Legal definition of 'refugee' requires presence outside of own country

[goodhue]

Not to mention a well-founded fear of persecution . . .

http://uscis.gov/text/services/refugees/Definition.htm

A refugee is defined as a person outside of his or her country of nationality who is unable or unwilling to return because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

[aquart]

1. Sometimes events cause words to acquire new meaning.

So I'm going to keep calling them refugees and the dictionary will catch up with me eventually.

[goodhue]

3. Media has already begun to back away from term b/c not accurate

This is not a dictionary definition I have provided but rather a legal statutory definition, which will not be changing as you imply.

[Cleita]

17. Since when has the Bush propaganda media been accurate?

It's a word the Bushistas don't like because of the third world ring to it that makes them look bad. This is the appropriate meaning today and even those who publish dictionaries acknowldege that words take on new meanings as time goes on.

[htuttle]

2. People from the Gulf coast are now 'Internally Displaced Persons'

There's a website that looks at the conditions for "IDPs" around the world:
http://www.idpproject.org/

"Internally displaced persons are persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized State border."

(Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, OCHA, 1998)

I'm sure there will be a section for "IDPs" in the US within a few days or so.

[FlaGranny]

4. Well then, what we got here?

Masses of humanity trying to find refuge from disaster. Maybe we should call them MOHTTFRFD - "motherfrieds?"

By the way - Websters:
"1. One who flees to a shelter, or place of safety." (seeking refuge)

Why in the world are some so reluctant to call these folks refugees. We don't need to talk about "legal" definitions. The word means someone who has to leave home to escape danger. They seek refuge.

Encarta:
Refuge: 1. shelter or protection: a sheltered or protected state safe from something threatening, harmful, or unpleasant.

They are refugees - period. What is in a word? What causality in calling such a person a refugee? Does it do some kind of harm to other kinds of refugees? I don't understand. What would you like them to be called?

Edit: Oh, I see - "displaced persons." They are STILL refugees. I guess both descriptions fit. There seems to be a bit of sensitivity about calling people refugees. Could it be we can't fathom Americans being refugees?

[goodhue]

5. They don't want to be called refugees because they find it insulting . . .

Calling them VICTIMS and/or EVACUEES suffices for most purposes, and does not deny them their nationality, which merely adds insult to injury.

http://blogs.chron.com/domeblog/

In the midst of all this, Bryant says, the evacuees are trying to keep their dignity. Many object to the term "refugee," including 52-year-old Ina Duncan:

"We are only victims of Hurricane Katrina. I was born at Charity Hospital. We are not refugees. We are taxpayers. We are victims of the hurricane and we are having a crisis."

[Igel]

6. Calling somebody a refugee does not deny them their nationality

except in a very narrow legal definition. People fleeing disaster have been refugees ever since we borrowed the word from French.

Crap. Have we turned all of our linguistic ability over to *lawyers* now, and completely lost our common sense?

Quick: what's the legal definition of a 'disaster', I don't want to use it incorrectly, which is to say, as people have for the last few hundred years.

I guess we can go back to that phrase of long-standing in English, "Internally Displaced Person." Was it Chaucer or Shakespeare that first used it?

[goodhue]

7. It is not mere lawyers who object; it is the people themselves

It does not require a law school education to be insulted by being inaccurately called a refugee. These displaced victims are not refugees, and they rightly don't like being called so.

[MountainLaurel]

16. Internally Displaced Persons

Is the official term used in the migration policy community.

[Barack_America]

8. This is the most worthless discussion ever...

...Let's discuss what to call them rather than how to help...

...refer to them as Koala Bears for Christ's sake, just do something to make a difference...

Sorry for the rage, but this has to be the third thread that I've seen on this topic!

[goodhue]

9. Congressional Black Caucus is angry about it too

http://www.startribune.com/stories/125/5593643.html

Black members of Congress expressed anger Friday at what they said was a slow federal response to Hurricane Katrina.

"It looks dysfunctional to me right now,'' said Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif.

* * *

Watson and others also took issue with the word "refugee'' being used to describe hurricane victims.

"'Refugee' calls up to mind people that come from different lands and have to be taken care of. These are American citizens,'' Watson said.

Added Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.: "They are not refugees. I hate that word.''

[Barack_America]

10. Yeah, I'm sure that's what the displaced/evacuees/refugees

are really concerned about right now...semantics

BTW, have you contacted your senators and representative yet?

[goodhue]

12. It's not mere semantics, it's prejudice . . .

IMHO

[Barack_America]

14. No, it's not prejudice...

I am not a lawyer so I don't use legal definitions of common words.

The standard definition of a refugee is "a person who flees from home or country to seek refuge elsewhere"

Personally, I feel that "displaced" does them greater disservice. I prefer to use refugee because they had to flee their homes due to government incompetence (i.e. not repairing levees earlier and allowing city to fall into chaos)

These people were "displaced" by Hurricane Katrina
They have been made "refugees" because their government is so incompetent that they will likely never be able to return home.

"Displaced" suggests that you will be able to return. Many of these people never will.

[Bluerthanblue]

11. "we didn't even know these people existed"...? and as for

persecution based on race.. duh... and membersip in a particular social group... like POOR????

i don't care what you call them- if calling them refugees gets more help then call them that- i call the the face of america UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL- the face of my neighbors, brothers sisters, mothers fathers children and grandchildren- and i call this family a dys-fuck-sional failure.

i am about to blow up- i honestly believed america might actually have wised up- but bushzero plays hero and everyone bites his worm

i want to puke, scream and die- this IS a living nightmare

[KT2000]

13. Whne one's country

abandonds them they become refugees.

[RaleighNCDUer]

15. Refugee means simply someone seeking refuge.

What you're speaking of is a specific technical definition under international law, which has nothing to do with the base definition.

These people are refugees, though by international law they would be referred to as 'displaced persons'.

[Splatter Phoenix]

18. A Rose...

is a rose, by any name.




But if you call it a weed, people won't buy it.