Katrina - Lesson in Phraseology "Refugees" vs "Americans"....

[HardWorkingDem]

We are being shown a great example of how language is used in politics.

While many pundits are correctly talking about the offensive aspects of the use of the word "refugee", another part is being missed and that is of what Americans think of when the word "refugee" is heard.

The mental picture is that of a person who is being forced to flee to a temporary place or an un-welcomed guest or someone that can't take care of their own problems and so on. And the reason for this is that the right wants an unsympathetic image to be associated with the victims of Katrina. It is as simple as that. That is why we are hearing stories of "natural disaster" or moaning about these victims refused to leave. Doing so removes American emotion and compassion when thinking about these victims.

The right wants to keep using the word "refugee" while we would do better to force the word "victim" or "American". We should avoid using the word evacuee as well.

[Cleita]

1. I was guilty of calling them refugees and I am wrong according

to everyone. I apologize. My definition of a refugee was someone who was fleeing a problem. I never thought of it as a class thing. I am still somewhat upset that a distinction is being made between American citizens as being better than deperate people escaping drought, famine, flood or whatever they are fleeing elsewhere in the world. But I guess I remain chastized.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. I wouldn't chastise you, but even those people in other countries

are a bit dehumanized by our sometimes utilitarian terms..

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. Careful, you'll get accused of PC even though you are correct about

the imagery invoked. For the record, I agree. Although the strict definition of refugee is "one seeking refuge", the image the word invokes is more of a stranger in a strangeland...not one you expect to hear about Americans traveling from one state to another since their home was destroyed.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

3. Oprah uses survivor. I think it is so appropriate.

[Selatius]

5. In the end, I think it is subordinate to saving lives

I don't mind so much about calling them refugees or whatever. I go by the dictionary definition, but I do understand the power of words. What I mind is that people are fighting over words when there are people dying. I mean, what has greater significance here? We've got an entire city virtually reduced to nothing, and we've got racism here in this country that hasn't really been addressed (I mean seriously confronted head on out in the open) since the 1960s, and we're fighting over what to call victims of the storm?

I am much more offended when I see stuff from the rightwing about how all the blacks are worried about "not getting their welfare checks" than being called "refugees." The former is simply intolerable to me.

[Robert Oak]

6. I have no opinion just this observation

To me and what I think Americans are really reacting to and is even more offensive is that we have refugees who are Americans on American soil.

I think that is more the outrage, seeing people in NO looking identical to refugees in Somalia and Sudan.

I think that's the problem, it brought to light the reality that the poor in this nation are so bad off and then the government completely shit on them and hence they looked like 3rd world refugees....
as any American would look like with being poor, through a hurricane, then a flood and now being dehydrated and starved to death with thugs preying on them on top of it.

In terms of the PC aspect, I don't care if someone wants me to use a certain term in referring to them I will..it's the only polite thing to do in my world, unless the term desired is actually propaganda covering the truth like "partial birth abortion" or "death tax" for example.
called medical procedure and estate tax, thank you.

[HardWorkingDem]

7. Exactly!

For the most evil of propaganda people in the Bush Whitehouse, you have described the exact image they want people to think of - the Roves of this world want you to equate the poor victims of Katrina to that of people of Somalia and the Sudan. They want their followers to think of the victims of Katrina as Third World people, rather than Americans who have been terribly victimized. For if this can happen, then less and less sympathy and compassion will be directed their way, which will lesson the amount of anger toward the incompetent politicians and appointees that failed to do their jobs.

And sadly, this must be discussed and we all know what the main focus should be on (the survivors and remaining victims) however, we can't let them forget what they have failed to do.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. Personally, I like it.

The term 'refugee' has sent people here and elsewhere into a tailspin. Shouldn't the real debate be...why should we ever have to use the term "refugee" for an AMERICAN?!

[craigolemiss]

9. 8-27 rich people in Naples Fla--described as "Refugees"

8-27 rich people in Naples Fla--described as "Refugees"

OK once again let's get this straight --- arguing over "refugee" is on par with arguing over about calling it soda, coke, or pop. refugee is a word REGULARLY used to describe people displaced by a storm. For example I give you a Pre-New Orleans Katrina story from Naples Florida:

http://www.naplesnews.com/npdn/news/article/0,2071,NPDN_14940_4036176,00.html

This story examines the horrible disruption of a couple of days without power and people forced into local hotels to drink Pina Coladas in the sun. These people probably were not black, and probably were not poor, but guess what ---they got called ---wait for it--- refugees----

whoever started the "they aren't refugees" stuff needs a dictionary, as it is OBVIOUS that the word refugee has been used OFTEN to descibe people displaced by a weather event, and is not a "bad" word.

East Coast residents relax in Collier after fleeing mess left by Katrina
August 28, 2005

Too bad pina coladas aren't tax-deductible.

Gladys Fernandez was sipping one Saturday afternoon at the Vanderbilt Inn pool in north Collier County when her mother-in-law called to remind her to save receipts.

The federal government may help with expenses for her Collier County weekend after Hurricane Katrina beat up her surburban Miami neighborhood.

"I asked her, 'What about the pina coladas?' She said, 'Well, no, you better hide those,' " chuckled Fernandez, 37, who escaped to join friends after about 35 hours without power.

----SNIP----

Throughout the day, the east coast refugees at the Vanderbilt Inn called to check if the power was back or phones restored on the east coast.

Nope, but no worries. They went back to sunbathing and their drinks.

----SNIP----

[HardWorkingDem]

11. Missing the point.....

it doesn't matter what the dictionary reads. It is the connotation that matters.

If the portrayal of victims of this hurricane is successfully portrayed through a conservative lens, then the image will be that of a group of people who are seen as less than deserving of our compassion and effort.

Pay attention to how unsympathetic conservative co-workers are in comments and things like that. I can't tell people how many times I have heard things like, "well, the dumb asses should have gotten out when they had the chance."

The use of the word "refugee" is just a deflection that aids the Republican Party.

[Mr_Spock]

10. Shoot me if I EVER use the term refugee.

It's never once crossed my lips because it is simply an incorrect term and I am a perfectionist. I wince every time I hear that term - there is a lot of something bad in using that term to describe Americans who have had their home destroyed.