Obama stands by using the term "thugs" to describe protesters

[SouthernIslander]

Wow! I had no idea she said this. I will admit I'm not the greatest at paying attention to politics in general.

Yeah, she said it when Bill was in office about the crime bill if I am not mistaken.

You aren't mistaken, and "bring them to heel" as if blacks are dogs being trained.

No I meant she was taking about the crime bill, isn’t that what she was promoting or something? Yeah, that is what she was saying, even though that’s not how the dictionary defines the term predator.

[Lemons]

I first noticed widespread use of the word in conservative media and social media - mainly used to describe black men who were victims of police brutality. At the time, and now, I feel it is used to dehumanize the victim so that some will think that the brutality was deserved. Look back at the reporting of Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, etc. Google those names along with "thug". Sure the term has been around a long time though using it to reference black victims of police violence and those who protest the violence is a relatively recent use of the term. Even Kaepernick was called an "anti American thug". Kaepernick, to my knowledge, never was violent yet was called a thug because for many, that's become a slur, particularly against black men.

Just my two cents:)

ETA: This is an interesting read (albeit a bit long):

From “brute” to “thug:” the demonization and criminalization of unarmed Black male victims in America

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5004736/

I googled Trayvon and thug. Not only did conservatives use the word to describe the kid but Geraldo also blamed his “thug wear”.

Good advice to google this. Lot of good articles on the current use of the word.

“Thug wear” what the heck is thug wear?

That’s what Geraldo said as an excuse to why Trayvon was targeted. You’d have to ask him why he called his basic clothing thug wear. Wellpreserved recommended googling the names with thug. It will pull up some interesting information.

[Carpy]

Yeah, she said it when Bill was in office about the crime bill if I am not mistaken.

You aren't mistaken, and "bring them to heel" as if blacks are dogs being trained.

No I meant she was taking about the crime bill, isn’t that what she was promoting or something? Yeah, that is what she was saying, even though that’s not how the dictionary defines the term predator.

When I said you weren't mistaken, I was referring to you being right about the crime bill. The bill that locked up a lot of black men for life. Three strikes law. Often times that third strike was pretty petty.

[Della]

It’s not an opinion.

Look BB, I’m not running around calling White women Becky and using the definition as an excuse like I don’t know it’s been used to push the stereotype that white women are easy to get head from because they are overly sexually promiscuous.

I most certainly do not tell white women “they don’t get to choose” to find that racially offensive or racist.

All due respect, l understand if some can’t grasp that concept, but I don’t do that to other people and I’m not tolerating anyone doing that to me because people on the internet feel I should.

First, Becky is racial? I don’t know where you were going with that...
Second, I didn’t say you didn’t get to choose how you feel. I said you don’t get to choose a meaning of a word and expect everyone else to treat that word the way you view it when it isn’t a racial slur. The meaning isn’t racist. So people are not going to see it as racist and just because you do and you get offended doesn’t mean others should have to walk on eggshells.
I’m not telling you how to feel. Feel however you feel. But you don’t get to tell other people how to feel or that a word that doesn’t have a racial meaning to it is factually racist. It is not.

Is calling a white person a saltine or a cracker alright now? I mean, if you want to go by technical definitions...

[SouthernIslander]

You aren't mistaken, and "bring them to heel" as if blacks are dogs being trained.

No I meant she was taking about the crime bill, isn’t that what she was promoting or something? Yeah, that is what she was saying, even though that’s not how the dictionary defines the term predator.

When I said you weren't mistaken, I was referring to you being right about the crime bill. The bill that locked up a lot of black men for life. Three strikes law. Often times that third strike was pretty petty.

Oh sorry, I read that wrong LOL. I thought so, I just didn’t google.

[Mommamia]

I figured someone would eventually post this to excuse people saying it now, including Trump.

Unfortunately that doesn’t fly because Obama was F***ing wrong too and it does not give anyone a pass to call us thugs because he did.

When did thug become a racist term? When I imagine a thug, it's a white guy needing a shave who does the dirty work for mobsters.

That's exactly my image - a Mafioso type that's gonna come break your legs and bust your head. Maybe it's because I'm Italian that's where I go? LOL

I haven't a clue why the little princess is so hot under the collar over the word thug. It came from India originally and basically meant the same thing there as in England. Even urban dictionary which is usually up on current terms/words.

