Is Thug a racial term?

[TAC]

I was watching CN2 on insight today and Chip Cosby was calling for folks to stop the usage of the word Thug. He claims it is a racial slur? I never thought of it as a white or black issue. Thoughts?

Attached is the link.

 

 

cn|2 Sports  - Metta World Peace And The Thug Debate

[Habib]

I don't think it's a racial slur, but I do think it's a term applied disproportionately to black people (and black athletes). Perhaps its meaning has shifted as a result of that, however.

[PurplePride92]

Chip posted a status on Facebook this morning and the conversation quickly became that conversation about usage of the word thug. Myself, Chip and another poster commented simultaneously and said that the word thug has become the modern day politically correct term(racial epithet) for black athletes who do stupid things. There have been so many black athletes incorrectly labeled thugs but you never hear of any white athletes who are labeled thugs. On Facebook Chip and others agreed that the way the word is thrown about there always seems to be a racial connotation behind the word thug that is less than desirable. Of course the Ron Artest incident sparked this conversation but Artest isn't a thug. Punk? Sure. Idiot? Sure. Goon? Most likely. Thug? I don't think so. Even here on BGP Artest has been called a thug and an animal in the same sentence. Do I even need to explain how racially insensitive that sounds? If the word thug can't be used for athletes who actually are thugs(Rae Carruth comes to mind) then I'm all for people expanding their vocabulary to properly label that black athlete they can't stand.

[mcpapa]

One of my daughter's roommates was mugged in Louisville Saturday night by a bunch of young thugs. I have no idea of their race/ethnicity.

[UKMustangFan]

I'd say it is unintentionally becoming one.

 

How many times have you heard of a white man referred to as a thug?

 

Now, how many times have you heard the term used towards a black man?

 

It seems to me that people unintentionally, or maybe subconsciously, are more quickly to use the word to describe a young black male than they are whites.

[Loose Rhythm]

I was watching CN2 on insight today and Chip Cosby was calling for folks to stop the usage of the word Thug. He claims it is a racial slur? I never thought of it as a white or black issue. Thoughts?

Attached is the link.

 

 

Here is what Widepedia says. Chip Cosby is a fool. It is a very old term and was used for several years by my parents and grandparents. There is absolutely no racial intent contained therein (unless you are perhaps Indian aka Hindu):

 

Etymology

 

From Hindi (thuggee) (or ठग्गी (tuggee)), from Marathi (thag, “thief”), (thak, “swindler”), from Sanskrit स्थग (sthaga, “cunning, fraudulent”), from स्थगति (sthagati, “to cover, conceal”) Thuggee was an Indian network of secret fraternities who were engaged in murdering and robbing travellers and known for strangling their victims, operating from the 17th century (possibly as early as 13th century) to the 19th century. During British Imperial rule of India, many Indian words passed into common English, and in 1810 thug referred to members of these Indian gangs. The sense was adopted more generally as "ruffian, cutthroat" by 1839.

[bugatti]

Sort of. But I also do not think it is fair to always assume racism when you hear the term kind of like we were talking in the "well-spoken" debate.

 

I do not know the origins of the word, but I am presuming it was made more mainstream by hip hop over the years? That may have something to do with it. First person I think of is Tupac.

[PurplePride92]

One of my daughter's roommates was mugged in Louisville Saturday night by a bunch of young thugs. I have no idea of their race/ethnicity.

 

Those are thugs. Chip is talking about how the black athlete is becoming labeled a thug a lot more often and casually now.

[PurplePride92]

I was watching CN2 on insight today and Chip Cosby was calling for folks to stop the usage of the word Thug. He claims it is a racial slur? I never thought of it as a white or black issue. Thoughts?

Attached is the link.

 

 

Here is what Widepedia says. Chip Cosby is a fool. It is a very old term and was used for several years by my parents and grandparents. There is absolutely no racial intent contained therein (unless you are perhaps Indian aka Hindu):

 

Etymology

 

From Hindi (thuggee) (or ठग्गी (tuggee)), from Marathi (thag, “thief”), (thak, “swindler”), from Sanskrit स्थग (sthaga, “cunning, fraudulent”), from स्थगति (sthagati, “to cover, conceal”) Thuggee was an Indian network of secret fraternities who were engaged in murdering and robbing travellers and known for strangling their victims, operating from the 17th century (possibly as early as 13th century) to the 19th century. During British Imperial rule of India, many Indian words passed into common English, and in 1810 thug referred to members of these Indian gangs. The sense was adopted more generally as "ruffian, cutthroat" by 1839.

 

 

Catch up. We aren't talking about the 1700s or 1800s. I'll post his Facebook status so you can get a better idea of the conversation before you start calling people fools.

[PurplePride92]

This is the Facebook status that got the conversation started.

 

 

 

[CoachBuckett]

I use the word THUG. I use it with all race. Not just one paticular. I typically use the word when it involves acts of violence or law breaking.

 

Now as far as Rappers are concerned they are the ones that call themselves thugs.......see any TUPAC song. (BTW I fan of Pac!)

[PurplePride92]

Sort of. But I also do not think it is fair to always assume racism when you hear the term kind of like we were talking in the "well-spoken" debate.

 

I do not know the origins of the word, but I am presuming it was made more mainstream by hip hop over the years? That may have something to do with it. First person I think of is Tupac.

 

 

Let me be more clear. Nobody is assuming racism when the word thug is used to describe athletes. The racial connotation is suspect yes but as UKMF it seems to be a subconscious thing. Chip is saying let's kill it because it is getting out of hand.

[TAC]

I randomly asked my son to tell me who was a thug. He gave an example of some white kids that he does not care for. We never associated it with anyone other than a punk regardless of race. I think Cosby is trying to make something out of nothing.

[PurplePride92]

I randomly asked my son to tell me who was a thug. He gave an example of some white kids that he does not care for. We never associated it with anyone other than a punk regardless of race. I think Cosby is trying to make something out of nothing.

 

Cosby isn't the only one who feels this way. It is also more of a media thing but you see some instances of it outside of the media.

 

When Kevin Love stomped on Luis Scola's face and was suspended two games was he referred to as a thug?

[Bluegrasscard]

Removed

Edited April 24, 2012 by Bluegrasscard
Political in nature...lets keep this on sports...