Quote:No, no no.   I'm saying it becomes a racist word when it is only used in reference to young black men.   I hardly ever hear or read the word "thug" in reference to young white men.    I almost always hear or read it used in reference to young black men.   So eventually, the word takes on a racial connotation.  

 

 

1) Can a word eventually take on an underlying meaning if it is almost always used in a certain context?   Yes. 

2) Is the word "thug" by far most often used in relation to young black men?   Yes.

 

Therefore, the word "thug" has taken on a racial connotation. 

 

Are young black men thugs?   Irrelevant

Is black culture in many ways a thug culture?   Irrelevant

 

The question isn't, "should young black men be considered thugs?"   The question isn't "Is black culture thug culture?"   The question is,"should the word "thug" be considered racist?"   The word itself is not racist.   It's just a word.   But in our society, the way we use the word, it has taken on a racial connotation.  

 

So we the people, in our society, have the power to make any word racial, or even just change the connotation of the word, if we want to, just by using it in a certain way?

 

Kind of like society did with the word "gay" In the early 1900's 'gay' meant happy or merry and was even used in several songs, movie and book titles. These days it means something a little different then it did in the early 1900's.

 

And poor Santa who has been saying "ho ho ho" for a very long time. Even that word means something very different from when Santa uttered it for the very first time.

 

The word '[BLEEP]" used to mean a bundle of sticks, usually bound together as fuel. Boy has that word changed.

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