# "These People"

- Author: Joichi Ito
- Date: 2004-10-02T15:48:14Z


Frank Boosman"These People"

I've talked with two citizens of foreign countries about the presidential debate -- one from Australia, the other from Germany -- and interestingly, both of them found the following statement by President Bush extremely offensive:I know how these people [world leaders] think. I deal with them all the time. I sit down with the world leaders frequently and talk to them on the phone frequently.I like to think I'm sensitive to international points of view, but honestly, I wouldn't have predicted that reaction. Apparently it's the phrase "these people". On reflection, I think I can see why someone from outside the US would find it condescending -- and misguided as well, since it seems to imply that "world leaders" all think similarly.Interesting. I find the term "these people" annoying because it is a "us and them" sort of word and also makes "them" sound like enemies or maybe a nuisance. "Leave it up to me. I know how to deal with these people," sounds like some intermediary negotiating with Native Americans in an old Western movie to me. He should have said, "I know the other world leaders and know how they think." Or something like that... although Frank's right in that it does make it sound like that they all think in the same way which is silly, but not really insulting - just stupid.





---

#### Categories

US Policy and Politics