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derby378

(30,262 posts)

48. While I appreciate your more even-handed approach to discussing the word...

Sat Dec 6, 2014, 05:57 PM

Dec 2014

...you and I both know that today's American media is a pile of horseshit for the most part. I did a quick Google search for recent crime reports in which the word "thug" was used and came up with these:

Thug tries to rape 81-year-old woman in Tribeca stairwell: cops
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/thug-rape-woman-81-tribeca-stairwell-cops-article-1.2034547

Rising young actor committed suicide after thug who tortured him for 14 hours leaves jail
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/rising-young-actor-committed-suicide-4751191

CCTV captures thug smashing glass into expectant dad's face in unprovoked attack
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cctv-captures-thug-smashing-glass-4751037

Jail for Leeds thug who threw can of alcohol over Muslim woman
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/jail-for-leeds-thug-who-threw-can-of-alcohol-over-muslim-woman-1-6990672

British thug who punched girl, 4, so hard he ripped holes in her intestine gets 13 year sentence
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/thug-punched-holes-girl-intestine-13-years-article-1.2028781

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"Thug" has become the accepted way of calling someone the N-word... [View all] Playinghardball Dec 2014 OP

Yep Prophet 451 Dec 2014 #1

Yob? leftymon Dec 2014 #3

Britishism Prophet 451 Dec 2014 #6

OH...I thought it meant "young oppressed black" leftymon Dec 2014 #26

You know, "yob" is boy spelled backwards. VScott Dec 2014 #5

Yes, that was Disraeli's point Prophet 451 Dec 2014 #7

That was my point VScott Dec 2014 #8

Interesting... The Great Escape Dec 2014 #15

The term is/was used heaven05 Dec 2014 #22

My dad grew up in the slums of London. cwydro Dec 2014 #67

I agree that it has etherealtruth Dec 2014 #2

Twenty or thirty years now, that one's been a go to for shy racists and other axe-grinders. bemildred Dec 2014 #4

+1 xchrom Dec 2014 #14

The imperative to denigrate black people is quite telling. MrScorpio Dec 2014 #9

True that! BillZBubb Dec 2014 #11

well said. BlancheSplanchnik Dec 2014 #21

I find it interesting that the term thug exboyfil Dec 2014 #10

Someone needs to inform John Kerry and others who use the word to describe people such as Assad. Bluenorthwest Dec 2014 #12

not relevant to point heaven05 Dec 2014 #18

it's more about Context, similar to referring to an adult black male as a Boy JI7 Dec 2014 #78

It's been white code for years. ancianita Dec 2014 #13

Is "brush country thug posse" an acceptable use of the word? Nye Bevan Dec 2014 #32

I hear ya. That strictly white context called for it being used against those guys. My claim here is ancianita Dec 2014 #42

It's a perfect application. Glad you decided to share it. I missed it the first time. Thanks. n/t Judi Lynn Dec 2014 #61

absolutely right. BlancheSplanchnik Dec 2014 #16

true heaven05 Dec 2014 #17

No, history of the word is entirely different... JCMach1 Dec 2014 #19

well in this country, at this time in history heaven05 Dec 2014 #37

Blah, blah, blah derby378 Dec 2014 #39

"blah", "blah", "blah" heaven05 Dec 2014 #41

Blah blah blah? gollygee Dec 2014 #43

While I appreciate your more even-handed approach to discussing the word... derby378 Dec 2014 #48

I said nationwide and you've found mainly British links gollygee Dec 2014 #53

Actually, it IS used in sports media. Here its used to describe 50 white guys: 7962 Dec 2014 #71

