There is a term in linguistics called the “drift of the signifieds.” In this phenomenon, a symbol remains the same but the meaning attributed to that symbol changes.
For example: The red flag of the Bolsheviks, in the early Soviet Union, was the symbol of anarchist revolution, but it later became the symbol of mindless conformity. For another example, consider how the word “gay” has changed in apparent meaning since, say, World War 2.
On the immigration issue, in the United States today, there seems to be an opposite effect holding; the actions by certain people, illegal immigrants, have not changed, but the terms used by the left to describe these illegal invaders have changed – the left calls them “migrants,” or even “undocumented residents.”
That is, of course, balderdash, as GOP vice presidential contender JD Vance is pointing out.
JD Vance on the Haitians in Springfield:
“I’m still going to call them an illegal alien. An illegal action from Kamala Harris does not make an alien legal. That is not how this works.”
This is excellent framing. The Biden/Harris regime decided to simply ignore U.S. immigration… pic.twitter.com/Zrs2qDX9jI
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 19, 2024
It’s interesting how the right always seems to be arguing objective realities, while the left argues fantasy. Mushy language does not in any way attenuate the crime of crossing the border illegally, and it’s important to note that whatever an illegal alien does after entering the country, no matter how law-abiding they are once they are in the country, they are still guilty of a crime by coming in illegally in the first place.
That’s called breaking the law. It’s illegal. These people are not “undocumented,” they are not “migrants,” they are illegal aliens, and JD Vance is absolutely correct to call them that, no matter how vociferous the left is about his supposed insensitivity.
As though we should be sensitive towards law-breakers.
See Related:
Dozens of Left-Wing Immigration Groups ‘Trust Harris’ to Abandon ‘Harmful’ Border Pledge If She Wins
‘Damage That Will Take Decades to Remedy’: House Report Slams Biden-Harris Border Crisis
In the X post above, Charlie Kirk is likewise correct. This is excellent framing, the Harris/Biden regime has not only ignored U.S. immigration but has actually facilitated the illegal entry of thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens. It’s an invasion, and the Harris/Biden administration is complicit in it.
And as I keep saying and will go on saying, we just don’t know who many of these people are, why they are here, where they intend to go, or what they intend to go when they get there. We are already seeing some indications, that places like Aurora, Colorado, and Springfield, Ohio are paying the price for the administration’s irresponsible handling of this practice.
It’s hard to discuss problems and their solutions when one side of the debate can’t even use accurate terminology, and yet, that’s precisely where we are on the immigration debate today. That’s where it is, and until the left starts looking at this problem realistically, they will never be part of any solution.
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