Protests following the killing of George Floyd

Garethw

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Certainly the word "thug" has no racial connotations in the UK. Despite the etymology of the word being linked to an Indian cult of robbers and swindlers in the time of empire.

The football thugs of the 70's and 80's were almost entirely white.
Yep. Definitely not a racially associated word in the UK.

When I think of thugs I Personally think of white skin heads or enforcers for organised crime syndicates,, that kind of thing.
 

sun_tzu

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She's toast once her license plate info makes its way onto Twitter.
the running over was unnecessary - but so was jumping on her window - they don't cancel each other out of course and equally anybody tracking her down and harming or threatening her once her licence plate makes it on to twitter wouldnt be justified or helping the situation either - to be honest twitter should be sending her licence to the police and taking the posts down
 

BobbyManc

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it was to ascertain whether there was any form of existing animosity between them mate. It turns out they had worked together in the past so I’d bet money that the officer was using this to settle an old score.

This looks like pre determined murder to me. He had every intention of ending that poor mans life from the moment he placed his knee on his neck/throat.

These riots are just the tip of the iceberg if that cop doesn’t end up facing murder charges.
Yeah just learnt that they worked together as bouncers. Don’t get me wrong I was not criticising you for asking that as in this case it seems like it was a factor, my point is I would want to avoid an overemphasis on the personal factor when black people are murdered by cops without any need for pre-existing animosity regularly, and when even accounting for this personal element here the cop felt empowered enough to be able to execute him in full public view and with the complicity of his colleagues.
 

Rado_N

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Certainly the word "thug" has no racial connotations in the UK. Despite the etymology of the word being linked to an Indian cult of robbers and swindlers in the time of empire.

The football thugs of the 70's and 80's were almost entirely white.
Yep. Definitely not a racially associated word in the UK.

When I think of thugs I Personally think of white skin heads or enforcers for organised crime syndicates,, that kind of thing.
Guys, this is all going on in the US...
 

sun_tzu

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Yep. Definitely not a racially associated word in the UK.

When I think of thugs I Personally think of white skin heads or enforcers for organised crime syndicates,, that kind of thing.
type in thug to google images - a page of mostly young black men
type in thug UK to google images - a page of mostly young white men (mostly with very short hair)
so yeah its for sure one of those words that has different meanings on different sides of the Atlantic
 

Raoul

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the running over was unnecessary - but so was jumping on her window - they don't cancel each other out of course and equally anybody tracking her down and harming or threatening her once her licence plate makes it on to twitter wouldnt be justified or helping the situation either - to be honest twitter should be sending her licence to the police and taking the posts down
Yes, I agree that attempting to kill someone is worse than jumping on a car.
 

Pink Moon

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I’m just gonna re-quote this:
Yeah I didn't expect a reply after bringing up Mueller and his band of overwhelmingly white prosecutors being branded "thugs" by Trump so it's fine. Funny thing is that usage is the one that is so spectacularly wide of the mark (definition wise).
 

Rado_N

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the running over was unnecessary - but so was jumping on her window - they don't cancel each other out of course and equally anybody tracking her down and harming or threatening her once her licence plate makes it on to twitter wouldnt be justified or helping the situation either - to be honest twitter should be sending her licence to the police and taking the posts down
The girl who tweeted the video explained in a follow up that he only jumped on the car because she accelerated towards them.
 

Rado_N

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Yeah I didn't expect a reply after bringing up Mueller and his band of overwhelmingly white prosecutors being branded "thugs" by Trump so it's fine. Funny thing is that usage is the one that is so spectacularly wide of the mark (definition wise).
I can only assume at this point that you’re being deliberately obtuse given how many times the concept of dog whistling has been explained to you in very simple terms.
 

Pink Moon

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I can only assume at this point that you’re being deliberately obtuse given how many times the concept of dog whistling has been explained to you in very simple terms.
Or, unbelievably, I don't think it's a case of dog whistling but rather a case of correctly using a word.

Rioters and looters being described as thugs? Outrageous!
 

blue blue

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Guys, this is all going on in the US...
We know that.

We are just surprised that somebody has suggested the word "thug" has racial connotations because of Trumps comments.

Perhaps if you live in the USA you can confirm one way or the other.
 

Pogue Mahone

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"like a man in silk pyjamas shooting pigeons
the running over was unnecessary - but so was jumping on her window - they don't cancel each other out of course and equally anybody tracking her down and harming or threatening her once her licence plate makes it on to twitter wouldnt be justified or helping the situation either - to be honest twitter should be sending her licence to the police and taking the posts down
I’m definitely not a fan of twitter mobs. I was assuming/hoping that this would be the usual outcomes. Police and employers informed etc. As far as I know online pile-ups hardly ever end up with anyone turning up at someone’s door.
 

jungledrums

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We know that.

We are just surprised that somebody has suggested the word "thug" has racial connotations because of Trumps comments.

Perhaps if you live in the USA you can confirm one way or the other.
I’m not American but yeah, it does have racial undertones. I don’t know trump’s intent - the man is so daft that it wouldn’t surprise me if he was actually unaware of the implications of using that term. But yes, it has racial connotations.
 

BobbyManc

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Yes, I agree that attempting to kill someone is worse than jumping on a car.
:lol:

First time I’ve seen attempted murder termed ‘unnecessary’ in the same way you might tell someone they’ve put a little too much sauce on their burger.
 

Garethw

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Guys, this is all going on in the US...
Oh I know that mate. It was more to highlight the point that in the UK the term thug is not something that gets associated primarily with black people or used as a racist term in general.
 

