I am forwarding this message from my colleague, Professor Lucila Vargas, [lcvargas@email.unc.edu] of the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
From Dr. Lucila Vargas [[lcvargas@email.unc.edu]
Dear All, The AP Stylebook editors are asking for suggestions on what to change. The deadline is TODAY. It takes a minute. http://www.apstylebook.com/?do=social_media NAHJ suggests to use "undocumented person." I prefer NOT to use "undocumented" as a noun. The following text is an edited version of an email from Adelante, a Latina/o advocacy organization, which explains why journalists and editors shouldn't use the term illegal" Thanks, --Lucila "Despite pushback from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists1 and the Society of Professional Journalists 2, the AP still uses the phrase illegal immigrant. There are few words in the media that have done more damage to our community than the word illegal. Phrases like "illegal immigrant" make it easier for states like Alabama to pass horrific laws that treat people like me as less than human3. Whats important for the AP to know isnt just that the word illegal is dehumanizing and unfairly applied to Latinos, but its also legally innacurate. For every other legal matter journalists are very careful not to act as judge and jury. That is why, even in the face of overwhelming evidence, journalists always use the words like alleged when discussing an individual crime. Journalists and the AP, however, have not applied the same standards to immigrants, judging them as illegal before theyve ever been determined as such by any court of law. Tell the AP to stop acting as judge and jury and stop dehumanizing our community with the word illegal. http://www.apstylebook.com/?do=social_media If you need tips for what to write to the AP see this helpful guide from the folks at the Drop The I-Word campaign: http://colorlines.com/droptheiword/blog/take-action-now-tell-the-associated-... References: 1. NAHJ Urges News Media To Stop Using The Term 'Illegals' When Covering Immigration." NAHJ.org. 9/10/2009. http://bit.ly/uosHjt 2. "Society of Professional Journalists: Reporters Shouldnt Use Pejorative Terms Like 'Illegal Immigrant.'" Forbes. 9/30/2011 http://onforb.es/tGUiEc 3. Please Tell Alabama to Stop Attacking Latino Children. Presente.org. http://act.presente.org/sign/alchildren ******************************************** Debashis 'Deb' Aikat, Ph. D. Associate Professor and Media Futurist School of Journalism and Mass Communication CB # 3365, Carroll Hall 374 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3365 Phone: 919 962 4090 (office) Fax: 919 962 0620 Email: da@unc.edu URL: http://jomc.unc.edu/faculty-staff-journalism-faculty/aikat-debashis ******************************************