Labels, Stereotypes, and Crime

If the newspaper placed in its top headlines every time a Jew allegedly committed a crime and used "A Jew" first, I wonder how long it would be before people would start hating and fearing all Jews.

When someone kidnaps a child, does the newspaper start with "A Jew kidnaps child"?  Of course not.  But is seems to be acceptable to say "An illegal immigrant kidnaps a child." It is unfortunate that the Houston Chronicle pushed the xenophobic button a little more in today's paper by stating "Illegal Immigrant Kidnaps a Child."  Of course this is a terrible crime.  If guilty, it is necessary the man be incarcerated.  But why start the headline with "illegal immigrant?"  Now, every person who reads that may cringe every time they walk by a male they think is an "illegal immigrant."

just a thought:

"Jew embezzles millions"  (Madoff)

or

"Texan embezzles millions" (Stanford)

isn't very nice is it?  I can see the Anti- defammation League getting all upset about this, even if Madoff is a crook.  Well, this guy who kidnapped the child may be a criminal, but it is still wrong that the paper published "Illegal Immigrant kidnaps child."

llegal immigrant charged in girl's abduction, Houston Chronicle, February 21, 2009