As described in the Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, the term “thug” is often used as “coded language that [is] used to refer to or speak of Blackness without overtly sounding racially prejudiced.”
Ah yes I thought I remembered that. Some years ago, a bunch of extra-liberal-blue-haired-so-and-such girls I used to know in high school posted some shit about how if you use "thug", you're a racist because it's ONLY a pejorative against black people. Which... no. It's not. Can be, but not solely.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thug Usage notes says there's "nuance". And yet the definition does not say "One who triumphs over obstacles". Because that's not what it means. Dictionary.com says it's more likely to be applied to blacks than whites, who may be more generally said to be "troublemakers" or "hooligans".
What's next, video game companies banning references to crayon-eating because it's disparaging to the mentally-handicapped?
Oh wait... Bungie just did that in Destiny/Destiny 2. A longstanding joke among the players is that the Titan class, the big, muscular typical-super-soldier heavy-trooper units, are crayon-eaters. Because they're effectively Marines In Space. The joke, of course, is that the Titans are illiterate crayon-eaters who just like to punch things. Untrue, naturally, but Titans do indeed lack for subtlty. Apparently someone got butthurt at the joke and now Bungie has banned references to crayon-eating in their forums, Clan names, and other places. Bet the USMC'll do the same before long.
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