Get rid of ‘I’ word, ethnic center says

GPSA unanimously passed a resolution to support the elimination of the word “illegal” in reference to people.

The El Centro de la Raza presented the resolution at Saturday’s GPSA Council meeting and asked members to endorse the “Drop the I” campaign.

The misuse of the term is offensive and inaccurate, said Christopher Ramirez, a representative from the Office for Equity and Inclusion. He said the resolution will be proposed to ASUNM.
“It is a very de-humanizing word,” he said. “This is racism. Structural racism and institutional racism allows our society and people in the media to be able to use terms like ‘illegal’ when it is actually not appropriate.”

The campaign was developed by online racial justice magazine, Color Lines, to spread the message that referring to people as “illegal” promotes racism and hate.

GPSA council member Alex Flores said the term often refers to Hispanic immigrants.

“We don’t hear the white farmers who hire these immigrants called illegal farmers,” he said. “It is a term that deserves to go away.”
GPSA member Brian Hendrickson said the issue doesn’t just affect the Hispanic population.

“There was recently an article in Fox News using the term illegal referring to Indian immigrants,” he said.
GPSA member Japji Hundal said the media’s use of the word fosters a negative perception in the community.

“If I am an undocumented student and I open up the Daily Lobo and see this word (illegal), I don’t feel that I am part of this community,” he said. “If the media sends this message — we need to try to educate people about this.”

Other resolution passed at the GPSA meeting:

GPSA passed a resolution in support of the institution retaining instructional and general funding through the budget cuts slated for FY12.
GPSA passed a resolution to increase parking fees instead of student fees to subsidize the free bus-pass program.