Eire Red United

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Think the rioters are completely in the right. This behaviour from cops has been going on far too long and peaceful protests have falling on deaf ears for years.

That video would make your blood boil in anger and its just the latest, I get that the gang problem is massive in the US and cops genuinely do fear for their lives daily but their actions have been disgusting, no reason why they couldnt have just arrested that fella he was cooperating and absolutely no threat.

Compare the tear gassing of peaceful black protestors to the cops completely ignoring other protests against the lockdown where people have been walking around with guns and nothing done.
 

blue blue

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I’m not American but yeah, it does have racial undertones. I don’t know trump’s intent - the man is so daft that it wouldn’t surprise me if he was actually unaware of the implications of using that term. But yes, it has racial connotations.
So in America the word "thug" has racial connotations.

Really? Do you live in America?

I'd like a second opinion on that.

This is all getting away from the terrible sh*t going on but I just want to see if people really are making up stuff to suit their own argument.
 

Rado_N

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Or, unbelievably, I don't think it's a case of dog whistling but rather a case of correctly using a word.

Rioters and looters being described as thugs? Outrageous!
Ok I’m done banging my head against this particular wall. At best you’re being disingenuous.

We know that.

We are just surprised that somebody has suggested the word "thug" has racial connotations because of Trumps comments.

Perhaps if you live in the USA you can confirm one way or the other.
I don’t live in the US but I can confirm that the word thug unquestionably carries a racial undertone over there.

It’s been described by many as a synonym for the n word, and is often used as a dog whistle as it has been by Trump here.
 

Sky1981

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Think the rioters are completely in the right. This behaviour from cops has been going on far too long and peaceful protests have falling on deaf ears for years.

That video would make your blood boil in anger and its just the latest, I get that the gang problem is massive in the US and cops genuinely do fear for their lives daily but their actions have been disgusting, no reason why they couldnt have just arrested that fella he was cooperating and absolutely no threat.

Compare the tear gassing of peaceful black protestors to the cops completely ignoring other protests against the lockdown where people have been walking around with guns and nothing done.
This will only embolden the racist cops. From the outside it's clear that the whole blues are behind them, the president are with them, and FOX etc probably right behind them indirectly.
 

Rado_N

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So in America the word "thug" has racial connotations.

Really? Do you live in America?

I'd like a second opinion on that.

This is all getting away from the terrible sh*t going on but I just want to see if people really are making up stuff to suit their own argument.
Mate just google it.
 

Fingeredmouse

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Think the rioters are completely in the right. This behaviour from cops has been going on far too long and peaceful protests have falling on deaf ears for years.

That video would make your blood boil in anger and its just the latest, I get that the gang problem is massive in the US and cops genuinely do fear for their lives daily but their actions have been disgusting, no reason why they couldnt have just arrested that fella he was cooperating and absolutely no threat.

Compare the tear gassing of peaceful black protestors to the cops completely ignoring other protests against the lockdown where people have been walking around with guns and nothing done.
I'm not American but I am completely on the side of the rioters.
Of course, peaceful protest is best. However, there are times where peaceful protest will no longer work.
What's been going on in the States politically in the last decade or so is appalling and must be fought.
 

Stacks

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There is a lot of historical connotation with the use of the word Thug and African Americans. It was a clear dog whistle with this taken into account and someone like Trump would definitely play into that.
I don't think he is saavy enough for that. He is pretty clumsy and thoughtless in his speech. The guy talked about putting disinfectant via injection. You think he is clued up like this?
This is not a reach , Thug is the polite way of using the N word.
It’s way more racially loaded than that in America.
Nah, he's consistently spoken about white people doing shitty things as 'good people' that are just fighting for their rights etc. and as soon as it isn't white people they're thugs. He's a racist cnut.
all the footage I have seen of protesters showed a mixed crowd with many white N words. This isn't exactly black people rioting.
 

calodo2003

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We know that.

We are just surprised that somebody has suggested the word "thug" has racial connotations because of Trumps comments.

Perhaps if you live in the USA you can confirm one way or the other.
Absolutely has racial undertones.
 

Fingeredmouse

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I don't think he is saavy enough for that. He is pretty clumsy and thoughtless in his speech. The guy talked about putting disinfectant via injection. You think he is clued up like this?
Abso-fecking-lutely and he's done it before.
 

nimic

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Speaking of "thug", I came across this graph in the Google Books Ngram Viewer which matches the rise of dog-whistle politics shockingly well. Maybe it's just a coincidence, and I'm reading meaning into it that isn't there, but it sure seems relevant.

 

SteveJ

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Let's be honest - even if Trump meant it to have no racial undertones, use of the word 'thugs' dilutes, ignores and devalues any valid protest going on. This is unlikely to be accidental.
 

jungledrums

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So in America the word "thug" has racial connotations.

Really? Do you live in America?

I'd like a second opinion on that.

This is all getting away from the terrible sh*t going on but I just want to see if people really are making up stuff to suit their own argument.
Haha mate I’m not on any side in your argument. I just know the word ‘thug’ has been used, way back when, for the purpose of ‘othering’ certain demographics. As you say though, the literal definition of the word ‘thug’ can be applied In this case. You’re fighting a losing battle though.
 

Fingeredmouse

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Let's be honest - even if Trump meant it to have no racial undertones, use of the word 'thugs' dilutes, ignores and devalues any valid protest going on. This is unlikely to be accidental.
Well quite. We're debating the use of a single word by a scandalously right wing President with known far right and fascist group associations who is supported by Evangelical lunatics, alt right cultural manipulators and actually fecking Nazis.