I caught a snippet of the Larry Gold show on my way to work today. He said that the powers at ABC have forbidden any on-air use of the word "looter." He is bleeping any callers who use it, and is himself using the term "undocumented consumer."You really can't make this stuff up!
Speaking of which, Jesse Jackson has his panties in a knot over the use of "refugee" to describe the people who fled New Orleans:
By definition, a refugee is "one who flees in search of refuge, as in times of war, political oppression, or religious persecution," according to the American Heritage Dictionary - and not an appropriate tag for the thousands seeking food and shelter after their homes were destroyed last week, some say.I tend to have a more inclusive view like that expressed at WordNet Search:
refugee (an exile who flees for safety)but since when did ole Jesse become such a pedant?
"To see them as refugees is to see them as other than Americans," Jackson said, "and that is inaccurate, unfair, and racist."Say what? I kind of thought folks of all races were refugees from the storm damage and how, exactly, would that make any of them seem less American?
Even better, the reporter trots out one of those handy professors and some members of Congress:
"The use of the term refugee doesn't benefit anybody," said Richard E. Vatz, a professor of rhetoric and communication at Towson University.Must make a note: "refugee" now derogatory, racist terminology according to usual wankers. No worries about these guys picking up the clue phone when it rings, I guess.
"It's another way of depicting African-Americans as hierarchically low, and I understand why they wouldn't want to be associated with that."
...
Reps. Diane E. Watson of California and Elijah E. Cummings of the Baltimore area, both Democrats, also took issue with the word refugee.
