INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Illegal Immigrant Associated Press Stylebook Change Called Politically Correct, Mocked On Twitter

By Patrick Frye
Published on: 10:54 PST, Apr 3, 2013

The “illegal immigrant” Associated Press stylebook change is being called politically correct. Twitter users are deriding the AP decision to discourage the usage of the term.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, AP SVP and Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll decreed that the “Stylebook no longer sanctions the term ‘illegal immigrant‘ or the use of ‘illegal’ to describe a person.” Even the usage of the phrased “undocumented immigrant” is discouraged because it’s not very accurate.

In response, ALIPAC announced it would be changing its own style in all future articles to “illegal invaders.” Jay Leno mocked the AP stylebook change on illegal immigrants, declaring instead the new politically correct term will be undocumented Democrats. Jay Leno is referring to the idea that Democrats are supporting complete amnesty as a means to garner new voters on their behalf. In fact, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, a group of 27 House Democrats, applauded the AP illegal immigrant decision, calling it “a great step forward.”

Politicians have been stumbling over themselves lately trying to figure out how to refer to illegal immigrants, or people who are in the country without a visa, or whatever we’re supposed to be calling them now. A North Caroline plan to put pink stripes on a license for illegal immigrants was scrapped. The Don Young “wetback” controversy pulled condemnation from practically every corner.

Some in the media are applauding the new change to speech in the media. For example, the Applied Research Center (ARC) led the “Drop the I-Word” campaign that seeks to “dehumanize” language such as the term “illegal immigrant”.

The conservative Media Research Center described the AP illegal immigrant Stylebook change as a “politically-correct mumble.” Such organizations are accusing the Associated Press of trying to influence the immigration debate through politically correct speech. The AP Stylebook changes for “illegal immigrant” came despite the fact the terminology is still actively being used by U.S. government officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

Conservative writer Jonah Goldberg deride the political correctness of the illegal immigrant controversy, saying at one point that “Orwell weeps” because of the politically correct speech:

Do you agree with the Associated Press illegal immigrant Stylebook change?

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