Monday, November 10, 2008

Quit Saying 'illegal aliens'

Ruth McGregor stirred up a hornet's nest by endorsing a demand from the Hispanic Bar Association to censor words and phrases such as "illegal aliens" and "illegal immigrants " and substitute "foreign nationals" in court documents.Then, when a blog at Judicial Watch reported on the instructions, court officials threatened to sue the government-watchdog organization, prompting its release of a statement defending the story.The original report said the chief justice had agreed to forward to judges the Hispanic Bar's demands to alter the language in court opinions and documents.Judicial Watch said, "In a strongly worded letter to the chief justice, Los Abogados' [Hispanic Bar Association] president says attaching an illegal status to a person establishes a brand of contemptibility, creates the appearance of anti-immigrant prejudice and tarnishes the image of courts as a place where disputes may be fairly resolved."

If a person has entered the United States illegally AND by that entry has rights to be defended in court then attaching the term "illegal" to him is prejudicial.

It boggles my mind that someone who entered the United States in violation of our laws has any rights except for the right to be imprisioned for many years and then transported to their country of origin at their expense.

No comments: