Fair enough Red. I just find it odd that the label is almost exlusively directed at young black men by white men. I don't think they're being racist, per se. But we all have our biases. Calling a kid a thug seems to me to have some level of bias attached to it. I don't see the same being directed at non-black athletes who get themselves into trouble. It's not being sensitive. It's an observation. A drunk, white kid who gets into a fight is acting like a drunken frat boy. A drunk, black kid who gets into a fight is acting like a thug. It happens on this very site! I'm not insulted by it. I just think it's narrow-minded. But I acknowledge that YOU may be an exception. Tyrann Mathieu gets called a thug for his marijuana use (happened on here). Never having been arrested prior to this past fall. Michael Phelps gets called a stoner when his pictures get passed around a couple years ago (also happened on here). I realized Phelps didn't have team rules to answer to, but why does TM get the thug label but Phelps gets the stoner label? Again, all of this happened on this very site. And I get what you're saying about racial definitions, BUT, at one point, revisionist historians only referred to the word "nigger" as meaning someone being foolish or ignorant in the Webster's dictionary. The edition I had in my house growing up did not have the second definition/explanation mentioning that it was also an oft used racial epithet towards black people. You're smart enough to know that insulting connotations go well beyond that of a written definition. The rapper example is also a poor one...because rappers ARE trying to portray (and unfortunately glorify) the image of thugs, even though the vast majority of them are created in a studio and know nothing of real street life. A drunk college kid who gets in a fight doesn't compare. A group of college kids going on a robbery/assault spree does compare. Last I checked, we haven't had that problem.
he also has to "undergo a substance abuse evaluation and follow any recommended treatment, Assistant District Attorney Sue Bernie said"
I'll buy this. Well, sure. Thug is synonymous with "gangster". When I was young, gangsters were associated with Italian Mafiosi, and were called hoods and thugs commonly. Today "gangstas" are associated with urban street gangs, so I can see where the crossover happened. I still think its more defining of ruthless gangs rather than black gangs specifically. Context is indeed important. I just don't hear much of this. Maybe its a generational thing I think you just called me a dinosaur . . . For the record, I have not referred to Mathieu or anybody as a thug, to my knowledge. I called him a slacker. I've seen a lot of slackers. They come in all colors. Indeed, but such connotations are not universally recognized, amigo. It's a chink in our armor. I'm sorry, I meant Chinese gentleman. Just remarking that I hear more of that gangsta rap "thug" usage than the one you seem to hear from old white guys who would also call Tony Soprano a thug. Perhaps I listen to NPR too much.
David Koresh convinced a bunch of dudes it was a "good thing" to "give" him their wives..................he should have been selling used cars with that kind of "talent"! Back to Hill, is this final??? If he goes in a bar does he go to jail?
Wait what about night games that start at 7? Does he have to leave at halftime? When the team is flying back from Bama after winning does he need his own plane to leave early? Surely don't want him missing the celebration with his teammates.......
If you dont want to be called derogatory names don't give people a reason to call you those names. Hill cant blame middle aged white racist males for his behavior. Its like complaining about being called a skin head when you shave your head and spend your free time marching in the streets carrying a Nazi flag. Change the behavior and maybe they will call him better things......like first round draft pick or multi millionaire.
so if you don't want to take responsibility for your actions, and instead want to blame Hill for making you want to call him a thug... then why can't you do the same thing with Hill? not hold him responsible for his actions, and instead blame the guy that was running his mouth and taunting him? if i was a prosecutor, i'd do my job and make sure to stick Hill with the simple battery charges. but, if i was some regular joe at a bar and i saw some dude running his mouth and taunting a big black guy, i wouldn't have much sympathy for him if he got his ass kicked. and i certainly wouldn't be sitting their filming it like a little bitch saying "Jeremy Hill, hitting people" or whatever. if i did anything to get involved, i'd attempt to break up the fight (and yes, i have gotten in the middle of fights between people i don't know and broken them up, the last time i did it i fell to the ground a couple times and got my pants all dirty before i was able to get them to chill out)
Gotta say that I grew up with many people using the word thug many times dating back to the 60's. Myself included. And end were usually referring to a white guy.
I didn't call him a thug, but I dont blame those that did. If you dont want to be called a bank robber dont rob banks.
Calling someone who robs a bank a bank robber is like calling someone who punches someone a person-puncher Have you never punched someone in your life? I'm sure i know people who haven't, but i know plenty of people who have and i don't think they are thugs. Do you think Teddy Roosevelt is a thug? He knocked somebody out that was getting in his face at a bar. And he's one of the greatest Americans of all time
