“Illegal” is a dirty word.

When the United Methodist General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) rolled-out their endorsement of the Drop the I-Word campaign, Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TnJFON) was quick to support the effort.

The campaign seeks to eliminate the word “illegal” when referring to undocumented immigrants, citing that the word is inflammatory and leads to acts of hate and injustice. “Many people do not realize that when an immigrant is in the U.S. without proper documentation, it is simply a civil offense and not a criminal matter,” explains TnJFON co-chair Rev. James Cole, “When you refer to individuals as ‘illegal’ you are creating an atmosphere of fear and oppression.”

GCORR asks that the word “undocumented” replace the word “illegal.” The organization points to The United Methodist Book of Discipline, which calls for the elimination of racism. GCORR emphasizes that no child of God is illegal and that using such language is racially coded leading to “stereotyping, discrimination and violence toward immigrants and people of color and is a
gross categorization of people.”

Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors, a Tennessee Annual Conference ministry serves the most vulnerable immigrants in our community. TnJFON leadership has agreed to add their names to GCORR’s collection of 10,000 names calling for its elimination within the church and media. The Associated Press uses the term “illegal immigrant” but its use has become a topic of discussion among journalists who say it can skew public debate.

“By encouraging people of faith to rethink their use of the I-word, we are hopefully encouraging them to consider a deeper understanding of immigrants in our community,” says Cole.

> TnJFON encourages others to join the campaign: www.gcorr.org/droptheiword

> For more information about TnJFON: http://tnjfon.org/

ZOE Ministry, a distinctive United Methodist empowerment ministry to orphans, invites your church to re-think Christmas through alternative giving. Through ZOE’s Christmas Animals alternative giving, your congregation can honor family, friends and colleagues with a gift in their name that transforms an orphan’s life.

Learn more, download materials, and register for an alternative market kit that includes a free DVD by CLICKING HERE

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