Some rights groups say it is but i think it is offensive for them to try and change my dictionary. What do you think?
2007-05-07 00:26:36 · 31 answers · asked by TG79 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Immigration
The word "alien" means one who belongs to another country; foreign, a foreign-born resident in a country. Now just because they are foreigners doesn't mean anything negative about an individual. Our society has connoted negativity to the word "alien" and the media has jumped on that bandwagon. Civil rights groups have no place to say what is or what is not offensive to them or for that matter the groups they represent.
2007-05-07 00:34:43 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
The word alien is only offensive when people take it offensivly. If someone uses it as a term then really changing the word does nothing. It has a meaning and it's not one that's suppose to be demeaning. But if the word is used in a cruel way, and has a meaning that is suppose to risk someones pride and integrity then yes, the word is offensive. It only becomes offensive if we make it offensive. For instance gay, this word use to be a term. Now it's an adjetive..and not a good one. So keep the word a meaning and not a threat and there should be no harm done.
2007-05-07 00:33:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Any group that feels repressed will eventually feel that their label is 'offensive'. They can force others to label them in a different way, but after awhile it will become offensive to them as well. Until a repressed group gets the chip off their shoulder and has confidence in who they are as a group, everything others call them will seem offensive.
They're illegal aliens in my book. I'm not at all impressed with politically correct semantics. It doesn't change a thing.
2007-05-07 01:35:55 · answer #3 · answered by tttplttttt 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The word itself is not offensive. Then again, any word can become offensive if it is generally used in an offensive way. I agree, changing the dictionary doesn't help. There'll be new words...
2007-05-07 00:30:46 · answer #4 · answered by deborah 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Not at all. It is what it is. That is the term that has been used for centuries, even before people started talking about the E.T.'s from outer space. What do those groups want to government to do - go back and reword all of the laws that have "alien" in them? Ridiculous.
2007-05-07 01:18:33 · answer #5 · answered by steddy voter 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it's that "illegal" thing in front of the word alien that really gets them,too bad. Personally I prefer "Illegal tresspassing criminal alien scumbag",but I admit it's a bit long so I'm working on a better term. If I offend it is only because I intend to.
AD
2007-05-07 01:40:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only when they put illegal in front of it. Then the people are offensive more than the word is. The PC groups want to minimize the truth of this serious issue in our country. Is anglo a bad word then ?
2007-05-07 00:32:15 · answer #7 · answered by meathead 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The word alien is in no way offensive. It's the way it is used and the words that go with it that make it so.
2007-05-07 01:29:37 · answer #8 · answered by Ted T 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am not an 'alien' but i kind of find it offensive when others get called that anyways. What is it supposed to mean? Isn't that a term used to describe little green men on Mars? But now i do know that it means 'foreign' so i don't really mind.
2007-05-07 00:38:57 · answer #9 · answered by DARIA. - JOINED MAY 2006 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I think that PC has gone too far. Illegal Alien is a legal term. Obey the law or get out. Don't get insulted by something that you have allowed yourself to be.
2007-05-07 00:29:53 · answer #10 · answered by FaerieWhings 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