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Society of Professional Journalists Says “No Mas” to Term “Illegal Alien”
The Society of Professional Journalists voted this week to impose even more political correctness when they passed a resolution to urge newsrooms to drop the terms “illegal alien” and “illegal immigrant,” saying that only courts can decide when a person has committed an illegal act.
Last year SPJ Diversity Committee member Leo Laurence suggested that instead they should be referred to as “undocumented workers” or “undocumented immigrants.”
The committee introduced the resolution at the Excellence in Journalism convention in New Orleans, and was boosted by an emotional plea by Rebecca Aguilar, a member of SPJ and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Aguilar said that the terms insult Latinos who are or who had once been in the U.S. illegally, citing the case of her mother who became a citizen in 1980.
That’s right. It’s insulting to be called illegal when you broke the law by entering the country illegally. Heaven forbid that we should insult criminals.
The Resolutions Committee originally rejected the proposal and recommended that it be brought to the stylebook committee of the Associated Press. This makes sense because the stylebook is a style and usage guide for newspapers and the newspaper industry.
Instead the SPJ Diversity Committee tweaked the original language of their resolution to something that was acceptable.
When this issue arose last year, the AP’s deputy standards editor David Minthorn told The Blaze that they were standing by the use of the term “illegal immigrant.”
“The AP Stylebook created its entry on ‘illegal immigrant’ in 2004, in response to renewed debate over border security and the enforcement of immigration laws after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.” “Together, the terms describe a person who resides in a country unlawfully by residency or citizenship requirements. Alternatives like undocumented worker, illegal alien or illegals lack precision or may have negative connotations. Illegal immigrant, on the other hand, is accurate and neutral for news stories.”
That makes perfect sense to me but apparently not to the SPJ Diversity Committee, which submitted the following resolution:
“WHEREAS, the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics urges all journalists to be ‘honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information’ and;
“WHEREAS, mainstream news reports are increasingly using the politically charged phrase ‘illegal immigrant’ and the more offensive and bureaucratic ‘illegal alien’ to describe undocumented immigrants, particularly Latinos and;
“WHEREAS, a fundamental principle embedded in our U.S. Constitution is that everyone (including non-citizens) is considered innocent of any crime until proven guilty in a court of law and;
“WHEREAS, this constitutional doctrine, often described as ‘innocent-until-proven-guilty,’ applies not just to U.S. Citizens but to everyone in the United States and;
“WHEREAS, only the court system, not reporters and editors, can decide when a person has committed an illegal act and;
“WHEREAS, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists is also concerned with the increasing use of pejorative and potentially inaccurate terms to describe the estimated 11 million undocumented people living in the United States;
“THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Society of Professional Journalists convention of delegates: urges journalists and style guide editors to stop the use of illegal alien and encourage continuous discussion and re-evaluation of the use of illegal immigrant in news stories.”
The only people offended are those in the SPJ who disagree with the efforts of those who are fighting the illegal immigration problem in this country. By passing this resolution they are clearly taking a political stand on the issue, which brings into question their desire for objectivity when reporting the news.
But apparently this doesn’t violate the SPJ’s Code of Ethics which never mentions the word objectivity. It only asks journalists to test for accuracy and to not deliberately distort stories.
No wonder media bias still runs rampant today.
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Don Irvine is Chairman of Accuracy in Media. He is active on Facebook and Twitter. You can follow him @donirvine to read his latest thoughts.
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8 Comments for Society of Professional Journalists Says “No Mas” to Term “Illegal Alien”
E-Verify! So what is E-Verify? E-Verify originated at some stage in President Bush administration in 1986. This computer verification system has been updated and revised over many years and now growing in popularity, amongst the 271, 460 honest business concerns, as of last June. Then since the 1986 Simpson/Mazzoli bill (The Immigration Reform and Control (IRCA) Act) intended to stop the flow after the mass amnesty but the surge of illegal persons has not stopped and now the population has risen above 20 million or more. E-Verify require employers to inspect documentation from each newly hired employee, to prove his or her identity and eligibility to be hired in the United States. This act led to the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, requiring employees to confirm of their work eligibility, and employers to certify that the documents presented credibly appear to be legitimate and to relate to the individual. The only problem where the E-Verify is concerned today, it’s not mandated and only on a volunteer basis in most situations.
This is not anything about anti-Hispanic, black, white, Asian or any other nationality. There is a huge space between the legal and illegal. Plus these illegal newcomer majorities have no interest in assimilation; learning the language but here for all the money entitlement programs. Research what foreign nationals can claim—IN YOUR STATE– that are denied to the gullible taxpayers. It’s specific in condemning 30 years of unfortunate administrations of nonchalant enforcement of illegal immigration. This is completely indifferent to the after effects of growing populations of people without no papers and no rights. We must hope that the next president has a policy of strengthening our boundaries and our immigration laws, which entails policing with E-Verify, Secure Communities and the 287G federal training policies for local authorities.
Thanks to patriotic Americans as Kris Kobach, a constitutional lawyer and the Kansas Secretary of State, Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona’s Maricopa County, Tom Tancredo has message of this never ending invasion has suddenly flowed to the surface and the people have finally realized the monetary, social consequences of the spreading poverty.
