Obama's plan to stop deporting illegal immigrants

[bhamHusker]

It has never occurred to me that the terms "wetback", "mexican", or "mexican american" would be interpreted to possibly mean the same things. All 3 have very different and distinct meanings in my book. It is kind of like the people who cannot differentiate "illegal alien" from "legal immigrant". Both may be of Mexican descent but there is huge difference in my book. It kind of annoys me when some people assume some others are racist because they do not care for illegal immigration. I do not have one problem with people of Mexican/Hispanic/Latino heritage. Many of my friends, neighbors, and co-workers happen to fall into that category. However, I do have somewhat of a problem with illegal immigration and people who do not respect our laws. It would appear that makes me a racist in some peoples minds even though nothing could be further from the truth.

 

There has only been 1 thing in this topic that has rubbed me the wrong way. It seems as if someone may have used the term "wetback" in too general of a manner. Probably shouldn't refer to people as that unless you actually mean specifically those who have entered this country illegally. However, I'm not convinced it wasn't originally used correctly in that manner. But, Someone else seemed to think that term applied to "Mexican Americans" in general or to them personally. Newsflash- Just because you may be hispanic, does not mean mentions of "illegal immigrant" or "wetback" applies to you. If you were born here or legally immigrated here, you need to lose the inferiority complex and save the chastising for people who are obviously being racist. Just my 2 cents worth. If you were not born here or you came here illegally, then I guess you can take offense.

 

The term "wetback," while originally referring specifically to people crossing the Rio Grande, has come to be widely recognized as a racial slur. Regardless of its original meaning (nearly a hundred years ago), it IS an epithet now, and defending its use in this context risks being perceived as boorish. I don't have a problem referring to people that casually toss around racial slurs as racists. It reminds me of clueless suburban white kids defending the use of a certain word because they say end the word with "a" rather than "er."

[JJ Husker]

I realize it can be used in the wrong manner but I personally have never equated it's use as necessarily being racist in nature. I guess it is just my tendency to give people the benefit of the doubt until they prove otherwise. While it is some other peoples tendency to assume the worst and make wide ranging generalizations about people.

[huKSer]

I have nothing against immigration. In fact I think it makes America strong an vibrant.

 

I do have an issue with illegal immigration. Mostly because they, the immigrants, can be abused by a) coyotes and b) employers who make them do with less otherwise they will turn them into INS unless they work for $1 per hour etc.

 

Saw on the news that Asian (mostly Chinese) immigrants are at 34% of the immigrants vs 31% for Hispanic. Don't know if this is legal or total.

[carlfense]

I would not assume that disliking illegal immigration equals racism.

 

That said, using the word in question is racist. It's not ok. Period.

[bhamHusker]

I realize it can be used in the wrong manner but I personally have never equated it's use as necessarily being racist in nature. I guess it is just my tendency to give people the benefit of the doubt until they prove otherwise. While it is some other peoples tendency to assume the worst and make wide ranging generalizations about people.

To be frank, how you feel about the word or its use is entirely irrelevant. What is relevant is that most people see it as an offensive slur and take offense to its use regardless of its original, more narrow meaning. Some people may think it's no big deal to use a variety of slurs for gays, blacks, Asians, women or whatever, but it doesn't make doing so any less abhorrent.

[HSKR]

It has never occurred to me that the terms "wetback", "mexican", or "mexican american" would be interpreted to possibly mean the same things. All 3 have very different and distinct meanings in my book. It is kind of like the people who cannot differentiate "illegal alien" from "legal immigrant". Both may be of Mexican descent but there is huge difference in my book. It kind of annoys me when some people assume some others are racist because they do not care for illegal immigration. I do not have one problem with people of Mexican/Hispanic/Latino heritage. Many of my friends, neighbors, and co-workers happen to fall into that category. However, I do have somewhat of a problem with illegal immigration and people who do not respect our laws. It would appear that makes me a racist in some peoples minds even though nothing could be further from the truth.

 

There has only been 1 thing in this topic that has rubbed me the wrong way. It seems as if someone may have used the term "wetback" in too general of a manner. Probably shouldn't refer to people as that unless you actually mean specifically those who have entered this country illegally. However, I'm not convinced it wasn't originally used correctly in that manner. But, Someone else seemed to think that term applied to "Mexican Americans" in general or to them personally. Newsflash- Just because you may be hispanic, does not mean mentions of "illegal immigrant" or "wetback" applies to you. If you were born here or legally immigrated here, you need to lose the inferiority complex and save the chastising for people who are obviously being racist. Just my 2 cents worth. If you were not born here or you came here illegally, then I guess you can take offense.

 

The term "wetback," while originally referring specifically to people crossing the Rio Grande, has come to be widely recognized as a racial slur. Regardless of its original meaning (nearly a hundred years ago), it IS an epithet now, and defending its use in this context risks being perceived as boorish. I don't have a problem referring to people that casually toss around racial slurs as racists. It reminds me of clueless suburban white kids defending the use of a certain word because they say end the word with "a" rather than "er."

 

Without a doubt, the most I have heard the term "wetback" is from Hispanic Americans talking of other Hispanics who are here illegally.

[JJ Husker]

I realize it can be used in the wrong manner but I personally have never equated it's use as necessarily being racist in nature. I guess it is just my tendency to give people the benefit of the doubt until they prove otherwise. While it is some other peoples tendency to assume the worst and make wide ranging generalizations about people.

To be frank, how you feel about the word or its use is entirely irrelevant. What is relevant is that most people see it as an offensive slur and take offense to its use regardless of its original, more narrow meaning. Some people may think it's no big deal to use a variety of slurs for gays, blacks, Asians, women or whatever, but it doesn't make doing so any less abhorrent.

I have taken some time to contemplate this and I do see what you (and others) are saying. Just because I don't interpret it's use as being similar to say the N word, does not mean it is not considered a racial slur by others. To clarify though, I do not use this word in my speech and I rarely hear it from others. I have seen it in this topic way more than I have ever heard it used otherwise. I would like to think that people that do use it are strictly referring to illegal immigrants (even though it is still derogatory in nature) and not to people simply of Mexican or hispanic heritage. I realize that may be somewhat naive but I try to be slow to accuse anyone of being racist, at least until they make it extremely clear that they are. I would like to think that people, who the term does not apply to in it's original, more narrow meaning, would not take offense to it but, that probably is not realistic given that I'm sure they have had experiences that would indicate it may be intended for them. I guess my analogy is like if someone uses the word kraut or nazi, I don't take offense even though I am mostly of German heritage. But who knows, I may have felt different about that back in the 40's if I had been around then. So, I am done defending it's use. I don't use it so I guess those who do can explain it for themselves.

[zoogs]

JJ, I applaud your efforts at being circumspect.

 

Just to reiterate, though, that kind of language is not acceptable to use here. As many other, milder things one could say, that also wouldn't fly here. Not because HB aspires to be overbearing; simply a basic standard for being respectful.

[gobiggergoredder]

edit: September 28th,2011

[bhamHusker]

edit: September 28th,2011

...video...

I find the most relevant part of that clip occurs at 0:58 when he says, "Now what we can do is to prioritize enforcement since there are limited enforcement resources and say we're not going to go chasing after this young man or anybody else who has been acting responsibly and would otherwise qualify for legal status if the DREAM Act passed." That's exactly what he announced he would do on Friday with the new policy directive to ICE and other appropriate agencies.