 “Illegal aliens” are law-busting Martians
A few weeks back writer Toki Wright took the time to come and get to know our little upstart Latino poetry group, Palabristas. I personally really appreciate this reaching out to an up-and-coming group.
However, in the article that appeared Sept. 16, 2005, I was quoted as saying the phrase “illegal aliens” and also talked about some nebulous “federal Identification programs.”
 Let
me be clear. The phrase “illegal aliens” doesn’t come out of
my mouth unless I’m talking about what an erroneous, misleading and reprehensible
phrase it is. I always say “undocumented immigrant” because that is
the most factually (not politically) correct description of these immigrants’
migratory status.
Also, the “federal Identification programs” part I think referred
to when I talked about the Real ID act, a very real and insidious piece of federal
legislation that will, in the next few years, require a federally approved ID
to travel on an airplane, open a bank account, collect Social Security payments,
use just about any government service, oh and of course, drive.
I understand that mistakes are made, and I know Toki had no malicous intentions.
However, it is important that people know it is not OK to throw out damaging phrases
that make undocumented immigrants sound not like normal, hardworking people, but
law-busting Martians.
It is the first step in creating an “other,” someone not like “us”
and thus someone who is easier to use and abuse.
Lorena E. Duarte
Minneapolis
Easy to support troops when they’re not attacking you
 I
wonder how many of the millions of unarmed protesters during the peace and protest
marches of the 1960s, who witnessed or were actually beaten and bloodied by
the National Guard and other U.S. military personnel, would have said back then
“We Support Our Troops.”
“Supporting the Troops” always comes down to whether they are violating
you or killing your loved ones. “Our” troops would not be the good
guys that we support if they were kicking in our doors, taking our children
into custody and torturing them, or dropping 500-lb. bombs on our neighborhoods.
The “Support the Troops” campaign is a well-thought out game to
keep a lid on dissent. It is also a way they put a soft and feel-good face on
war. Don’t buy it!
I will accept it and “support the troops” when I see yellow magnetic
ribbons supporting U.S. troops on Iraqi cars. Easy to support troops when they
are not attacking you.
Frank Erickson
Minneapolis
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