General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Thug is the new Nigg**!! [View all]Oilwellian
(12,647 posts)It is clearly used as a dog whistle by racists today. For that reason alone, we should stop using the word all together. It's really not that hard to do if one cared enough.
In the 80's, the right used it to describe union members. In my entire adult life, I never used the word for that very reason. Today, it's prevalently used when the right refers to black youth. It has been a right wing word used for quite some time to incite hate and fear of union members and black youth. There was absolutely nothing thuggish about Trayvon Martin, yet the right used it to impugn his character because that's what they freaking do to all black children. Why are there so many on the left willing to play this right wing game?
One thing is certain, name calling never solved any problems. It's symptomatic of having a lack of answers.