“Alien” No More

News headlines this week included “Jerry Brown Nixes ‘Alien’ From California Labor Law” and similar references.  The articles noted that the term is now considered derogatory and either stated or implied that Governor Brown’s action was an important and sweeping move to show compassion and modernize the Labor Code.  Don’t believe what you read.  Apparently most of the news media doesn’t do much investigation before they publish.

Governor Brown’s action was neither sweeping nor important.  Even if the word ‘alien’ is now considered derogatory, it was not used extensively in the Labor Code.  The bill signed by Brown (SB 432) removed the word from a grand total of two places in the Labor Code, both of which dealt with a single and obscure topic—public works bid awarding in times of extraordinary unemployment due to industrial depression.  One provision set the definition of an alien.  The other provided that in times of extraordinary unemployment due to industrial depression, the State shall offer employment first to citizens of California, second to citizens of other states within the United States, and third to aliens.

Ironically, instead of simply striking the word alien from the statute, SB 432 removed the entire statute and with it the preference on public works projects for Californians over citizens of other states!  Another example of the smoke, mirrors and “show” that is California government.  Unfortunately, the media blindly plays along.