Thug
A violent person, especially a criminal.
The gang of thugs looted and destroyed the only drugstore in our neighborhood.
#criminal#mob#swindler#thuggery#thuggish#thuggism

When most people think of the word 'thug', they think of bullies, thieves, gangsters, bad guys in general.

[SouthernIslander]

When did thug become a racist term? When I imagine a thug, it's a white guy needing a shave who does the dirty work for mobsters.

That's exactly my image - a Mafioso type that's gonna come break your legs and bust your head. Maybe it's because I'm Italian that's where I go? LOL

I haven't a clue why the little princess is so hot under the collar over the word thug. It came from India originally and basically meant the same thing there as in England. Even urban dictionary which is usually up on current terms/words.

Thug
A violent person, especially a criminal.
The gang of thugs looted and destroyed the only drugstore in our neighborhood.
#criminal#mob#swindler#thuggery#thuggish#thuggism

When most people think of the word 'thug', they think of bullies, thieves, gangsters, bad guys in general.

Val and I are cool, so you can quote me with the princess comments, instead of putting her in the middle of whatever beef you have with me.

I’ve already responded to the dictionary argument multiple times, so you repeating it again won’t make me change my mind.

[Lustywench]

A thug can be white, black, brown, yellow, red, green, pink and purple

[Valentina327]

It’s not an opinion.

Look BB, I’m not running around calling White women Becky and using the definition as an excuse like I don’t know it’s been used to push the stereotype that white women are easy to get head from because they are overly sexually promiscuous.

I most certainly do not tell white women “they don’t get to choose” to find that racially offensive or racist.

All due respect, l understand if some can’t grasp that concept, but I don’t do that to other people and I’m not tolerating anyone doing that to me because people on the internet feel I should.

First, Becky is racial? I don’t know where you were going with that...
Second, I didn’t say you didn’t get to choose how you feel. I said you don’t get to choose a meaning of a word and expect everyone else to treat that word the way you view it when it isn’t a racial slur. The meaning isn’t racist. So people are not going to see it as racist and just because you do and you get offended doesn’t mean others should have to walk on eggshells.
I’m not telling you how to feel. Feel however you feel. But you don’t get to tell other people how to feel or that a word that doesn’t have a racial meaning to it is factually racist. It is not.

No but in consideration for the fact that it's come to be offensive, we can choose not to use it. That's not walking on eggshells - it's just being a bit more conscious. I didn't realize any of that until Southern brought it up.

[BionicBunny]

Look BB, I’m not running around calling White women Becky and using the definition as an excuse like I don’t know it’s been used to push the stereotype that white women are easy to get head from because they are overly sexually promiscuous.

I most certainly do not tell white women “they don’t get to choose” to find that racially offensive or racist.

All due respect, l understand if some can’t grasp that concept, but I don’t do that to other people and I’m not tolerating anyone doing that to me because people on the internet feel I should.

First, Becky is racial? I don’t know where you were going with that...
Second, I didn’t say you didn’t get to choose how you feel. I said you don’t get to choose a meaning of a word and expect everyone else to treat that word the way you view it when it isn’t a racial slur. The meaning isn’t racist. So people are not going to see it as racist and just because you do and you get offended doesn’t mean others should have to walk on eggshells.
I’m not telling you how to feel. Feel however you feel. But you don’t get to tell other people how to feel or that a word that doesn’t have a racial meaning to it is factually racist. It is not.

No but in consideration for the fact that it's come to be offensive, we can choose not to use it. That's not walking on eggshells - it's just being a bit more conscious. I didn't realize any of that until Southern brought it up.

Just because a few people decided it was offensive doesn’t mean it’s an offensive racial slur. Everything is offensive now days and Too many people are trying to make everything politically correct and that’s walking on eggshells to please a few people and that’s walking on eggshells.
I mean no disrespect to southern. She is one of my favorites on here along with you and AZ and a few others.
But I’m not a PC person. If people in general try to tell me I can’t use a word because they decide it has a different meaning and it’s offensive I’m going to ignore it. I can’t control what other people get offended over and you can’t please everyone so I don’t live my life trying.