Rinku Sen: "Illegal" Word is a Gateway to Racism and Exploitation

Perhaps the most talked-about moment of President Obama's address to Congress last night followed the dismissal of rumors that the new health care plan would cover 'illegal immigrants.' Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) was so outraged that he yelled, from the floor, "You lie!" Wilson was willing to undermine his party — because he was so infuriated by the idea that Obama's plan might provide care to a certain group of people.

Why is our conversation around immigration so often driven to extremes, both of language and of policy? In this video, Rinku Sen takes the term 'illegal' to task, showing how it's been used to make us comfortable with the suffering and exploitation of millions of undocumented immigrants.

http://www.racewire.org
http://www.accidentalamerican.us

• Category

  News & Politics

[ratbstard718]

We cannot support the poor of the entire world! We cannot simply allow anyone who wants to to come to OUR nation and receive the benefits of citizenship. The use of simple logic proves these statements TRUE!

Apparently a bleeding heart denies logic.

[rocketsredglare101]

The correct term is not illegal alien,

the correct term is

illegal Democrat

[ToggTheWolf]

Actually capitalist economy *exploit and create* the poor of the entire worlds. So think again about what you call "logic" and change it with Ideology.

Your benefits are made on blood. Face it. (and fuck you, thanks).

[Fionagrrrl]

All these spark words are distractions from the issue at hand. We never called the Europeans that came into Ellis Island illegal.

[Jackie Comparan]

obvio que no oye's bien, o que no leistest bien , ay como q eso mesno? nomas estoy diesiend eh v.v

[bringdastorm]

good and true video..

[sweetdwhite]

but guess what it does make me an American and gives me the right to tell illegals to gtfo

[Miguel Candia]

- Breaking into our country? LOL. You do realize a huge number of these folks came to the USA legally and stayed after their VISA expired, right? There was no "breaking into" going on in these cases. This is a perfect example of why the media loves the term "illegals". It sounds much scarier than "illegal alien" or "undocumented immigrant". "Breaking into..." sounds far more exciting than "overstayed their VISA".

[Adam Peredo]

illegal immigration started in 1492

[CanadianQueer]

Ms. Sen never said that America should give every undocumented immigrant citizenship. But that doesn't justify brutal treatment of UI, and it doesn't justify the demonization of UI or anyone assumed to be one. Just because you came out of a vagina on American soil doesn't make you a better person, a more moral person, a harder worker, or more deserving of respect and kindness than someone who wasn't.

[MultiSmartass1]

Sen makes good points but her statement that such immigration raids and deportations conflict with American values of "fairness and non-discrimination" are laughable.

I realize she is merely making rhetorical argumentative points but this country has always been racist against people of color and immigrants (even white ones).

Thus, the US is a nation founded on white supremacy, a slave nation. How can such a nation call itself nonracist and fair?

Answer: It can't.

[SecureBorderIntel]

I agree, entering the country illegally is like a speeding ticket. People who do so should be fined $500, which is actually part of immigration law, and sent back to their country of origin. It is important to meet any violation of law with the legal and appropriate response.