# The Democratic president of the United States of America, the guy who ran against Donald Trump and just launched his campaign to do so again, just called someone "an illegal" in the State of the Union address **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 8, 2024, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607 "2024-03-08T13:24:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/41 "2024-03-08T15:27:03Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > I only mentioned Trump at all to head off the exact post that you wrote anyway. You mentioned Trump to equate him to Biden. That’s what the word “also” means, it’s a comparative, you were comparing Biden to Trump and saying they were both scumbags and racists. The fact that you didn’t elaborate just highlights the fact that you are trying to BSAB us. They are not the same, not remotely the same, and the fact that Biden said the word “illegal” when referring to someone doesn’t change a thing. The type of post I wrote is inevitable in this thread because you’re trying to say the person who did a small bad thing is bad, while his opponent is busy burning down an orphanage. The differences have to be mentioned. Go crawl back under your rock. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/42 "2024-03-08T15:30:29Z")
You could say, he was addressing Marjo (who showed up in MAGA carnival style) _in her language_ : “yes, so she was murdeded by _’an illegal’_ , well, let’s do something about that!” The “scare quotes” being of course inaudible when spoken. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/43 "2024-03-08T15:35:51Z")
Sir, this is a Wendys. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/44 "2024-03-08T15:41:46Z")
We have “The Yard Sign” up by our house. I believe my wife got ours from the St Louis Ethical Society (a non-religious Sunday go-to-meeting place). After posting it for her, I asked “what does it mean ‘No Human is Illegal’?” I forget her exact answer, but I’d characterize it —reluctantly, not gleefully — as “the euphemism treadmill”. And every time I see The Sign in the yard of a neighbor or relative I twinge a tiny twinge. For me it’s too controlling and too self-righteous. So Biden’s use of “Illegal” is a shrug rather than a twinge. Maybe I’ll change my mind someday; there are hundreds of euphemisms that I embrace. Our yard sign is several years old and weathering away. I won’t be sad to see it go, mostly because of that one line … well, I could use a little more precision with “Love is Love” and “Kindness is Everything” but ehh, it’s a yard sign. Brevity matters. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/45 "2024-03-08T15:45:53Z")
Wildly unreasonable. The point of the thread is that I am mad that Joe Biden did a racist scumbag thing literally yesterday. Not only is there a one hundred percent chance every response would be “oh yeah so Trump is better” if I didn’t say yes I don’t need to be told Trump is also obviously a racist scumbag, pretty much all of the responses have been that anyway. I didn’t equate them. It’s not my fault that Joe Biden did something bad that racist Republicans also do. It’s not my fault that “both sides” call people illegals now. I’m observing that this is a state of affairs that is not good, and Joe Biden should make it not true. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/46 "2024-03-08T15:48:28Z")
I wish he hadn’t. Even if he was using his opponent’s language or something like that. It’s awful, dehumanizing language like referring to someone as vermin. Something to be eliminated, destroyed, killed. What am I supposed to feel and/or do about it exactly? ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/47 "2024-03-08T15:48:56Z")
I recommend starting a thread ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/48 "2024-03-08T15:49:26Z")
Then you wrote a terrible OP, because it sure looked liked you were trying for a what-about statement. A gotcha or something. And pointing to the ATMB flag was what exactly? ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/49 "2024-03-08T15:50:34Z")
Someone already started a thread “writing down what happened.” Nothing seems to be coming of it. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/50 "2024-03-08T15:54:10Z")
I heard someone who knows one of the people who do the laundry in the White House that during the SOU address, Biden had a hole in one of his socks. This tears it. I cannot vote for Biden now. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/51 "2024-03-08T15:55:48Z")
Yes, that was the joke. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/52 "2024-03-08T15:59:51Z")
DARN HIM!!! [&Discourse] ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/53 "2024-03-08T16:01:27Z")
Fair enough. I needed to be hit over the head with more smilies or something. Honestly, I was extremely, extremely disappointed by the decision to not moderate that type of language here. A lot of the pushback seemed to be along the lines of ‘well, I’ve used that language before so I’m going to twist and distort in any way possible to justify it not being some horrific slur.’ Heck, nextdoor doesn’t even allow ‘illegals’ or even ‘illegal immigrants’ to be used because its dehumanizing language. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/54 "2024-03-08T16:12:28Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Biden had a hole in one of his socks. > [@DavidNRockies](#): > > DARN HIM!!! Golf clap. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/55 "2024-03-08T16:13:48Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Honestly, I was extremely, extremely disappointed by the decision to not moderate that type of language here. A lot of the pushback seemed to be along the lines of ‘well, I’ve used that language before so I’m going to twist and distort in any way possible to justify it not being some horrific slur.’ Yeah. Always hard to tell where the center of gravity on these things is, but clearly I’m wildly misremembering what the spirit of the 2020 election cycle was. I would have said that calling immigrants “illegals” is exactly the kind of hateful thing that indicates that Trump is the person he is. Like, Trump is bad for that reason, and other reasons. It’s not bad _because_ Trump is the one saying it. I am not surprised I’m being told that’s both-sidesism, but I also am a little surprised. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/56 "2024-03-08T16:14:15Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > The point of the thread is that I am mad that Joe Biden did a racist scumbag thing literally yesterday. As I said above, this is ONE event in over three years of presidenting. Glad you got one thread in that time. Trump would’ve had a new one daily for the same shit, and worse, if we didn’t have a couple dozen existing threads to enter the daily “Trump is an asshole and here is what he did today” Go on, do your victory lap! Edit to add: I also said above that Biden shouldn’t have said that. I think most are in agreement except for people like Jasmine that think illegal is a fantastic term to use. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/57 "2024-03-08T16:18:27Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Go on, do your victory lap! What is you guys’ deal exactly? My victory that now the people from the only party who could ever have been said to have a chance at doing anything good in the country are the people who yell at you for saying something racist is racist? What am I purported to think I have won here ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/58 "2024-03-08T16:19:36Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > My victory that now the people from the only party who could ever have been said to have a chance at doing anything good in the country are the people who yell at you for saying something racist is racist? Are you having a stroke, mate? I can feel my brain cells withering away each time I try to make sense of this word salad. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/59 "2024-03-08T16:23:20Z")
This thread is a tempest in a teapot. I can’t imagine why the OP is so worked up about this. Someone was not perfect once? ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2024, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607/60 "2024-03-08T16:37:50Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I can’t imagine why the OP is so worked up about this. I mean, it’s not like my party’s presidential candidate used dehumanizing language about _me_. /sarcasm Biden made a mistake. I don’t think it’s a big one, and it may even help him defang the fascist talking points, but he used dehumanizing language. That is hurtful. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democratic-president-of-the-united-states-of-america-the-guy-who-ran-against-donald-trump-and-just-launched-his-campaign-to-do-so-again-just-called-someone-an-illegal-in-the-state-of-the-union-address/998607.md?page=4)