If I identify a certain behavior as "thug" behavior and the person is white, that's legitimate.

If I identify a certain behavior as "thug" behavior and the person is black, that's racist.  According to some code I don't know....

Why is that?  I would think that to be racist and using code, I would need to know the code right?

Definition:
"a cruel or vicious ruffian, robber, or murderer. "
"a brutal ruffian or assassin "

Obviously I'm bringing it up because it was used extensively in response to Richard Sherman's talk.  The word used with respect to him was obviously misused.  But the idea that the word is somehow a substitution for the N-word is something I just don't get. 

Racism is a serious matter of course, but false accusations of racism are also serious....

thugee

I said yes but I don't think the term "thug" is inherently racist. I think people are using "thug" as a way to say the N word without actually saying the N word. The same way my tea party dad complains that rappers are "ignorant."

I've been trying to think of ****-talking white guys in the NFL who always had their fingers pointed at themselves and screaming "That dude is awesome!!!"

I came up with Jeremy Shockey.

Was he called a thug in his day?

John Riggins was a "cancer", a rebel, a clubhouse lawyer

Black guys are thugs

Thigger?

Phillip Rivers is also very chatty.    Has he been called a thug?