Why are we allowing the US to call illegal immigrants “illegal aliens”?

[KimGym]

I find this absolutely sickening!!!! It’s a disgraceful term to use and I feel as though if the US are going to use this disgusting terminology, it should at the very least, be censored in other countries. It is so disrespectful and dehumanising. It’s this sort of language that leads people (hopefully only those who have lacked a basic education) to deem immigrants to be sub human, and paves the way for public acceptance of them being treated in a sub human manner. AIBU to think this is totally abhorrant?

They may be alluring to the fact you're coming across as a do-gooder or what ever the modern parlance is.

I thought Brits had decided "disabled" was offensive, and the term should be "other abled"?
It's all ridiculous.
I'm disabled and it very much IS a handicap. I dislike "fully-abled" people censoring my language regarding myself. Especially when so many so-called fully-abled people are such utter, pea-brained prats.

I'm disabled and it very much IS a handicap. I dislike "fully-abled" people censoring my language regarding myself. Especially when so many so-called fully-abled people are such utter, pea-brained prats.

It is far easier to salve your conscience by telling yourself you are using the "right words" that it is to actually make the lives of the disabled a tad better.

Like the crew of Galaxy Quest, but minus the bit at the end where they all come good and Alan Rickman saves the planet.

Yes it's making them out to be different but it's a hell of a stretch to say 'alien' makes them less human. It just means human not from here.
Undocumented person is a bit ambiguous isn't it, as I'm sure they have some form of documents but for their own country, they just don't have a legal right to be in the USA

Dear me OP. Study some English language history.

But they have travelled from another country! They obviously have more of a connection to their home country comparedto a brand new one.
' it's not as simple as going home if it doesn't work out' tell me how that should be the US taxpayers problem 😂

The point is not that an offensive word should be considered ok just because it's always been used. Of course that's not the case.

The point is that words have different connotations in different places/cultures. You don't get to decide which words Americans do or don't comsider offensive. To Americans 'alien' is apparently perfectly normal and inoffensive word meaning 'foreigner'. I mean... by definition any word categorising a person as being of a different nationality or coming from a different country is literally 'othering', however 'inoffensive' a word you choose.

The point is that words have different connotations in different places/cultures.

A cursory listen to hip-hop would show that (as someone who bought the debut NWA album when it came out knows 😎).

What is it with some people that they have to to tie themselves in knots to try and find something to be offended about?

The devil makes work for idle hands.

They are sanctimonious tossers with too much time on their hands, who think they speak for everyone, when in reality, the majority couldn’t really give a shit.

I think you're right, and the worst ones are those who take offence on behalf of others.
Im sure that if the Americans were uncomfortable with the word alien, they would say so 😆

I'm afraid to say that it's "progressives" like you who give actual progressives a bad name. Yes, I suppose you could try really hard and come up with an explanation for how moving from "alien" to "non-citizen" might be progress, but really that's like talking about the environmental impact of matchsticks when you're standing in the middle of a wildfire.

As a legal Resident Alien in the US, living there, may I suggest that you focus your energies elsewhere. The world could probably do with them directed at things that matter more urgently right now 🙄

Some of these people have been here since they were infants and are now adults with children of their own. They are in no way at fault for their lack of proper documentation. The USA is the only country they have ever known.

Their parents and the system
failed them.

Windrush.

The UK uses the term alien on official documents, or at least did in the 90s. It’s not a USA only thing.

We are not allowing the US. But it is clearly accepted in the UK

I think the OP is trying to make the point that some words are offensive regardless of context.

Oh dear. Has someone hurt your feelings? It’s just a word. Calm down. Worse things happen than words. No wonder the world is in a state when people are so easily offended 😂

Why target the US? Why not the UK? Where it is also used on official documents

Well a crusade to make certain words unacceptable regardless of context tends to run into problems in the real world.

Déjà vu

I remember when some 20 something discovered that the Spanish use the word Negro routinely and had a meltdown.

"but we must stop them." she shrieked as people explained it was just the correct term for black tea or black ink etc.

"Quite shocked to see that people believe that, because a word has always been used, it’s fine to continue its use. What about being progressive?"

Yes that's pretty much what she said.

I don’t think any word can be offensive without context!

Their parents did, only their parents.

Okay well what about this since you are offended by the word alien (which again doesn’t offend anyone from North America )…..I find the song Swing Lo sung at Rugby offensive because it’s known in the US as.a slave song. When I first heard it hear I was shocked. But I know Brits clearly don’t mean it that way? It isn’t perfect here either.