The University of Maryland has launched a campaign educating students and faculty about how to refer to people and asking them to “think before you speak” to avoid insulting others. One of the lexicon lessons has caused a controversy. The campaign by UMD’s Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy office tells people not to use terms like “illegal alien” but rather “undocumented citizens.”
While “illegal alien” is a term that is used in legal materials and judicial opinions, it has been denounced as insulting. For that reason, many have switched to “undocumented immigrant” which the Maryland posters say is fine. However, it is the other suggested choice of “undocumented citizen” that has struck many as odd since the terms is an oxymoron. A citizen by defined is both legal and documented. It would suggest that people here unlawfully can nonetheless be “citizens”.
The State Department states “U.S. citizenship may be acquired either at birth or through naturalization subsequent to birth.”
The school’s “Inclusive Language Campaign” may be too inclusive from a legal standpoint in grouping undocumented persons into the same category as citizens.
Nicole Mehta, the program director of UMD’s Common Ground Multicultural Dialogue Program, however insisted that “undocumented citizen” was selected carefully and after a survey of students: “The use of ‘undocumented citizen’ (along with other terms such as undocumented individuals, immigrants, etc.) seeks to avoid dehumanization of an entire group of individuals.” I can understand the motivation, it is the foundation for the term that is inexplicable. “Citizen” is a legal term of art. It is a status defined by certain conditions. While it may make some feel more included, it is a fictional status and undermines serious discussion of the status of undocumented people in this country.
What do you think?
They are Undocumented visitors. Undocumented Vacationers. Citizens of a foreign country.
It’s a two way street professor Turley. You only seem to post what’s in the right lane.
How about this:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-wheaton-college-professor-larycia-hawkins-20151216-story.html
Pope Francis is a citizen of Argentina. Pope Francis is also a citizen of the Vatican. Apparently, Pope Francis became an “undocumented citizen” of the United States when he opened that mall in Philadelphia. Sorry, this doesn’t fool anybody.
they’re illegal immigrants. i’ll keep using the term even though the apparatchicks who run the ethics persecutions threaten professionals who use proper English.
There are “aliens” and then there are “aliens”. Do you know what I mean jelly bean? Ask Beldar what an “alien” is. They come from outside the planet not just outside the Mexican border which needs a Wall. Many aliens from outer space have documents which make them legal. This whole thing was revealed 30 years ago on Saturday Night Live when the Coneheads showed up.
“We are from France!” If an alien says that then they are likely from outer space. No planet Earth human would want to hail from France and use that as their cover when they are really from Syria or Yemen.
Beldar: chime in on this one.
Meanwhile, lets look at Maryland. Was it a slave state prior to the Civil War? If so does this so called state university educate its students as to their history? If not, why not? Right now Baltimore has a huge high crime rate and the criminals are not aliens. They came generations ago and have food stamp ID cards. If you ask them where they hail from they will tell you their gang name.
Students at the University need to rebel and start calling all the professors “Illegal Aliens”. The students need to wear black armbands. The students need to look up Tinker v. Board of Education of Des Moine, IA. The students must be bored. The Political Correctness control board needs to be ejected from the so called University. They are from France.
Nicole Mehta, the program director of UMD’s Common Ground Multicultural Dialogue Program, however insisted that “undocumented citizen” was selected carefully and after a survey of students: “The use of ‘undocumented citizen’ (along with other terms such as undocumented individuals, immigrants, etc.) seeks to avoid dehumanization of an entire group of individuals.”
How could describing someone’s legal status “dehumanize” them? Why are our universities filled with so many idiots spouting nonsense? Why do they repeat these false conclusions?
Trying to control language in an effort to control thought, fans the flames of hatred. I, and I know most of the people here who use the ACCURATE term “illegal aliens” do not hate these people. We realize most of them abide all other laws, work hard, and are good people. The illegal aliens who break the law, need to be deported immediately after serving their sentence. And, if it’s a misdemeanor like DUI that does not carry any confinement, then they need to be deported the next day. Returning convicted criminals need stiff sentences merely for returning illegally. We MUST differentiate between the criminals and the folks merely here illegally who abide all other laws.
So I guess that would make me a documented something.
Steve Fleischer, LOL w/ the “undocumented customer.”
Liberals either did not read Orwell, or if they did, grossly misunderstood him. Many illegal aliens actually have documents, that are frauds. So, calling them “undocumented” is simply incorrect. Not politically incorrect, just incorrect.
Reblogged this on Scoop Feed.
“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.”
Through the Looking Glass.
Does a bank robber become an “undocumented customer”?
The administrators at UM are idiots.
The attempt to control society through “Newspeak”. Orwell was prophetic.
How do you feel about the term “criminal scum”? Which, of course, they are.
When did “sticks and stone will break my bones but names will never hurt me” become no longer true? The left has been on the march and they have managed to call people names like racist and bigot to make changes. So illegal alien was too insensitive so we transition to undocumented alien and lest we be called racist or bigot the suggested phrase is now undocumented citizen. I suggest we steal the language back or make words have new meanings as well. So the next time someone calls you a racist for opposing the immigration of anyone that cannot be effectively vetted, you say, then I am a racist. Own it and tell them if that is how they define racism then so be it. Make the damn words mean absolutely nothing. Let’s get this over with.
Let’s call a spade a spade, they’re illegal, therefore they are aliens, it follows that they are illegal aliens. If one is outside the law, one is illegal. There documentation is termed illegal aliens.
JT – “Nicole Mehta, the program director of UMD’s Common Ground Multicultural Dialogue Program…”
Really, this says everything you need to know about this asinine issue.
“If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”
Well, that is the point, isn’t it?
These people think that by controlling the language they can control reality – or at least our response to it.
Words and their definition are a bit like axioms in math. Good ones lead on to clear thought. Bad ones make understanding much more difficult.
“If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”
They are NOT undocumented citizens! They are immigrants whose status is illegal; thus, illegal immigrants. If they were citizens, we wouldn’t be having any discussions about them.
Could someone give the higher ups at the Univeristy of Maryland a civics lesson!