While reading the letters to the editor on Saturday in the Washington Post I came across one from Brad Fraley who is spot on in taking the editors of the Washington Post to task regarding the Orwellean word games some newspapers play regarding the illegal immigrant problem in our country. Here is his letter:
"While reading the Dec. 30 editorial "Manassas's War on Immigrants," I came across this phrase: "a demographic shift as Hispanic immigrants, legal and undocumented, move into what were once relatively homogenous neighborhoods."
I love the phrase "legal and undocumented." If someone in the country is "undocumented," then are they not here "illegally"? Which is the opposite of someone who is here "legally"? Or are there now three classes of immigrants: legal, illegal and undocumented? Does this new class apply only to Hispanic immigrants, or does it apply to anyone who manages to sneak, crawl, climb or run across our borders without proper "documentation"? And if that is the case, what is an "illegal" immigrant? Or have you done away with them and they are all now just "undocumented"? This does not seem fair to all the immigrants who went through the process to be here "legally."
An explanation of your paper's policy on the use of immigration-related terms would be greatly appreciated (but not likely)."
Right on Brad! Now if only Bart Jones and the editors at Newsday would read this maybe they would stop hiding behind Mr. Orwell and give us some truth on this issue. Some kudos to the Washington Post for at least publishing the letter but, how about more honesty in reporting and editing in regards to the illegal immgration issues.
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