[P. A.]

Why are people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton insisting that the Hurricane Katrina victims are not refugees? Have these two men looked up the definition of the word 'Refugee'?

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Name : P. A., City : Jacksonville, State : FL Country : United States, 

[Janice]

I think Reverends Jackson and Sharpton just want to keep their names in the papers and stir up trouble, as they have no other claims to fame.

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Name : Janice, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 53, City : Warren, State : MI Country : United States, Occupation : Bookkeeper, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Rachel]

The word 'refugee' has a derogatory connotation, that's why. I, too, prefer the term 'survivor'.

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Name : Rachel, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, City : Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : SAHM, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[D-B]

Refugee has a specific meaning with respect to displaced persons. In this case we are talking about evacuees. Survivors would be a good term as well however with the increased energy costs due to both Katrina and Rita everyone in the US could be considered to be in the survivor catagory.

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Name : D-B, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : white/Asian, Age : 46, City : Milwaukee, State : WI Country : United States, Occupation : Scientist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, 

[Ggirl]

You asked if Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton had looked up the meaning of the word refugee. My question is, have you?? In Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th edition it states that refugee is 'a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution.' Last time I checked, the folks in the Gulf region were citizens of this country, not a foreign country.

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Name : Ggirl, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 40, City : Sacramento, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Pookie]

I looked up the definition of 'refugee' -- it's a person who flees in search of refuge. Sounds accurate to me.

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Name : Pookie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 28, City : Bristol, State : IN Country : United States, Occupation : court reporter, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[bg]

so since im a refugee from that came to U.S. from Haiti, does that mean Americans look bad on me because the word 'refugee' is insulting? I am a refugee and proud to be one. I am proud I found refuge in the U.S.. Is Jesse Jackson against me?? Why do I have negative sound because I am refugee?

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Name : bg, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, City : Miami, State : FL Country : United States, 

[blacktress]

I looked up the word refugee, and in essence, it is referring to those who flee to saftey, especially fleeing a foreign country to escape persecution. These evacuees were not running from another country. They are Americans born here, for the most part. That's why Jesse and Al had a problem with the evacuees being called refugees.

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Name : blacktress, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 27, City : philadelphia, State : PA Country : United States, 

[T. Arroyo]

'Refugee" According the Webster dictionary, it is somebody who is seeking or taking refuge, especially from war or persecution, by going to a foreign country. For those insightful enough to know that what the word means, it is understandably degrading. It is problematic to call evacuees this because this poeple are not of another country. They are US citizens. Also, in the past 2 years, there have been devastation due to many natural disasters and not once have you heard the term "refugee" used in reference to Caucasians. However, with this incident,the media classified African Americans as refugees and looters, while Caucasians were misplaced and doing what they needed to survive. Therefore, there is a problem that needs to be addressed. Not only is the word being incorrectly used, but it has been turned into yet another way to degrade the African American race.

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Name : T. Arroyo, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 23, City : Kansas City, State : MO Country : United States, Occupation : Managment, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[VB]

first of all refugee is a term used for thoes from other countries fleeing to america for safety! i don't think the people from New Orleans are from another country, even though they were trying to flee to save their lives.

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Name : VB, City : houston, State : TX Country : United States, 

[Ava Rodgers]

Refugees are not looked down upon by black Americans. The problem most enlightened Americans have with the media in general is how they manipulate language to color perception. If they call Americans refugees because they are black (which is the only time such language has been used to describle an American) with language, they insinuate that they are not 'really' americans. They are refugees and this forgives the slow response time by the federal government.

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Name : Ava Rodgers, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Humanist, Age : 36, City : Detroit, State : MI Country : United States, Occupation : Programmer, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Middle class, 

[kristi]

Under international law, a refugee is a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution. Hurricane Katrina victims were mostly American citzens and not fleeing because any of the above mention reasons. It is an insult because most were black Americans and calling them refugee was a way saying they are not Americans.

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Name : kristi, City : greensboro, State : NC Country : United States, 

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