They are not CITIZENS, they are SURVIVORS.

[LoZoccolo]

Please do not belittle the experience these people are going through trying to survive something that you or I couldn't imagine going through. If you do not use a different word for them, you are basically saying that you don't know anything about their experience that would make it different than anyone else's experience, when you are not trying to survive like they are right now. It shows that you don't know anything about what's going on and haven't even been watching the news or know about the flood or hurricane.

_{NOTE: This post is sarcastic.}

[T Town Jake]

1. LOL...I didn't get it at first, and then I noticed your "note."

:rofl:

[goodhue]

2. 52-year-old Ina Duncan: We are only victims of Hurricane Katrina.

http://blogs.chron.com/domeblog/

In the midst of all this, Bryant says, the evacuees are trying to keep their dignity. Many object to the term "refugee," including 52-year-old Ina Duncan:

We are only victims of Hurricane Katrina. I was born at Charity Hospital. We are not refugees. We are taxpayers. We are victims of the hurricane and we are having a crisis.

Note: Ms. Duncan is not being sarcastic.

[goodhue]

3. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.: "They are not refugees. I hate that word.''

http://www.startribune.com/stories/125/5593643.html

Black members of Congress expressed anger Friday at what they said was a slow federal response to Hurricane Katrina.

"It looks dysfunctional to me right now,'' said Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif.

* * *

Watson and others also took issue with the word "refugee'' being used to describe hurricane victims.

"'Refugee' calls up to mind people that come from different lands and have to be taken care of. These are American citizens,'' Watson said.

Added Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.: "They are not refugees. I hate that word.''

Note: Rep. Cummings is not being sarcastic.

[LoZoccolo]

7. Me: "I know the difference between a political refugee and...

...a storm refugee, but if it really matters I won't call you that. I won't accuse others of not knowing the difference, though."

Actually, I seriously like "survivors" better; I think it's something to recognize.

[goodhue]

8. Okay, perhaps their is a difference . . .

If so, please provide prior examples of internally displaced storm victims routinely being called refugees? Either in the US or otherwise would be fine. My belief, perhaps erroneous, is that category storm refugees did really not exist a week ago, save perhaps the dust bowl era.

FYI, here are some links to organizations that deal daily with refugees.

http://www.unhcr.ch/

http://www.refugees.org/

http://www.refintl.org/

http://www.ecre.org/

http://www.state.gov/g/prm/

http://hrw.org/doc/?t=refugees&document_limit=0,2

http://www.refugeenet.org/

http://web.amnesty.org/pages/refugees-index-eng

[nonconformist]

9. Semantics at a time like this? nt

[goodhue]

10. Its racism

IMHO

[LoZoccolo]

14. No it isn't and you owe us an apology now.

And it isn't your "humble" opinion either if you didn't even check your own assertion before you accused people of racism. It's one thing to not like the term and suggest a different one, another to make an accusation.

[LoZoccolo]

11. Shelters fill with impatient refugees

Plans are thwarted and lives interrupted as people take cover and wait for Jeanne to pass.

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/27/Hernando/Shelters_fill_with_im.shtml

[LoZoccolo]

12. Citrus squeezed (2004 hurricanes)

With Hurricane Ivan churning south of Florida, bureau President Bill Peeper says the group has grown "a nice little service" into "a critical part of the community's ability to accept hurricane refugees."

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2004/09/20/tidbits1.html

Do you even use Google before you accuse someone of racism?

See this is why people hate us, not because we stand for something, but because we appear to go around accusing people as a hobby.

[LoZoccolo]

13. Dust Bowl

Another example of how you did not even use Google:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22dust+bowl%22+refugees&btnG=Google+Search

[goodhue]

5. Rep. Kilpatrick: The people are not refugees — they are American citizens

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9176113/

Attack of use of the term 'refugees'

“The people are not ‘refugees’ — they are American citizens, they pay taxes, they raise their families... and I wish the media would call them American citizens and not refugees which relegates them to another whole status,” said Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9176113/

Note: Rep. Cheeks is not being sarcastic.

[nonconformist]

4. Tell me about it

they're starving and they gave them McDonalds hamburgers.

I'm pissed they didn't have fully organic meals available.

:sarcasm:

[bpilgrim]

6. hello... M$MWs, they are not REFUGEES they are SURVIVORS

psst... pass the word ;->

peace

[fujiyama]

15. I'm not getting the dispute myself

Refugees IMO sounds accurate and sympathetic.

It is possible to be a refugee in your own country. One definition I have seen shows it to be "One who flees in search of refuge, as in times of war, political oppression, or religious persecution."

It says nothing of them being forced to cross international borders.

These people are survivors of the storm and victims of this administration's incompetance and criminal neglect. They are fleeing their homes.