Words - what do they mean???

This will likely be my last post of the year on the asylum seeker issues, even though their plight still goes on, I have much to say on the rapidly upcoming festive season (in later posts).

I know I have been lax in writing, but many things have been getting in the road, not the least being the discomfort (physical & mental) of arranging shoulder surgery before Christmas .....

Anyway, these following comments have been prompted by a 'lurk-book' conversation I have been having with a friend-of-a-friend. One of the many points that were raised centred around the definitions and popular interpretation of the terms 'asylum seeker' and 'illegal immigrant'. The following paragraph which I shared, I have had for a couple of years, but quite frankly I can't remember whether I copied from one of the resources, or wrote it myself - but it summarises the discussion nicely of how the media and politicians have twisted the meanings of the words to suit their own purposes. And soo many people have been sucked in by it, which quite frankly is embarrassing that they are so gullible.

According to Australian immigration law, a person who tries to enter Australia without a visa or travel documents is in the country illegally (unlawfully) and is termed "illegal entrant", "unauthorised arrival" or "unlawful arrival". There are three categories of unlawful immigration. The first is arrival by air without proper documentation or visa, the second, arrival by sea without proper documentation or visa and the third, the overstaying or breaching of visa requirements.
Since the late 1990s the term “illegal immigrant” has been widely used in the media to describe asylum seekers, in particular boat people. This is highly debatable because asylum seekers who arrive in Australia seeking protection without valid visas, no documents or false documents, are not illegal. They are asylum seekers - a legal status under both Australian Law and International Laws that Australia is a signatory to.
The term asylum seeker is not an alternative to the term illegal immigrant. It is similarly incorrect to use asylum seeker as a general term to describe all people who enter Australia illegally. People enter or stay in Australia illegally for a range of reasons and most never seek asylum.
According to ABS, the vast majority of “Illegals” in Australia are from western countries, primarily British tourists. Yet we don't hear a furore about shutting the borders or throwing them out.

Have you been yet another one duped into being a puppet to the vested interests in politics & media?