Students Against "Anti-Immigrant Slurs" Collect Signatures of Support

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by Fox Charlotte

Story Created: May 1, 2011 at 8:41 PM EDT

Story Updated: May 1, 2011 at 11:28 PM EDT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - They were up to 859 signatures when our camera arrived at McAlpine Creek Park in east Charlotte.  The Latin American Coalition's youth group has taken a national campaign, "Drop the I Word," and localized it.

They set up a tent at the Fanta Festival and asked people to sign pledge sheets that they wouldn't use words like "alien" or "illegal" and instead use "undocumented immigrants."  16-year-old Loan Tran says, "So that the actual issues surrounding immigration and immigrant communities can actually be resolved without biased language being thrown around."

Tran says she and other group members are "trying to create a more respectful community."  She says, "The word illegal dehumanizes people.  No human is illegal, people are not illegal."

South Charlotte resident Tarasa Wright signed the pledge, saying "I think it's a great idea!"  And while east Charlotte's Bradley Sage supports their effort, he knows the teens will face critics who feel strongly that undocumented immigrants pose a threat.  "Threat to jobs, threat to our culture," says Sage.

Our friends on Facebook overwhelmingly do not support the "Drop the I Word" campaign.  Jim says, "Idealistic teens don't have to pay the taxes that support these illegals."  Kris says, "Illegal is just that - illegal."  And Tom says, "Calling someone an undocumented alien, is like calling a drug dealer an unlicensed pharmacist!"

Selene Medina, an East Meck High School student, says her classmates use certain words to  segregate.  She says, "I see a lot of kids using those words and especially 'wetback' when they wanna be mean to people.  They will throw that term out at you."

When our camera arrived, the teens had 859 signatures from people pledging to "Drop the I Word."  They surpassed 1,000 by the time we left.   

The teens will take the signatures to elected leaders and ask them to "Drop the I Word," too.  We asked city council and county commissioners for their reaction.  Commissioner Bill James is the only one to reply so far.  He says, "I will continue to use the term illegal because they are illegal."

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