I'm tired of hearing these dishonest euphemisms

Well duh....how we talk and particularly how we think IS how we express our feelings, isn't it?

And my understanding of the matter is that "undocumented" rather than "illegal" more accurately reflects the fact that a person with an expired visa is not, technically, a criminal. We deport such people, we don't incarcerate them and that indicates the breach is a civil matter with no penal component, thus they are not, technically, criminals, any more than you would be a criminal for having gotten a parking ticket (You would be one if you didn't pay it, but not before the time you're given to do so)

 

it is also, more importantly, less true.

it's you who don't seem to understand the way language works... I have never heard anyone before claim that illegal immigrant somehow implies that their existance as humans is illegal. that is a very odd and wierd way to interpret the language. i mean, it's adjectives and nouns... there is an immigrant, that's the noun, and he is more specifically an illegal immigrant. meaning, there is something about him being an immigrant which is illegal. What is it you don't understand? How can you make the connection that illegal refers to something other than being an immigrant?

 

Another word used euphemistically lately is "protest" and "protester".

Our image of a "protester" is someone carrying a sign in front of City Hall or walking in a street with other people with signs who are simply walking down a street.

News reports now sound like this ...

"The protest was peaceful until some of the protesters started breaking windows and battling police."

"Protest organizers told reporters that there would be "no peace" until their demands were met."

"A protest turned ugly today in downtown, and 30 protesters were arrested by police. Ten protesters and 3 police officers were treated for minor injuries."

"A group of protesters broke into a store, causing an estimated $10,000 in damage and lost merchandise."


Give me a break! Call it what it is, and them what they are. It wasn't a "protest" when it turned into a riot, and the things they did were crimes.

 

The law that they are breaking is being undocumented. Much ado about nothing.

 

A quick google search of "illegals" will pull up dozens of articles referring to undocumented immigrants as literally "illegals". This terminology is pervasive in some forms of media that are designed to appeal to right wing readers and consumers.

Let's go with language though. Illegal means against the law. As in this act illegal to do or a thing is illegal own or posses. Neither of those should be used as an adjective to describe a person. In the end its semantics you're right, but I believe that it is more accurate to call someone an undocumented immigrant and certainly less offensive. You can disagree, but you don't get to pretend there is no validity in what I am saying.

 

illegals is just a shortening.. it of course refers to illegal (im)migrant

it's an adjective but it doesn't describe the person.. what do you call someone who illegally immigrates? an illegal immigrant of course. illegal describes the way they migrate, not the person.

being undocumented is why they are illegal in the first place. yes, it's accurate, but it's missing the point. illegal is also accurate, and more relevant. and it's the truth, so tough luck if it's offensive. This wouldn't matter if both words still conveyed the same information.. but undocumented misses a very important part, namely wheter it is legal or not. believe it or not, but many people actually care about that part.

 

So you agree it's offensive and it's inaccurate, but it makes you feel good so you're gonna keep using it. That's just fine. Good luck with that!