"You People"

[MaggieMae]

Why is it both the left and the right take offense to the use of that term?

Is there a good substitute when refuting a consensus opinion on an issue? In political jargon, it means only that, with no reference to race (unless of course that's all it means to some people).

 

[Elutherian]

That's an interesting point.

Maybe it would be better to always stick to the issues than try and make it personal.

 

[manu1959]

Why is it both the left and the right take offense to the use of that term?

Is there a good substitute when refuting a consensus opinion on an issue? In political jargon, it means only that, with no reference to race (unless of course that's all it means to some people).

there is no such thing as a consensus opinion on any issue.....and i believe the reason the term you people is found offensive is that every person sees their posistion as unique....

 

[Oldandtired]

Why is it both the left and the right take offense to the use of that term?

Is there a good substitute when refuting a consensus opinion on an issue? In political jargon, it means only that, with no reference to race (unless of course that's all it means to some people).

Because many times people use the term "you people" when discussing ideologies only believed by the far fringes of each side.

To say "you poeple put too much credence in the constitution" is not the same as "you people have trouble believing Obama is a US citizen"

But I see yopur point....mine is an explanation as to when I argue the use of the term "you people"

 

[paperview]

I think Archie Bunker helped to give the term some of it's racial undertones.

 

[Oldandtired]

I think Archie Bunker helped to give the term some of it's racial undertones.

Perhaps...

But that was back when we were allowed to laugh at ourselves.

Bunker would never make it on TV now.....Don Rickles would never be an entertainer now.

But thats OK......we have shows like "The Biggest Loser" and "you think you can dance"...

Jeez....we are rapidly becoming a boring society.

 

[Immanuel]

My problem with it, if you can call it a problem, is that what it really means is that the person saying, "You people" is always insinuating that "you people" are below me. It is an arrogant attempt to put down the opponent.

Immie

 

[auditor0007]

I don't like the use of that term; I prefer "yous guys".

 

[paperview]

A while back I was reading a forum on a peripheral subject, and the term came up.
Commenter David captured and relayed more succinctly than I thoughts on the term, and it parallels my own some:

"If you are old enough to remember, think back to an episode of "All In The Family". Lionel (the son of the George and Weezy Jefferson), while talking to Archie Bunker, said something to the effect of

"You people....". Archie stopped him in mid-sentence and said,

"Who are you calling "you people"?

Youze people are "you people"!".

Of course part of the moral of the show's exchange was that neither side should lump all those unlike themselves into the single group of "you people", depriving the others of their individuality and pigeonholing them as all being alike (with the added implication that "you people" are somehow lesser than "we people").

You see, by one of "those people" turning the use of "you people" back on the people that call the others "you people",
Lionel exposed the problem with the common usage of the incorrect term by Archie - up until that point, Archie probably said it a dozen times and no one paid much attention!"
​

I remember those episodes, and I do think yes, a sitcom like Archie Bunker had a small but powerful effect on some of our daily discourse.
I will add, personally, I was never quite fully aware of the implications of the phrase till it was highlighted by that show.
Course that was some 35 years ago, and I was much younger then. *sigh*
Archie did bring the racial undertones, they still linger. It shouldn't.
What it highlights more, is, as manu said, there is no consensus usually and "every person sees their position as unique...."

I think most people use it much more benignly than not, and the hackles raised are more by people likely to be offended anyway - but it does remind us that many have an us vs them mentality, and if you don't believe as I do, then you are one of "youze people."

 

[MaggieMae]

That's an interesting point.

Maybe it would be better to always stick to the issues than try and make it personal.

Then the problem becomes, as I've found when I say "you" (meaning it collectively) that is what seems personal.

I've even tried "you, and others who think like you do," and been admonished for that: HOW DARE YOU ASSUME WHAT I THINK?!!!

 

[MaggieMae]

I think Archie Bunker helped to give the term some of it's racial undertones.

Yeah, I've been trying to remember the first time I heard it, and I think it was there. I've also heard Rush Limbaugh use it when he used to take phone calls. I asked my son earlier today and he said he thought it was a gay term. He also suggested I start using "yawl"!! Which may or may not endear me to all the Texans on this board!

 

[MaggieMae]

My problem with it, if you can call it a problem, is that what it really means is that the person saying, "You people" is always insinuating that "you people" are below me. It is an arrogant attempt to put down the opponent.

