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September 7, 2005
Let's use correct words
Main Entry: ref·u·gee
Pronunciation: "re-fyu-'jE, 're-fyu-"
Function: noun
Etymology: French réfugié, past participle of (se) réfugier to take refuge, from Latin refugium
: one that flees; especially : a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution
- ref·u·gee·ism /-"i-z&m/ noun
The people who are escaping the mess that Katrina left in the South are *not* refugees. They are American citizens with rights, and they should be treated better than some of them are being treated.
These people have lost their homes, their jobs, their friends. They have not lost their American Citizenship - so, reporters, et. al. - quit calling them refugees - they have *not* fled the country!!
Posted by Beth at September 7, 2005 1:34 PM
Comments
I agree. I hate that term "refugee" and now I have a good reason... it's not ACCURATE! :) Thanks for the insightful posts!
Posted by: Cranky Chick at September 7, 2005 5:59 PM
I refer to them as evacuees.
Posted by: Allan at September 8, 2005 9:35 AM
I think 'evacuee' is a fitting term. But still, wouldn't you say the displaced-by-Katrina people are seeking 'refuge?'
from dictionary.com:
ref·uge (refyooj)
n.
1. Protection or shelter, as from danger or hardship.
2. A place providing protection or shelter.
3. A source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble.
v. Archaic ref·uged, ref·ug·ing, ref·ug·es
v. tr.
To give refuge to.
v. intr.
To take refuge.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin refugium, from refugere, to run away : re-, re- + fugere, to flee.]
Posted by: Lefty_grrrl at September 8, 2005 6:02 PM
***ALERT*** ***Latin Geek ALERT***
You say potayto (or is it potatoe), I say potahto. Evacuee - Refugee, is all the same to me.
An Evacuee, is any person which E(x)Vac(ates) an area for whatever reason. Certainly, all our fellow citizens have Vacated Out Of the Gulf Region.
A Refugee, as Lefty Grrrl stated, is any who ReFugits, or Flees Again or Out Of. Certainly, with that CAT5 Monster Barreling down on the Gulf Coast, many fled their places of abode before and after it smashed our coasts.
Its just that the perfectly good term: Refugee evokes visions of Biafra, or Cambodia in our PC'd collective minds.
Just my ignorant Rican opinion
Posted by: Boquisucio at September 8, 2005 8:54 PM
Internally Displaced Person (IDP) is the current term, I believe.
Cheers
JMH
Posted by: J.M. Heinrichs at September 9, 2005 9:58 AM