General Discussion

merrily

(45,251 posts)

42. How is "you people" racist? If a white person says it to one black person to mean an

Mon Nov 16, 2015, 07:03 PM

Nov 2015

entire race, sure. That's sexist. That's a wrong usage.

What if a white teacher says it to a class of white kids? As in, You people are going to get detention if you don't settle down.

Context matters.

BTW, before everyone started overusing "folks," it, too, was considered regional.

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Does anyone else think the word "folks" is getting over used? [View all] GummyBearz Nov 2015 OP

It's more folksy, and that is in politically of late. nt NutmegYankee Nov 2015 #1

I blame the Mighty Jingles One_Life_To_Give Nov 2015 #2

I dislike it when someone north of the line uses it. LiberalArkie Nov 2015 #3

+1 Go Vols Nov 2015 #11

Then you hate me. tazkcmo Nov 2015 #63

No Kalidurga Nov 2015 #4

Dubya Bush is responsible for that word n/t kskiska Nov 2015 #5

So Obama picked it up from W? former9thward Nov 2015 #72

Yep, it was a Bush favorite! n/t RKP5637 Nov 2015 #76

You folks are nuts. Atman Nov 2015 #6

I see it as personal idiosyncrasy of President Obama, doesn't really bother me TacoD Nov 2015 #7

According to a poster in this thread, Bush started it GummyBearz Nov 2015 #13

I actually don't mind when Prez Obama says it. redwitch Nov 2015 #32

I have. Almost everyone. I don't mind it when Obama uses it because it seems to merrily Nov 2015 #39

YES!!!!! redwitch Nov 2015 #8

Thank you! I HATE the word "folks". smirkymonkey Nov 2015 #9

include me in that club NJCher Nov 2015 #35

I blame Ann Romney and her use of "you people." It was cold and harsh... CTyankee Nov 2015 #10

What the heck was wrong with come on, people? merrily Nov 2015 #40

yeah, it was different in that context...we were all "people" then... CTyankee Nov 2015 #62

Oh, for folks sakes! Glassunion Nov 2015 #12

Oh, boy do I! I got over being folked about a year ago. merrily Nov 2015 #14

"you guys" is sexist, "you people" is racist and "you all" geek tragedy Nov 2015 #15

"you guys" is midwestern for y'all. nt sufrommich Nov 2015 #17

Midwestern for "y'all" is "y'all" Chitown Kev Nov 2015 #24

I don't know.I've lived in the Detroit burbs for sufrommich Nov 2015 #30

Mine is a Southern transplant (black migration) family Chitown Kev Nov 2015 #37

The I-75 corridor and our factories have blended the language sufrommich Nov 2015 #43

Also tonic, which is a Mass. term, while soda is a greater NY area term. merrily Nov 2015 #45

Interesting,does tonic mean any kind of pop? sufrommich Nov 2015 #47

Between NY and Mass, it means any kind of soda merrily Nov 2015 #50

lol. nt sufrommich Nov 2015 #52

I lived in Boston a few years ago Chitown Kev Nov 2015 #51

You could have broke out in song too! sufrommich Nov 2015 #54

One of the geratest commercials of all time! Chitown Kev Nov 2015 #64

I do too! nt sufrommich Nov 2015 #65

This should be an entire OP of its own GummyBearz Nov 2015 #70

People who use "coke" as the generic name for pop sufrommich Nov 2015 #73

First they came for "you guys", then they came for "you people", next they will come for... GummyBearz Nov 2015 #18

How is "you people" racist? If a white person says it to one black person to mean an merrily Nov 2015 #42

How about "your guys's?" TacoD Nov 2015 #57

My grandmother used "folks," as did most of the folks in my extended family . . . Journeyman Nov 2015 #16

If you think I made this OP to discuss how your family uses the word folks GummyBearz Nov 2015 #29

My folks taught me pintobean Nov 2015 #19

Are your folks high ranking figures in government? GummyBearz Nov 2015 #22

They're dead pintobean Nov 2015 #49

Thanks for the help GummyBearz Nov 2015 #75

Your folks should be proud of you. pintobean Nov 2015 #79

They are GummyBearz Nov 2015 #84

Ffs. For folks sake. N/t PowerToThePeople Nov 2015 #20

Folks, you ain't heard nothin' yet. Gidney N Cloyd Nov 2015 #21

I dislike its use almost as much as the use of "homeland." Vinca Nov 2015 #23

Goodness, gracious Chitown Kev Nov 2015 #25

This. /\ Ed Suspicious Nov 2015 #26

Okay, ignore my post above. redwitch Nov 2015 #34

I wonder what the FOLKS at DU think? still_one Nov 2015 #27

I hate it; it always seems condescending to me. WinkyDink Nov 2015 #28

Since I'm one of the folks Aerows Nov 2015 #31

Corporations Are Folks..... global1 Nov 2015 #33

Townfolk merrily Nov 2015 #44

so much anti-colloquialism here at DU Enrique Nov 2015 #36

Folks, I'd like to sing a song about the American Dream. . . Travis_0004 Nov 2015 #38

I prefer people to folks, Blue_In_AK Nov 2015 #41

Doesn't bother me too much, but I hate.. Laffy Kat Nov 2015 #46

Folks is OK with me KT2000 Nov 2015 #48

Me too matt819 Nov 2015 #53

I like folk music, folk culture, folk tales, folklore, folk art. Koinos Nov 2015 #55

And it's useful on twitter. GoneOffShore Nov 2015 #56

Yes yes and more yes. I loathe that term especially since Shrub used it to snagglepuss Nov 2015 #58

Folk is old English, people is middle english gollygee Nov 2015 #59

and here we go! Chitown Kev Nov 2015 #66

Another etymology geek! gollygee Nov 2015 #68

No. bigwillq Nov 2015 #60

Probably for the sake of word variety Android3.14 Nov 2015 #61

Why would anyone have a problem with "folks?" I've heard it and used it all my life. Zen Democrat Nov 2015 #67

Dubya Bush and his spinners did that after 911. Greybnk48 Nov 2015 #69

It's just one of the words I didn't shake off from the south. Neoma Nov 2015 #71

I'll take folks over peacefreak Nov 2015 #74

Another word that is overused is "stuff". nt ladjf Nov 2015 #77

People and Folks are the main gang factions in Chicago. AngryAmish Nov 2015 #78

I think "people" and "persons" now implies corporations. "Folks" implies humans. nt valerief Nov 2015 #80

unfortunately choie Nov 2015 #81

When certain people use it forsaken mortal Nov 2015 #82

I've used both. Folks is more informal or ecstatic Nov 2015 #83