"Life, liberty and the pursuit of undocumented immigrants"

One of the most famous passages from the American Declaration of Independence reads:

"We hold these Truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Unfortunately for us, the latter value seems to have slowly, and drastically changed to "the pursuit of undocumented immigrants."

American Apparel has been one great example of a thriving American business, supporting a comprehensive approach to immigration. But, as the New York Times reports, after a federal investigation "the clothing maker with a vast garment factory in downtown Los Angeles is firing about 1,800 immigrant employees in the coming days ."

My problem with the Time's article is that despite writing a good story on the troubling and unjust subject of immigration, the writer and editor continue utilizing the word "illegal" all over.

Well, exactly how are nativist, and hard headed right-wing nuts, supposed to get past this insignificant word, if even a newspaper like the times can't use an alternative, less damaging and accusatory word like that?

It's like saying a "murderer" is a murderer, and deserves punishment, even if he/she killed in self defense. Of course is not the same!

For the narrow minded, the emphasis is on the word "illegal". They see this and nothing else. All the human traits and qualities disappear. I don't have to write more on the subject, this is how wars have been formulated and shoved down people's throats.

So, the Times's article states, "Jesús, 30, originally from Puebla, Mexico, said he was hired 10 years ago as a sewing machine operator, then worked and studied his way up to an office job as coordinating manager." I know exactly what the comments will read, blah, blah, blah, "illegal." Again, the writer quotes Jesus, 'I learned how to think here,' said Jesus, who would not reveal his last name because of his illegal status."

Thank you for this backhanded article, New York Times. If you wanted to stir up emotions, you certainly did. If you wanted to get empathy from nativists, challenge bigotry and xenophobia, I highly doubt it.

Even more unfortunate is that because of a simple word, these injustices continue happening daily and efforts like Dov Charney's, the company's chief executive, go wasted and unappreciated.

Mr. Charney, as the Times reports, "has campaigned, in T-shirt logos and eye-catching advertisements, to “legalize L.A.,” by granting legal status to illegal immigrants, a policy President Obama supports."

And speaking like a true pro-immigrant and as someone who still believes the above lines, Mr. Charney says, "The firings “will not help the economy, will not make us safer”. “No matter how we choose to define or label them,” he said, illegal immigrants “are hard-working, taxpaying workers.”

And I firmly believe him. We are humans and we are here because we value the above named values as much as the person next door. But, as long as that scapegoating term keeps haunting us, we will not succeed and nothing will change. The pursuit of immigrants will continue.

Do whatever you can to end using the term "illegal." The next generation will thank you.