If Frank Luntz has taught us anything, how you phrase an argument is more important than the actual argument.

“Global warming” is now “climate change.” The “estate tax” is now the “death tax.” Think of popular buzzwords today: sustainable, social justice, rights, etc. All of these are now politically charged words.

Those changes make policy arguments more palatable to average voters, and therefore more acceptable. You should always beware a liberal complaining about the semantics of a political issue. It plays into the larger strategy of some sweeping social change to be unleased on America.

Yesterday, Miriam at Feministing threw a little hissy at the Associated Press’ use of “illegal immigrant.” While her post is laughable (a person with an anthropology degree is telling professional journalists how to write?), it shows the level of detail to which liberals will take their fight.

Miriam is upset that the Associated Press Stylebook* instructs journalists and writers to use “illegal immigrant” over the more-PC “undocumented worker.” She whines:

Screw you AP Style Book.

The AP Style Book is a resource for journalists on language, spelling, pronunciation and proper word usage. I’m not clear how the AP Style Book makes decisions, but it is widely regarded and highly used by journalists.

This explains why most of the mainstream media still uses the term “illegal immigrant.” I find the term offensive and disrespectful, as do most immigration activists. People are not illegal, actions are. The advocate community uses the term “undocumented immigrant” which the Stylebook clearly disagrees with.

Thankfully, they don’t advocate using the term “alien.” But illegal needs to go.

If you want to contact the AP Style Book and lobby them to use “undocumented immigrant” you can email them here: info@apbookstore.com.

This may seem like a silly battle, especially since her argument hinges on personal offense, but phrasing is critical to winning policy battles. One of my graduate school professors proudly explained how she changed the word “terrorists” to “freedom fighters” when working as a copyeditor in the 70s. There’s quite a difference of perspective between freedom fighters and terrorists. (She also brought a union organizer who was a former aid to Cynthia McKinney to class, but that’s another story.)

The left needs to re-frame the immigration debate in order to win. As long as persons who enter the country without permission are known as “illegal immigrants” it reminds voters that they broke the law. Those individuals are starting their American existence as criminals. Liberals want to hide that fact. They want you to feel guilty for your hard work and success and spread your wealth around to “underserved” or “at-risk” “undocumented workers” because it’s just not fair!

Most liberal policy arguments are built on sob stories. How can they evoke sympathy for someone when the proper term reminds you of their criminal activity. Thus, the bland “undocumented worker, which emphasizes “worker,” as in person earning their own living. It’s part of our American pathos to side with the underdog.  “Undocumented” just makes them appear to lack a passport. The term is far more palatable and easier to sell voters on the need for immigration reform that includes amnesty.

Newsflash to Miriam: People can be illegal. The term “illegal immigrant” references their status in this country. If they moved from another country to America, they are immigrants. If they entered this country without permission, that makes them and their actions illegal. Also, it’s Stylebook not Style Book.

It is absolutely critical to the immigration debate that we win this battle over semantics.

*For those outside of writing worlds, the AP Stylebook is the bible of the media. My beloved 2002 edition has literally been bled over from my J-school days. It started out a few pages of guidelines to standardize the newspaper world and is now the voice of authority for the industry. Individual newspapers and outlets can maintain their own style guidelines (such as using Mr. Smith vs. Smith) but the Stylebook is the national standard.