Thug is the new Nigger

I loathe this word...when I hear it, something maddening just runs through my veins. What is this word? Thug.

It has been used to describe Richard Sherman (a man who graduated second in his high school \class, scored 1400 on his SAT's out of a possible 1600, returned to Stanford for an extra year of eligibility just so he could work on his Master's degree, and who has a private charity providing school supplies to impoverished schools, so they can compete academically with their more economically blessed counterparts). It has been used to describe Trayvon Martin ( an unarmed kid simply walking home with snacks, who called his mother, "cupcake", who wore a button on his shirt, commemorating the life of a deceased cousin, and who wore khakis on the night of his murder).

Why does it make me so mad? Because it is the 21st century version of nigger. The people who use it don't have the intestinal fortitude to say nigger, so they call you a thug instead. I loathe racists, but what I loathe even more are those who hide behind this four letter word, who smile in your face every day, but as soon as you step out of line, here comes this word.

The truth is most of these individuals don't know a real thug. Real thugs do not obtain degrees from Stanford, give television interviews, play professional sports, wear khakis or buttons on their shirts, or have legitimate jobs and/or hobbies.

Real thugs have criminal records, rape women, kill and molest children, are corporate raiders who steal people's retirements (Enron anyone?), or are elected officials who can't stay out of women's vaginas (well, not literally, but pass laws, which disenfranchise women).

Trust me in the South, even  the most violent, crime ridden areas, don't compare to the areas where the real thugs reside. Most of us country bumpkins do not personally know any real thugs.

So to all the people who like to use this word....just say nigger, I can respect you more, because at least I know you have the intestinal fortitude to be who you are!

Until next time......