Refugees, Evacuees or Survivors
There is an e-mail discussion going on among liberal bloggers as to what to call those displaced by Katrina. On CNN earlier today, a representative from the Congressional Black Caucus chastised the media for using the term "refugees." He found it offensive that journalists were referring to American citizens as if they were foreigners. He opined that if we think about them as refugees then we'll begin (or rather continue) to treat them like refugees. Refugees seems to imbue a second class status upon them.
"Evacuees" and "survivors" are emerging as preferred terms. Others think that "refugees" is preferable because it will make people so uncomfortable - and because it reinforces the idea this is something that should not be happening in America.
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