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I appreciate the responses, but it's not about who can be a thug, or who you personally consider a thug, but how the term is used in American vernacular today. The Trayvon Martin trial brought it out most convincingly, and even our president has been term a "thug" quite often. The term is used quite freely on any black man or child who has no criminal record yet says or acts a certain way which irritates conventional/conservative white America for one reason or another.
You are correct. Richard Sherman's comments only highlight what has been obvious for some time.
The word is mostly used to describe black males, and is not exclusive to criminal behavior. By comparison white athletes who are aggressive or flat out violent are not usually given this label, so it most definately has racial connotations.
I appreciate the responses, but it's not about who can be a thug, or who you personally consider a thug, but how the term is used in American vernacular today. The Trayvon Martin trial brought it out most convincingly, and even our president has been term a "thug" quite often. The term is used quite freely on any black man or child who has no criminal record yet says or acts a certain way which irritates conventional/conservative white America for one reason or another.
A better example is probably Kanye West. When he interrupted Taylor Swift at that awards show, he was called a thug all over the place. But the thing was, while he is obnoxious as all get out, Kanye West was far from an actual criminal. He didn't rap about criminality, he had no record, he hadn't even been in a fight (the only fights he's been involved with occured within the past 6 months or so LOL. NOW he's acting thuggish, finally.). The guy had a hit song about Jesus and was known at the time for having a big ego, dressing preppy and wearing a lot of pink. But it was like OMG! SCARY THUG! Um... what?
It does seem to get thrown at black men who are not actual criminals pretty freely, to the point I'm not even sure what "thug" MEANS anymore. Angry guy I don't like and maybe I'm vaguely scared of? Who the hell knows.
I've always wondered if Kanye would be who he is now without the public backlash. This kid was raised middle class. He's the son of a freaking english professor. He never sold drugs, robbed anyone, or came close to it. He didn't hang out with criminals. He made good grades in school. He had a big mouth and a bigger ego but he really wasn't any kind of tough guy. He was the rap equivalent of John Mayer... obnoxious douchbag, but regarded as kind of wussy.
But once he became Kanye West, Thug Rapper Everyone Hates (which roughly coincided with his mom's death) he started to get into actual fights. He was very angry about being hated and his mom dying, its all he talked about in interviews for a while. Makes you wonder.
This guy's a jerk, but he does say what I've felt for a long time now. The word "thug" is thrown around a lot these days, typically to describe a young black male a (usually) white person simply doesn't like, and given the context (eg, not related to criminality) easily replaced with the "n-word" in most cases.
Thoughts?
No, that's moronic. Anyone can be a thug.
If you called a white dude a N______, he'd probably be quite confused or may laugh at you.
This guy's a jerk, but he does say what I've felt for a long time now. The word "thug" is thrown around a lot these days, typically to describe a young black male a (usually) white person simply doesn't like, and given the context (eg, not related to criminality) easily replaced with the "n-word" in most cases.
Thoughts?
When I heard the likes of Limbaugh,Rove and Hannity referring to President Obama as a "thug", I knew they had found their new "n-word".
By this logic, any word that can be used to describe young violent criminals, will be termed as "racist" and this no longer able to be used, as soon as anybody ever uses it to describe a black man?
I give "Chav" a month to live.
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