Immie

That's true. Guilty as charged.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

Why do "you people" always bring up stupid ass subjects?

 

[NYcarbineer]

I say 'you people' to mean those of you upon whose foot this shoe fits, whatever happens to be the shoe in question at the moment.

 

[MaggieMae]

A while back I was reading a forum on a peripheral subject, and the term came up.
Commenter David captured and relayed more succinctly than I thoughts on the term, and it parallels my own some:

"If you are old enough to remember, think back to an episode of "All In The Family". Lionel (the son of the George and Weezy Jefferson), while talking to Archie Bunker, said something to the effect of

"You people....". Archie stopped him in mid-sentence and said,

"Who are you calling "you people"?

Youze people are "you people"!".

Of course part of the moral of the show's exchange was that neither side should lump all those unlike themselves into the single group of "you people", depriving the others of their individuality and pigeonholing them as all being alike (with the added implication that "you people" are somehow lesser than "we people").

You see, by one of "those people" turning the use of "you people" back on the people that call the others "you people",
Lionel exposed the problem with the common usage of the incorrect term by Archie - up until that point, Archie probably said it a dozen times and no one paid much attention!"
​

I remember those episodes, and I do think yes, a sitcom like Archie Bunker had a small but powerful effect on some of our daily discourse.
I will add, personally, I was never quite fully aware of the implications of the phrase till it was highlighted by that show.
Course that was some 35 years ago, and I was much younger then. *sigh*
Archie did bring the racial undertones, they still linger. It shouldn't.
What it highlights more, is, as manu said, there is no consensus usually and "every person sees their position as unique...."

I think most people use it much more benignly than not, and the hackles raised are more by people likely to be offended anyway - but it does remind us that many have an us vs them mentality, and if you don't believe as I do, then you are one of "youze people."

I find when I use it the most is when I read post after post from "them" lol, all pretty much jumping on the same bandwagon, so when I do a response, I'm collectively addressing the five or six who have all ganged up. I notice this happens more often in the wee hours (Eastern time, anyway) when this message board becomes more like a chat room.

 

[MaggieMae]

Why do "you people" always bring up stupid ass subjects?

Looks like it interested ya'll enough to weigh in, no?

 

[Againsheila]

My problem with it, if you can call it a problem, is that what it really means is that the person saying, "You people" is always insinuating that "you people" are below me. It is an arrogant attempt to put down the opponent.

Immie

Balogna....

I once said to a friend "you people" and he was shocked and asked what I meant by that, I said, "You, your brother and other construction workers that have been laid off during this depression". He though I was referring to "gay people". I didn't mean anything one way or another. It's like saying "you all" as in a group of people. But as with everything in this society, it's the way you take it, not the way it was intended. Get over it already.

 

[Immanuel]

My problem with it, if you can call it a problem, is that what it really means is that the person saying, "You people" is always insinuating that "you people" are below me. It is an arrogant attempt to put down the opponent.

Immie

Balogna....

I once said to a friend "you people" and he was shocked and asked what I meant by that, I said, "You, your brother and other construction workers that have been laid off during this depression". He though I was referring to "gay people". I didn't mean anything one way or another. It's like saying "you all" as in a group of people. But as with everything in this society, it's the way you take it, not the way it was intended. Get over it already.

To quote a friend, "Balogna"

But I think Oscar Meyer will tell you it is B-O-L-O-G-N-A.

Oscar Meyer: My Bologna has a First Name | SPIKE

 

[Againsheila]

My problem with it, if you can call it a problem, is that what it really means is that the person saying, "You people" is always insinuating that "you people" are below me. It is an arrogant attempt to put down the opponent.

Immie

Balogna....

I once said to a friend "you people" and he was shocked and asked what I meant by that, I said, "You, your brother and other construction workers that have been laid off during this depression". He though I was referring to "gay people". I didn't mean anything one way or another. It's like saying "you all" as in a group of people. But as with everything in this society, it's the way you take it, not the way it was intended. Get over it already.

To quote a friend, "Balogna"

But I think Oscar Meyer will tell you it is B-O-L-O-G-N-A.

Oscar Meyer: My Bologna has a First Name | SPIKE

I sit, corrected...bologna.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Why is it both the left and the right take offense

Why do you seem to believe there is ONLY left and right?

And "you people" is just a lazy generalization, broad brush painting.