diversity plan from a group of journalists says reporters should not be using the term "illegal aliens" because it is not constitutional.

"Frequent use of the phrases 'illegal immigrant' and 'illegal alien' by our mainstream media is being questioned in order to remain faithful to the principles of our U.S. Constitution," Leo Laurence wrote in the "Diversity Toolbox" column on the website for the Quill, which is produced by the Society of Professional Journalists.

He said the organization's "Diversity Committee" met during its 2010 convention in Las Vegas and "decided to engage in a yearlong educational campaign designed to inform and sensitize journalists as to the best language to use when writing and reporting on undocumented immigrants."

The concept, however, elicited some pointed criticism from analyst Alana Goodman of the Culture and Media Institute, who noted that the campaign appears to be targeted toward one situation, when there are many others that also could be addressed.

"The label 'remains offensive to Latinos, and especially Mexicans, and to the fundamentals of American jurisprudence,' wrote Leo E. Laurence," said Goodman.

"Seeing as most Latinos in the U.S. are not illegal immigrants – and since the term has no racial or ethnic connotation – it's hard to see how it would cause offense to this group. In fact, the only people who should really be put off by the term are illegal immigrants themselves (or their advocates), who don't believe unlawful residency in the U.S. should be a crime," Goodman wrote.

The term "illegal immigrant," in fact, is cited in a recent style book for the Associated Press, which often has advertised it is the world's oldest and largest newgathering organization, as "the preferred term, rather than 'illegal alien' or 'undocumented worker.'"

It is used, the book documents, "to describe those who have entered the country illegally."

Goodman noted that Laurence believes, "Only a judge, not a journalist, can say that someone is an illegal."

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