Letter: Objecting to the term 'illegal'
From left, Elias Llivicura, Osman Canales, Jackeline Saavedra, and Juana Arizaga rally to ask the community to drop the word "Illegal," saying that the undocumented immigrant community has been labeled as "Illegal" and the word is being used to bring a negative perspective of immigrants. (Aug. 20, 2012) Credit: Howard Schnapp
This is really infuriating ["Documenting ire over word's use," News, Aug. 21]. A group of immigrants objects to using the word "illegal" and wants to be referred to as "undocumented." They say, "Not everybody enters illegally."
That's correct. When we use the word "illegal," we are only talking about the illegal ones. If they have entered illegally, they have no right to prefer anything.
"Illegal" is not a slur, it is just a fact. If they do not like our English word, they should not come here illegally.
No one has ever said that illegals immigrants should be treated as less than human. These are words the organizers of this rally put out there to rile the people.
Cathy Cantley, East Meadow