It is used in a non-racist way in hockey gollygee Dec 2014 #73

same here helpmetohelpyou Dec 2014 #62

Ummmm 2PAC JCMach1 Dec 2014 #79

Yes, but it is heaven05 Dec 2014 #84

Can racists appropriate a word? of course they can... the difference is JCMach1 Dec 2014 #94

your point is well understood heaven05 Dec 2014 #96

I'm not sure much response beyond "you're wrong" is possible. N.T. Donald Ian Rankin Dec 2014 #87

fine heaven05 Dec 2014 #88

This message was self-deleted by its author Donald Ian Rankin Dec 2014 #89

Sad but true. Atman Dec 2014 #20

I use thug christx30 Dec 2014 #23

nope heaven05 Dec 2014 #38

That's what I use it for too arikara Dec 2014 #44

It's about context by which you use a word Burf-_- Dec 2014 #24

It could be gollygee Dec 2014 #45

Bernie Kerik referred to Ferguson protesters as savages, animals and goblins pinboy3niner Dec 2014 #25

He did. Igel Dec 2014 #31

I've seen goblin used in our own gungeon. Yeah, I know, surprise. Hassin Bin Sober Dec 2014 #70

Well, it must be ok, cause he DIDN'T say "thug". 7962 Dec 2014 #75

Yes La Lioness Priyanka Dec 2014 #27

Yep. JoePhilly Dec 2014 #28

Oh, horseshit. I've been calling bad cops "thugs" for years. 7962 Dec 2014 #29

And don't forget those NHL goons. Comrade Grumpy Dec 2014 #34

Wow, you're right! I completely forgot about hockey!! nt 7962 Dec 2014 #68

This may cause a problem for some on DU. sadoldgirl Dec 2014 #30

Can we still call Putin a thug? Nye Bevan Dec 2014 #33

I'll use it if it fits. Here's the definition of word: 7962 Dec 2014 #74

The word CAN be used that way. It's not the only way it's used. Comrade Grumpy Dec 2014 #35

By RW american racists heaven05 Dec 2014 #50

That's why it's described as code loyalsister Dec 2014 #85

Exactly true when used by right wingers to refer to Blacks. Might be something different when Hoyt Dec 2014 #36

Sounds like a case of offensensitivity derby378 Dec 2014 #40

So if someone says it, it must be so? bemildred Dec 2014 #47

That reaches me as the gist of the OP derby378 Dec 2014 #51

So you are both full of it then? bemildred Dec 2014 #55

And ironically, that's what the thread is based on Bonx Dec 2014 #52

Please see post #55, it applies to you too. nt bemildred Dec 2014 #58

I never thought about that really helpmetohelpyou Dec 2014 #46

Please post #55. bemildred Dec 2014 #57

My posts apply to you helpmetohelpyou Dec 2014 #65

No they don't, I don't use the word "thug" all the time. bemildred Dec 2014 #66

Suppose I want to call rock Dec 2014 #49

I use the word thug all the time helpmetohelpyou Dec 2014 #60

I thought I had led a sheltered life rock Dec 2014 #63

Me either helpmetohelpyou Dec 2014 #64

You use the term "Guidos" JTFrog Dec 2014 #86

Yup , the jersey shore type thugs helpmetohelpyou Dec 2014 #93

You are defending using insensitive and bigoted statements JTFrog Dec 2014 #95

Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2014 #54

I don't take cues from Richard Sherman mythology Dec 2014 #56

That's why I call them ReTHUGlicans Dirty Socialist Dec 2014 #59

Yes, "Those People" was getting Turbineguy Dec 2014 #69

Are whites ChazII Dec 2014 #72

This kind of code language is called using "dog whistles" gollygee Dec 2014 #76

Thank you, gollygee ChazII Dec 2014 #77

Except that "thug" isn't a code word, it's an openly derogatory word. Donald Ian Rankin Dec 2014 #91

It's common as dirt. bemildred Dec 2014 #80

So are whites the only ChazII Dec 2014 #81

No. nt bemildred Dec 2014 #82

ty. nt ChazII Dec 2014 #83

While this is obviously not true per se, it does seem to be often used in similar circumstances. Donald Ian Rankin Dec 2014 #90

So. maced666 Dec 2014 #92

Sorry, you're just wrong. NaturalHigh Dec 2014 #97