So Imus is in trouble for racist comments.  And when he went on to Al Sharpton’s show to apologize he only made it worse.  How could he do it? Well, he uttered two crazy little words:  “You People.”  Sharpton pounced. Let me share with you my experience of that phrase:

I was not politically aware when Perot made the 1992 comment that is apparently the reason people get upset about the phrase.  However, I will tell you that I work primarily with older people (and always have, for some reason) and I think the phrase is generational.  Older white men who may not be paying attention will refer to groups of both black and white persuasions as “you people,” and it is not always used in exasperation.

There was nothing wrong with “you people” until someone became offended by its use and read all sorts of adversarial, dehumanizing undertones into the three-syllabled “obscenity.”  Yes, it can be used in frustration, and especially when one feels like he’s outnumbered.  The reality is that it is a neutral group of words and it can mean what Sharpton thinks it means, but not in this case.  Give us a break!

Imus was getting hassled and he’s old enough that “you people” just means “you people” to him.  So he said it, and Sharpton continues to peddle his petulant perfidy.

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