PuckChaser said:
This was only made into identity politics by people who wanted it to be about identity politics. He didn't single out a single race, culture, creed at all. He said "you people... newcomers to Canada". Is it all of a sudden racist to tell people that in Canada we drive on the right side of the road?
Somewhere along the way people have equated informing newcomers of the social norms and customs in Canada with being racist and bigoted.
We all know what he was talking about. Your quote is missing the whole context of his rant. Here it is courtesy of the NP.
https://nationalpost.com/news/coachs-corner-don-cherry-fired
“You know, I was talking to a veteran. I said ‘I’m not going to run the poppy thing anymore because what’s the sense? I live in Mississauga, nobody wears — very few people wear a poppy. Downtown Toronto, forget it! Downtown Toronto, nobody wears a poppy.’”
“You people love — that come here, whatever it is — you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey,” Cherry said. “At least you could pay a couple of bucks for a poppy. These guys paid for your way of life, the life you enjoy in Canada. These guys paid the biggest price.”
So when he's looking at people how is he making that determination? There is only one way, the way they look. So he made a broad brush statement. YOU PEOPLE THAT COME HERE. He wasn't informing newcomers about how and why we where a poppy. He ranted and yelled at clouds and missed an opportunity to do it right.
He's going on about milk and honey and frankly is incoherent most of the time which is why I rarely if ever listen to the guy. I'm not offended by his words or his intent. But I am disappointed he had to bring identity politics into something by singling out one particular group when it is a lesson ALL Canadians need to hear. But he chose to lecture only the one segment.
Was it racist? I don't personally think so but there are plenty of people that skirt what is technically appropriate language and mask their own bigotry with it so they can claim they aren't racists when called on it. But the term YOU PEOPLE when used to describe minorities has been considered a pejorative. Context is everything. If he had said you people in Toronto I doubt this would be an issue.
https://www.yourdictionary.com/you-people
Ross Perot used it in a speech in 1992 and the NAACP wasn't thrilled. https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/12/us/the-1992-campaign-racial-politics-perot-speech-gets-cool-reception-at-naacp.html
"When he said 'you people' or 'your people,' it was like waving a red flag in front of a bull," he said. "It's something white folks have used when they don't want to call you n*****, but they don't want to treat you like an equal."
In the end he's a celebrity who stepped into the political/activist realm and got bitten just like many others. Dixie Chicks, Kathy Griffin etc. They all felt the repercussions of their free speech using their platforms for things that they were not meant for.