“We recommend avoiding general and often dehumanizing ‘the’ labels such as the poor, the mentally ill, the French, the disabled, the college educated.”
Many were up in arms after seeing “the French” included among this motley crew. I believe in her first draft Emma Lazarus initially wrote, give us your poor, your mentally ill, your college educated.” She said nothing about the French, your French, or a French.
I am sure I’ve used the French than a few times in these hallowed pages. I now see the error of my ways. I should’ve referred to their affinity for cheese, berets, and striped shirts. The French are people who experience butter.
They say “the” is dehumanizing, but I think in many cases it’s necessary. If a friend calls me and says, “Yankees are beating them badly right now.” I would be forgiven for thinking it’s in reference to a face-off between civil war reenactors. The “the” is important if I’m to understand it was all just a game.
I can see why saying the college educated is dehumanizing. Instead, they are people who have undergone matriculation. That’s far more human.
The issue arises when talking about the mentally Ill. Simply saying “mentally ill” is not specific enough for a clear warning. “The” mentally ill might mean the person in the middle of the street without shoes and waving a golf club at oncoming traffic. You might consider saying, “people of insanity.”
“The” problem if I can even say that is “the” is totalizing. A deli in my hometown has an item on the menu labeled, “the Sandwich.” Where do they get off? Think of the ego. They sell other sandwiches and yet one rises to the top, like a heavenly loaf.
The End.
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