# Why do ANY mainstream figures doubt or deny racism is involved in the Charleston shooting? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 19, 2015, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956 "2015-06-19T17:02:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/101 "2015-06-19T23:12:08Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > I have to admit I’m also baffled by what your point was. **Bricker** used the word “thug” to refer to a white person in a thread on the theme of racism, a usage which is somewhat pointed in light of recent threads on the question of whether “thug” is a racist slur or not. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/102 "2015-06-19T23:13:36Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > I have to admit I’m also baffled by what your point was. It’s a reference to past threads/debates we have had here. Many of us feel that people like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have started to use the word Thug to refer to African Americans who are not technically criminals but are acting in some way that would be considered rebellious or anti authoritarian. There were a couple of debates a month or so ago. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mlnm3rfnww](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mlnm3rfnww) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/103 "2015-06-19T23:18:27Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > It’s a reference to past threads/debates we have had here. Many of us feel that people like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have started to use the word Thug to refer to African Americans who are not technically criminals but are acting in some way that would be considered rebellious or anti authoritarian. There were a couple of debates a month or so ago. > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mlnm3rfnww](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mlnm3rfnww) Ah. And you’re upset because you… think… **Bricker** is saying Roof is black? 😕 Sorry, why are we supposed to care that he used “thug” to describe a white guy? ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/104 "2015-06-19T23:18:29Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > It’s a reference to past threads/debates we have had here. Many of us feel that people like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have started to use the word Thug to refer to African Americans who are not technically criminals but are acting in some way that would be considered rebellious or anti authoritarian. There were a couple of debates a month or so ago. > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mlnm3rfnww](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mlnm3rfnww) the day after this speech the news networks exploded with stories, is Sherwin a thug?!?!?! ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/105 "2015-06-19T23:20:33Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Ah. And you’re upset because you… think… **Bricker** is saying Roof is black? 😕 > > Sorry, why are we supposed to care that he used “thug” to describe a white guy? if he’s doing it just to annoy people, yes. i say stuff to annoy people all the time. i just don’t pretend that’s not what i’m doing. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/106 "2015-06-19T23:26:31Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > **Bricker** used the word “thug” to refer to a white person in a thread on the theme of racism, a usage which is somewhat pointed in light of recent threads on the question of whether “thug” is a racist slur or not. [QUOTE=Robert163] if he’s doing it just to annoy people, yes. i say stuff to annoy people all the time. i just don’t pretend that’s not what i’m doing. [/QUOTE] So…you guys are annoyed because Bricker doesn’t agree with your interpretation that ‘thug’ is a ‘racist slur’ and is tweaking you about it by using the term on a white racist murdering scumbag?? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/107 "2015-06-19T23:28:30Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > **Bricker** used the word “thug” to refer to a white person in a thread on the theme of racism, a usage which is somewhat pointed in light of recent threads on the question of whether “thug” is a racist slur or not. Thug is not a racist slur. Thug means “a brutal ruffian or assassin.” [Cite.](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thug) I refer to a white-skinned person who has murdered darker-skinned people for the apparent reason that he hates darker-skinned people by a word that fits him perfectly. He is a racist; that word is not. It’s an accurate description of him. What the hell are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/108 "2015-06-19T23:28:36Z")
> [@XT](#): > > So…you guys are annoyed because Bricker doesn’t agree with your interpretation that ‘thug’ is a ‘racist slur’ **and is tweaking you about it** by using the term on a white racist murdering scumbag?? yes ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/109 "2015-06-19T23:29:39Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Thug is not a racist slur. Thug means “a brutal ruffian or assassin.” [Cite.](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thug) > > I refer to a white-skinned person who has murdered darker-skinned people for the apparent reason that he hates darker-skinned people by a word that fits him perfectly. He is a racist; that word is not. It’s an accurate description of him. > > What the hell are you talking about? ok ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/110 "2015-06-19T23:31:48Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > It’s a reference to past threads/debates we have had here. Many of us feel that people like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have started to use the word Thug to refer to African Americans who are not technically criminals but are acting in some way that would be considered rebellious or anti authoritarian. There were a couple of debates a month or so ago. > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mlnm3rfnww](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mlnm3rfnww) This is incoherent. Assuming arguendo that Rush and Sean are misusing the word thug, does this somehow mean they have removed it from the lexicon and now it cannot be used, even properly, anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/111 "2015-06-19T23:33:34Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > This is incoherent. > > Assuming arguendo that Rush and Sean are misusing the word thug, does this somehow mean they have removed it from the lexicon and now it cannot be used, even properly, anymore? well obviously you have no problem using it. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/112 "2015-06-19T23:34:04Z")
ffs, what is this thread about. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/113 "2015-06-19T23:34:11Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > well obviously you have no problem using it. Why should he? I’m really confused here. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/114 "2015-06-19T23:39:21Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Why should he? I’m really confused here. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=755809](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=755809) ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/115 "2015-06-19T23:45:20Z")
> [@XT](#): > > So…you guys are annoyed because Bricker doesn’t agree with your interpretation that ‘thug’ is a ‘racist slur’ and is tweaking you about it by using the term on a white racist murdering scumbag?? I’m not annoyed. I actually got a chuckle out of it, despite my being on the other “side” of the thug “issue” such as it is. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/116 "2015-06-19T23:45:36Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=755809](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=755809) I’m not reading that whole thread to figure out what is going on in your head. But it occurs to me that I don’t really care what’s going on in your head, and this is a hijack, as \*\*up the junction \*\*notes, so I’m dropping it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/117 "2015-06-19T23:46:14Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > ffs, what is this thread about. Some people were killed, but what’s really important is whether Republicans use the word "racism’ to describe it. Obama, otoh, is excused from having to call it racism because he’s black. And if someone calls a white person a thug, they are really making fun of folks who are offended by those who call black criminals thugs. Oh, and “it’s all over the news” means “it’s all that people are talking about in the lefty blogosphere”. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/118 "2015-06-19T23:46:41Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > I’m not reading that whole thread to figure out what is going on in your head. But it occurs to me that I don’t really care what’s going on in your head, and this is a hijack, as \*\*up the junction \*\*notes, so I’m dropping it. is it ok if i feel the same way about you??? ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/119 "2015-06-19T23:47:35Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Thug is not a racist slur. Thug means “a brutal ruffian or assassin.” [Cite.](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thug) > > I refer to a white-skinned person who has murdered darker-skinned people for the apparent reason that he hates darker-skinned people by a word that fits him perfectly. He is a racist; that word is not. It’s an accurate description of him. > > What the hell are you talking about? I’m talking about the little joke you made, which did give me a genuine, non-angry chuckle. But let us not pursue it further in this thread, as it would constitute a hijack. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956/120 "2015-06-19T23:48:09Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > is it ok if i feel the same way about you??? Knock yourself out, guy on internet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-any-mainstream-figures-doubt-or-deny-racism-is-involved-in-the-charleston-shooting/722956.md?page=7)