Words matter

Xoff and others are right to call out Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner and others that dismissed the rally in Milwaukee last week as an illegal immigrant rally. Calling it that perpetuates the image that many have that Latinos are all illegal and dangerous to our country.

I'm going to scold myself on misusing words to reinforce the point. A while ago, I did a post that was a lame attempt at humor about the lockdown of the capitol during the debate on the amendment to ban gay marriage and civil unions. My post reinforces the image that many have that gays are all leather pants wearing people that love to dance to ABBA. I should know better and the check on myself should have been - would I have done the same type of post using the stereotypes of a different minority. Of course all gay people do not wear leather pants and dance to ABBA and my post did nothing to advance the important debate about the amendment.

And Sensenbrenner calling the rally an illegal immigrant rally did nothing to advance the debate on immigration reform. Immigration reform is a very complex problem that deserves better from our U.S. Representatives.