Revised Definition of 'Anchor Baby' Part of Leftist Agenda, Critics Say
December 9, 2011
FoxNews.com
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The term "anchor baby" was among roughly 10,000 words -- including "hoodie" and "babydaddy" -- added to the dictionary's fifth edition last month.
A decision by the American Heritage Dictionary to revise its definition of "anchor baby" -- labeling it an offensive and disparaging term -- is an attempt to manipulate the "linguistic landscape" and push a leftist agenda, some opponents of illegal immigration say.
"Anchor baby" was among roughly 10,000 words -- including "hoodie" and "babydaddy" -- added to the dictionary's fifth edition last month. The hot-button term, a noun, was initially defined as: "A child born to a noncitizen mother in a country that grants automatic citizenship to children born on its soil, especially such a child born to parents seeking to secure eventual citizenship for themselves and often other members of their family."
That definition caught the attention of Mary Giovagnoli, director of the Washington-based Immigration Policy Center, who heard American Heritage Dictionary executive editor Steve Kleinedler read it during a radio interview last month. Giovagnoli blasted the definition on the organization's blog last Friday, saying it masked the "poisonous and derogatory" nature of the term.
By Monday, the term had been changed. It is now defined as such: "Offensive Used as a disparaging term for a child born to a noncitizen mother in a country that grants automatic citizenship to children born on its soil, especially when the child's birthplace is thought to have been chosen in order to improve the mother's or other relatives' chances of securing eventual citizenship."
The revision is now a "well-crafted" definition of how the term is used, Giovagnoli said.
But not everyone agrees.
"That's a political statement and it's not even accurate," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies. "[An anchor baby] is a child born to an illegal immigrant."
Krikorian said the revised definition makes a political statement and is much more than neutral, "just the facts" reference material.
"It's a sign of real provincialism," he said. "I understand why people don't like the term, but I know lots of people who use it in a non-disparaging fashion. There really isn't a shorthand way of describing people like this, and there does need to be because it an important source of political debate: Should the children born to illegal immigrants get automatic citizenship?"
Bob Dane, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a Washington-based organization that seeks to end illegal immigration, said the revised definition panders to a small but vocal group of critics who are "manipulating the political, cultural and now linguistic landscape" of the United States.
"Publishing word definitions to fit politically correct molds surrenders the language to drive an agenda," Dane told FoxNews.com. "This dictionary becomes a textbook for the open borders lobby."
Asked if the term has a place in the dictionary, Dane replied: "Yes, it's a descriptive term, but what's offensive about 'anchor baby' isn't the term, but the practice of having a baby on our soil to game the system."
Giovagnoli, for her part, is satisfied with the change.
"I have no idea what their political leanings are, but our conversations were about the precision of language," she said. "They were very scholarly and rigorous in their response to me in their attempts to define how the word is used and interpreted.
"If anything, they realized that the issue started to generate criticism that this really was a term that was a slur, and that they made a mistake."
In a statement to FoxNews.com, Kleinedler said the original definition "lacked standard terminology" to indicate its offensiveness.
"This error has been rectified both in the definition and by the use of the label "offensive," so the term is now treated similarly to how the dictionary treats a wide range of slurs," Kleinedler's statement read. "The editorial staff stands behind the revision."
By comparison, the term "anchor baby" is not found in the latest online dictionary edition by Merriam-Webster. But while it is just one word among 10,000 new terms, William Gheen, president of the Americans for Legal Immigration, said the revision of "anchor baby" is no small matter.
"The future of the United States is a place where you cannot speak your mind freely or engage in any terms or comments deemed inappropriate by the thought police," Gheen said. "What's really offensive is how these pro-illegal immigrant groups are telling people how they can talk."
Dictionary's 'Anchor Baby' Decision Is Definition of Foolish
By Bob Dane
December 9, 2011
FoxNews.com
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After receiving a complaint from the Immigration Policy Center, an organization known for its open-borders and amnesty agenda, the American Heritage Dictionary redefined the term "anchor baby" as an offensive term, admitting they had made a mistake.
Translation: the American Heritage Dictionary capitulated to a small, but vocal, special interest group that is trying to manipulate the political, legal, cultural and linguistic landscape on behalf of illegal aliens.
The American Heritage Dictionary is trailing only slightly behind major newspapers in redefining words to fit politically correct molds, surrendering the language to drive political goals, and affixing inflammatory connotations to words and phrases used in policy discussions with which they disagree. Thus, to promote precision and clarity, and liberate healthy free speech, we have provided a handy reference guide to the three most common words and phrases in the immigration debate.
The American Heritage Directory's new definition of "anchor baby" reads as:
"Offensive - Used as a disparaging term for a child born to a non-citizen mother in a country that grants automatic citizenship to children born on its soil, especially when the child's birthplace is thought to have been chosen in order to improve the mother's or other relatives' chances of securing eventual citizenship."
Is that really an impartial dictionary definition? Or, is it a subtle editorial about the aspirations of illegal aliens and an ominous warning to those would dare to use such a "disparaging" term while trying to address the escalating problems of unchecked illegal immigration?
The offensive aspect of "anchor baby" isn't the term itself, but the practice of having children on U.S. soil for the sheer purpose of gaming the system.
The birthright citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment was originally meant to provide fair and due citizenship to newly freed slaves after the Civil War. Now, however, it is used and abused by illegal aliens and non-immigrants to unfairly gain citizenship for their children. At least 363,000 babies are born in the U.S. every year to illegal aliens, 1 in every 12 births nationwide.
The publisher's definition also affixes a motive to the term suggesting that having an anchor baby helps the mother stay with a hint of covert endorsement that it should.
It's best for a dictionary to simply describe the "what" as opposed to the "why." After all, the American Heritage Dictionary defines a "burglar" is "someone who commits burglary. It does not amend the definition with "for the purpose of feeding his/her kids."
If the American Heritage Dictionary can buckle so easily in this instance to politically correct dictum demanded by special interests, what's the next taboo word, phrase or thought?
At this rate, the two other commonly used terms in immigration - "illegal alien" and "amnesty" – may also be at risk of being labeled as offensive or euphemized into semantic pabulum.
"Illegal alien" is a descriptive term, but quickly being replaced by "undocumented workers." Amnesty advocates believe that using the adjective "undocumented" magically erases the illegality, while claiming they are "workers" suggests all are gainfully employed, which they're often not. The proper reference is "illegal aliens." "Illegal" means prohibited by law. Yes, entry without inspection into the U.S is prohibited. And "alien" is a term defined in 8 U.S.C. Section 1101 and used by legal professionals across the board including the United States Supreme Court. It's ok to say illegal aliens.
"Amnesty" is another descriptive term but has been substituted for "path to citizenship." Euphemisms for amnesty wear thin quickly so even this new phrase is giving way to "earned legalization." We already have a "path to citizenship" and it starts with applying for a green card and getting in line.
"Earned legalization" is kind of crafty. It implies that as long as illegal aliens actually have to do something, no matter how inconsequential like paying a modest fine, it is not really amnesty. Beware of both phrases.
Substitute the word "amnesty" and describe it as "rewarding those who have broken the law."
By politicizing the term "anchor baby" and making a moral judgment about its use, the American Heritage Dictionary has become willing partner in the illegal alien lobby's quest to create toxic words that intimidate users and stifle debate.
Here's another word – "objective." The American Heritage Dictionary should look that up.
Bob Dane is Communications Director, Federation for American Immigration Reform.
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