The AP goes PC about #illegal_immigrants

Ahh, the Associated Press has apparently caved in to "PC" instincts as part of the national background for the current debate on how to reform US immigration law. Yes, I want to address the immigration issue, but ... if you're talking about a person who comes into a country not their home nation, they're an immigrant. If they do so illegally, they're an illegal immigrant. Pure and simple. And, should I have occasion to do further news stories or op-eds on the issue, that's what I'll still use.

I can agree with the last paragraph of the story on the AP's website:

People who were brought into the country as children should not be described as having immigrated illegally. For people granted a temporary right to remain in the U.S. under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, use temporary resident status, with details on the program lower in the story.

True that minor children should not be identified the same way as adults.

Well, I'm betting a lot of people at AP member dailies, and nonmember non-dailies even more, ignore this bit of nonsense.

That said, legally, one could argue that the word "alleged" should be used in front of the phrase, if they've not been convicted of what is a civil, not a criminal, offense. I'm OK with that, pre-civil conviction. But, after that, drop the alleged. They're illegal immigrants, duly found to be so.

And, nobody elected the Associated Press to be the morals or sociological police, per this statement:

And that discussion about labeling people, instead of behavior, led us back to “illegal immigrant” again.

Good fricking doorknob. And, if we're not going to label people in general, have fun writing all sorts of news stories.

Other than that, the AP doubles down on the PC factor by saying we shouldn't use the word "undocumented," either. Here's what it says about that:

(Earlier, they led us to reject descriptions such as “undocumented,” despite ardent support from some quarters, because it is not precise. A person may have plenty of documents, just not the ones required for legal residence.)

In that case, the word "undocumented" shouldn't be used in all sorts of other contexts, either. This is even more stupid than the main "ruling."

Ahh, and here's the real reason why, at least in part.

As always, follow the money:

The updated entry is being added immediately to the AP Stylebook Online and Manual de Estilo Online de la AP, the new Spanish-language Stylebook. 

Geez o fucking pete. If the AP would start charging news aggregators more, it wouldn't have to pander to sell a Spanish stylebook.

Per that end, here's your current AP Board of Directors.

A bit of analysis.

Mary Junck almost ran Lee Enterprises into the ground.

Steve Newhouse is doing everything in the world he can to destroy print newspapers in his chain.

Donna J. Barrett? If the Alabama state pension system weren't a major stakeholder in CNHI (I'm guessing there's legal ramifications), CNHI would and should have been in Chapter 11 years ago.

Jim Monroney finally saw the paywall light, but Belo / The Dallas Morning News still often acts like its shit don't stink. And, how the eff does Belo have a seat on the board separate from the DMN?

Katharine Weymouth? Hey, say no more about the Washington Post, editorially or business-wise.


And how PC is this? Homeland Security head Janet Napolitano is OK with "illegal immigrant."