This year Rep. Lamar Smith’s has sponsored a mandated E-Verify bill (H.R. 2885), known as the “Legal Workforce Act” to substantiate as the most predominant problem solver for Americans in the jobless lines. Lamar Smith’s E-Verify bill is the only true method we have, to contain this contagion of people, who think they are justified in trespassing in this sovereign nation. For years the federal government has ignored the claims, that they have ignored the mass movement of illegal aliens entering America illegally. It was the prior Wednesday that the House Judiciary Committee passed Smith’s Legal Workforce Act afternoon 22-to-13. Only two amendments were approved by the committee, including one offered by Chairman Smith himself. The bill, H.R.2885, would require all employers to use E-Verify within 2 years for all non-agricultural new hires, while requiring federal, state and local agencies to check current employees as well within 6 months.
In Alabama a federal judge Blackburn opened the door to further enforcement, which next to E-Verify is the most extreme law in the land, against the illegal alien invasion. Alabama, Indiana, Georgia and Arizona are the only states who have passed state laws, to protect its own legal citizens that are not in favor of financially supporting anybody who slips across our permeable fence or dodges other port entries. It’s understandable that every foreigner who is poor, the deprived want to come to America. But with our own citizens, green card holders and legal foreigners hurting financially, no illegal alien should ever be hired, now or ever.
The financials are astronomical either through legal means or through extensive fraud. Whether its most entitlement being absorbed by the foothold baby citizenship law, or the crushing effect of money in health care, education and imprisonment. Billions of dollars have gone to satisfy people who have come through sponsorship, using the CHAIN MIGRATION laws. These laws have been forced upon us by the courts, that laid down the law that taxpayers must financially support people from abroad, whether we like it or not.
A permanent, E-Verify in future terms will become the most important tool, to divide legal workers from foreign nationals, returning the opportunity to all persons here legally. All the information on those who are out to defeat it and everything you want to know is available at NumbersUSA and Judicial Watch. Readers are offered the chance to read daily newspaper information, which generally is not seen in the Liberal press and startling disclosures at their website.
You as a taxpayer and a voter can attribute your influence, to millions of TEA PARTY members, independents, lost liberals, Democrats and Republicans by adding to the people’s push for America’s new lease on life. Contact your own local Senator or Representative or federal politician at 202-224-3121. Do you yearn to stop to illegal immigration, a brand new tax code with no loopholes for the wealthy or corporation and other slippery entities? Do you desire smaller government and uncorrupted lawmakers? Do you crave fair Trade Treaties, not what we have at this present time? Only the TEA PARTY can give you the freedom from overreaching government; the reams of regulations are stopping people from creating new businesses.
No Copyright ever. Americans must be exposed to the truth, not lies. Become a Whistle Blower if you notice illegal alien hired or working, to ICE at) division at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (866-347-2423). SEE SOMETHING? DO SOMETHING?
MY EARLIER BLOGS: http://brittanicus-enoughisenough.blogspot.com
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@Mary: “Who cares what hispanic journalists find offensive?”
Mary: How is your statement above different from:
– “Who cares what Blacks find offensive?”
– “Who cares what Jews find offensive?”
– “Who cares what Gays find offensive?”
– “Who cares what Women find offensive?”
@Mary: “This makes me ashamed to have a degree in journalism.”
I don’t think Journalism is very proud of you, either.
-Ramon
@Dave Francis: “Become a Whistle Blower if you notice illegal alien hired or working, to ICE at”
Dave: Don’t forget to report your neighbors when they haven’t paid their taxes, or are driving over the speed limit!!
@Dave Francis: “Thanks to patriotic Americans as Kris Kobach, a constitutional lawyer and the Kansas Secretary of State”
Mr Kobach has undeniable ties White Supremacists organizations (CIS, etc.). He WORKS for them.
He wrote the AZ SB-1070 ATTEMPTED legislation and similar ones (Farmers Branch, TX; Fremont, NE, Hazleton, PA; etc.).
How is he doing in court, we wonder? Well, last time I checked he and his cohorts are batting 0 for 14 in Federal Courts. ALL his proposal have been found in violation of the US Constitution.
@Dave Francis: “Become a Whistle Blower if you notice illegal alien hired or working, to ICE”
Hey Dave, better yet! Print out your “Patriotic” Accusation and mail it to ICE… I gather that they keep on running out of toilette paper…
This makes me ashamed to have a degree in journalism. Who cares what hispanic journalists find offensive? The job of a journalist is to record the facts! The fact of the matter is, no one who reads this tripe is fooled by you. We all know they’re illegal aliens. If you call them undocumented immigrants, that’s a lie. Immigrants by definition come to this nation legally. Furthermore, being an “undocumented immigrant” IS illegal.
If you write an article on someone who is an ALLEGED bank robber, do you call him an undocumented banking customer? No! You call him what you think he has done and preface it with the word, “alleged”. This has nothing to do with trying to avoid saying whether the person is guilty or not. This has to do with MSM doing what their puppet masters tell them to do. What a revolting group of robots “journalists” have become.
If the following quote it true, I have a question…but first the quote:
“WHEREAS, the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics urges all journalists to be ‘honest, fair and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting information’ and;”
Ethics??? What a joke! But I digress. If you really want to be “honest, fair and courageous”, why don’t you do some reporting on the damage these illegal aliens have done to this nation and her people? Puppet master got his had up your ass making you dance HIS dance? Lose your spine? Never had one?
Whose fault is it that 80% of the illegal aliens AND legal immigrants in this nation are hispanic? And yet, the hispanics whine…I never saw a bigger bunch of criminals and crybabies!
You think because you control the language you win? Wait and see! Americans aren’t going to tolerate this…and YOU journalists better hope while the puppet master has his hand ujp your a**, he’s shoving some money up there because Americans are dropping newspapers like hot rocks. They’re not even reading them much online anymore. We know what you’re up to and we’re not buying it.
YOU’RE ALL GUTLESS and you make me ashamed to have a degree in journalism.