As Maywood resident Linda Dodson watched the coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, she was stung by a word being used to describe people forced from their homes.

Although the strict definition of "refugee" applies when describing those fleeing the storm and floods, its connotation was offensive, Dodson said.

"It made me feel that these survivors were being looked down upon," she said. "When you think of refugees, you picture people swarming into another country. Instead of labeling them refugees, we should call them survivors."

Dodson isn't alone in objecting to use of "refugee." Jesse Jackson and members of the Congressional Black Caucus have criticized its use. And on Tuesday, President Bush said evacuees should be referred to as American citizens.

The use of the term refugees has stirred debate in cafes, offices and universities.

Susan Gzesh, director of the Human Rights Program at the University of Chicago, said it is easy to understand the debate because Americans never have had to examine the meaning of the word "refugee."

"It's the first time we've had people forced into this type of situation where they had to flee and have nothing," she said. "Maybe this will give us a better understanding of people who are refugees."

The word is offensive because it implies that U.S. citizens made homeless by the storm are not recognized by their home country, said Melissa Harris-Lacewell, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago's Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture.

"The reason the language is so inaccurate and racist is for the victims of this tragedy, it suggests they are asking something from a government that is not their own," she said.

The definition of "refugee" is someone who has fled his home, seeking help from another government, so it's appropriate in this case, said Marissa Graciosa, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

She said the word typically isn't considered an insult.

"The spirit of the word reflects on all of us," she said. "It tells us that we are obligated to take care of these people."

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lbowean@tribune.com