The “1951 Convention Relating to The Status of Refugees” is a document from the Universal Declaration of Human rights that covers both the definition of a refugee and how to deal with refugees.
“someone who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.”
-Definition of Refugee
People who are not included in this definition would be those who are being persecuted due to their sexual orientation. Seeing as this convention was held in 1951, it almost makes sense why they were not considered, but it should be amended. I can’t recall the exact time when the United States has called people from the LGBTQ community refugees, but I have seen it happen. This would not serve a specific purpose to the United States. However, there have also been times when the United States has called a certain group of people refugees instead of illegal immigrants. The exact reasons for this are unclear, but it does make the general public view that particular group in a more pitiful light as opposed to a criminal light. I have seen the media refer to Syrians as refugees, but Mexicans are always referred to as “illegals.” It is possible that the DOJ has been pushing those words because we have a larger influx of immigrants coming from our southern border that other places. I don’t know that for a fact, but that is the only possible reason I could think of, which would be sick. Just because there’s a larger number, doesn’t mean that the group should be criminalized.
Define American’s “Words Matter” was a very good video and article, because I believe it addressed something that so many people struggle with today — labels. In today’s United States, the media is putting a label on every possible group. Humans tend to do that throughout history as a whole, but we’ve found that labels have had such negative connotations in today’s age. Words Matter aims to educate people on referring to humans as “Illegals” or “Illegal Immigrants” because that phrasing makes it seem as if the persons themselves are illegal and not the act they might have done. This is especially dangerous because in most cases what they’ve done isn’t even illegal. I learned from this video that overstaying your visa in the United States isn’t even a crime, it’s a civil offense. The way people are being rounded up in droves and pushed out of the country as if they are a virus really makes them out to be felons. The highest charge for illegally entering the United States is actually a misdemeanor. More light needs to be shined on this issue of labelling, because so many people (myself included) are uninformed.
“Justice Department: Use ‘illegal aliens,’ not ‘undocumented’” was a difficult piece to read, especially after watching/reading the Words Matter article and video. This one went staunchly against calling people un-hurtful and derogatory remarks, as the Justice Department implored its employees to refer to immigrants as “illegals.” This is a dangerous rhetoric because it does the exact opposite of what the creators of Words Matter were trying to do, which is diffuse a situation. This document and email only adds fuel to a fire of people who view immigrants as less than human.
Questions:
- Is it dangerous to our first amendment right of free speech to be required to refer to someone as something dictated by our employers, even when we feel it is derogatory?
- What could be the continuous affects of referring to immigrants as “undocumented” and opposed to “Illegals?”
Grade: 4/5