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Cali_Democrat

(30,439 posts)
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 02:41 AM Jan 2014

Maher Defends Richard Sherman, Blasts the ‘Underground’ Racism of ‘Thug’ Label


Maher Defends Richard Sherman, Blasts the ‘Underground’ Racism of ‘Thug’ Label
by Josh Feldman | 10:59 pm, January 24th, 2014


Bill Maher took on the Richard Sherman controversy Friday, defending the NFL star and agreeing with his claim that “thug” is just the politically correct word people use instead of the n-word, saying “racism has really kind of gone underground in this country,” but it still subsides.

Howard Dean, no stranger to loud outbursts, also defended Sherman, though he didn’t completely agree with Sherman’s assessment of the word “thug.” Maher thought it was more spot-on, because “whenever people see a black guy they don’t like,” they call him a thug.

Josh Barro added that black men are expected to have a level of humility while white men like Donald Trump can be as arrogant as possible and no one calls them a thug.

Maher kept the race connection going, and quipped, “I don’t think the Duck Dynasty people are going to be rooting for Seattle.”

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/maher-defends-richard-sherman-blasts-the-underground-racism-of-thug-label/


This also had me thinking about how very few people referred to Justin Bieber as a thug recently even though he's been in trouble with the law numerous times.

Sherman has never been in trouble with the law, but he's the thug?

Ya, right.

7 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Maher Defends Richard Sherman, Blasts the ‘Underground’ Racism of ‘Thug’ Label (Original Post) Cali_Democrat Jan 2014 OP
I think "thug" refers to a violent criminal. Archae Jan 2014 #1
"I think "thug" refers to a violent criminal" Cali_Democrat Jan 2014 #2
I think there's an important distinction to be made: it's not that the word "thug" petronius Jan 2014 #3
Okay, so I need to get this straight. silverweb Jan 2014 #4
Good! K^Richard Sherman is the opposite Cha Jan 2014 #5
Thanks, Cha! Cali_Democrat Jan 2014 #6
Ceasar Romero and Burgess Meredith's Assistants? One_Life_To_Give Jan 2014 #7

Archae

(46,260 posts)
1. I think "thug" refers to a violent criminal.
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 02:45 AM
Jan 2014

I don't know if Justin Bieber has assaulted anyone.

The guy who beat me up (white guy) 20 years ago was a thug.

 

Cali_Democrat

(30,439 posts)
2. "I think "thug" refers to a violent criminal"
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 02:48 AM
Jan 2014

Agree.

So why did so many people call Sherman a thug after his interview? He didn't even use foul language and he's never been in trouble with the law.

petronius

(26,580 posts)
3. I think there's an important distinction to be made: it's not that the word "thug"
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 03:03 AM
Jan 2014

is racist (it isn't), the issue is the ease with which a word that means "violent, criminal" is applied to black men who are anything but, and the epithet goes unquestioned. It seems that white guys get called thugs when they're thugs, and don't get called thugs when they aren't. Black guys get called thugs when they're black guys...

silverweb

(16,402 posts)
4. Okay, so I need to get this straight.
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 03:06 AM
Jan 2014

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Does this mean I can't refer to republibullies as reTHUGs anymore?



One_Life_To_Give

(6,036 posts)
7. Ceasar Romero and Burgess Meredith's Assistants?
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 10:10 AM
Jan 2014

Telling my age I guess. My memory is "thugs" usually received a "thwack" from either Adam West or Burt Ward.

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