Quote:Why are you so afraid to call it what it is? You will make no difference until you recognize the problem for what it is.

 

You continue to miss my point.   I am not saying anything about whether black culture is thug culture, or whether black youth embrace the thug culture.  My point is very narrow.   I am saying that if you use two words together enough, pretty soon you only have to use one of them because everyone knows what you mean.   If you use the words "thug" and "black" together often enough, then eventually you will only have to say "thug" and everyone will know you mean "black." 

 

And that is how "thug" becomes a code word for "black."  I know a lot of people, and some of them use the word "thug" and every time they use that word it is in relation to blacks.  

 

That's all I'm saying.   If the question is, is the word thug a racist word, my answer is, it can take on a racial connotation depending on the context.   If my friend says the NBA has too many thugs and needs more white players, it's obvious what he means. 

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