Seems like an appropriate word to me and it is definitely not racist.
MikeAdamson - 08:09pm on 09/06/2005
“Refugee” doesn’t seem appropiate. But it’s not a “racist” word by any stretch of the imagination. Jesse Jackson is ignorant for claiming otherwise.
likwidshoe - 08:09pm on 09/06/2005
What kind of a person, finding themselves bereft of all their wordly belongings and stuck in a stinking and disorganized shelter, is worried about what term journalists use for people in their position?
Terrorists and freedom fighters.
Aliens.
Many, including The Associated Press, have used “refugee” to describe those displaced by the wrath of Hurricane Katrina.
I haven’t liked the term either. It’s not racist (not even close… I have no idea what Jackson is going for), but it just seems to be a little on the sensationalist side. I wouldn’t call the North Dakotans who lost their homes in the flood “refugees” either.
My reasons are just stylistic, however… nothing to do with PC. I just think it’s the wrong word for the situation.
Dave - 09:09pm on 09/06/2005
First not all of the storm victims are black so I would like to extend this one to Jesse I am actually racist Jackson. To play the race card on this one (again) my brother in fact shows the depth of your racism.
Refugee.....I always thought, meant seeking refuge. Even if I am wrong on that one I ccan not find one reference to race anywhere.
richard - 03:09am on 09/07/2005
Usually a refugee is seeking refuge from a political situation, though technically it can still be applied to those escaping a disaster, so I’m with the “it’s just the wrong word” crowd. Maybe it’ll bring back the U2 song?
modern instances - 08:09am on 09/07/2005
Her mama say one days she’s gonna live in America!
modern instances - 08:09am on 09/07/2005
OK so we go with displaced hurricane victims of multiple racial and ethnic backgrounds instead, then almost everybody should be happy. Except for maybe the midgets, or the gay and lesbian crowd,I am sure there maybe one or two albino’s out there that do not want to be lumped in with the non-pigment challenged. Oh God if it is OK with you guys I am going to stick with refugee.
As far as the song goes the good reverend would really crap on himself then. I can hear him now...."see I told you it was racist here comes whitey singing songs about the displaced black people.”
richard - 08:09am on 09/07/2005
In my mind refugees are people who are running away from a life-threatening situation, be it a hurricane, war, or political repression. Some refugees have had to leave their country, some their hometown. If a refugee must be a political refugee, there would be no reason to have the expression ‘political refugee’.
I live in a European country where the only people to use the word ‘refugee’ in a derogatory way are the ones who think that everybody else should just stay put and die instead of bothering the rich countries with their misery. To say that the Katrina survivors are not refugees because they are Americans sounds like a chauvinistic, even xenophobic comment in my ears.
Refugees are not a certain kind of people; they are human beings who are running for their lives, and this could happen to you, me, or anybody else on the planet. The word refers to a situation, not a special breed or race or nationality ot what ever label we use to put each other down.
It could be argued that I should refrain from trying to teach Americans their own language and try to help the victims/refugees/survivors instead, and I would be at the bank donating to the Red Cross right now if the RC were only allowed to go inside the disaster area (or is that ‘the place formerly known as New Orleans’ or something?).
Seems like an appropriate word to me and it is definitely not racist.
“Refugee” doesn’t seem appropiate. But it’s not a “racist” word by any stretch of the imagination. Jesse Jackson is ignorant for claiming otherwise.
Terrorists and freedom fighters.
Aliens.
I haven’t liked the term either. It’s not racist (not even close… I have no idea what Jackson is going for), but it just seems to be a little on the sensationalist side. I wouldn’t call the North Dakotans who lost their homes in the flood “refugees” either.
My reasons are just stylistic, however… nothing to do with PC. I just think it’s the wrong word for the situation.
First not all of the storm victims are black so I would like to extend this one to Jesse I am actually racist Jackson. To play the race card on this one (again) my brother in fact shows the depth of your racism.
Refugee.....I always thought, meant seeking refuge. Even if I am wrong on that one I ccan not find one reference to race anywhere.
Usually a refugee is seeking refuge from a political situation, though technically it can still be applied to those escaping a disaster, so I’m with the “it’s just the wrong word” crowd. Maybe it’ll bring back the U2 song?
Her mama say one days she’s gonna live in America!
OK so we go with displaced hurricane victims of multiple racial and ethnic backgrounds instead, then almost everybody should be happy. Except for maybe the midgets, or the gay and lesbian crowd,I am sure there maybe one or two albino’s out there that do not want to be lumped in with the non-pigment challenged. Oh God if it is OK with you guys I am going to stick with refugee.
As far as the song goes the good reverend would really crap on himself then. I can hear him now...."see I told you it was racist here comes whitey singing songs about the displaced black people.”
In my mind refugees are people who are running away from a life-threatening situation, be it a hurricane, war, or political repression. Some refugees have had to leave their country, some their hometown. If a refugee must be a political refugee, there would be no reason to have the expression ‘political refugee’.
I live in a European country where the only people to use the word ‘refugee’ in a derogatory way are the ones who think that everybody else should just stay put and die instead of bothering the rich countries with their misery. To say that the Katrina survivors are not refugees because they are Americans sounds like a chauvinistic, even xenophobic comment in my ears.
Refugees are not a certain kind of people; they are human beings who are running for their lives, and this could happen to you, me, or anybody else on the planet. The word refers to a situation, not a special breed or race or nationality ot what ever label we use to put each other down.
It could be argued that I should refrain from trying to teach Americans their own language and try to help the victims/refugees/survivors instead, and I would be at the bank donating to the Red Cross right now if the RC were only allowed to go inside the disaster area (or is that ‘the place formerly known as New Orleans’ or something?).