George,

[Here's] the Webster's Dictionary definition of refugee.

One entry found
Main Entry: ref·u·gee
Pronunciation: "re-fyu-'jE, 're-fyu-"
Function: noun
Etymology: French réfugié, past participle of (se) réfugier to take refuge, from Latin refugium : one that flees; especially : a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution
- ref·u·gee·ism /-"i-z&m/ noun

Please stop calling the relocated survivors of hurricane Katrina refugees. Poor, Black, Wealthy, White, somewhere in the middle ... they and we are all Americans. Please begin the process of helping our brothers and sisters by embracing them through accurate reference and description. I encourage you to call our dislocated comrades evacuees.

Kelli Palmer (electronic mail, September 7, 2005)

Editor's note: an equally strong definition supporting this contention may be found at http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/refugee