Summary Of The Racially Charged Meaning Behind The Word Thug

In the interview “The Racially Charged Meaning Behind The Word 'Thug” (2015), the National Public Radio’s Melissa Black interviews Columba University’s John McWhorter, and he describes the idea that there are different connotations of the word “thug” between the African-American race and the Caucasian American race, while simultaneously reviewing the word’s efficiency to describe Baltimore, Maryland’s violent protestors. McWhorter emphasizes that “thug” is a more polite version of the “N-word”. He describes how the word “thug” could be of a different meaning for black and white people, and analyzes the reason behind the rioters’ violent acts. McWhorter focuses on these three subtopics in order to allow the reader to comprehend the controversial meaning of the word “thug”. It is a strong possibility that the intended listener or reader of this interview is a linguist or any person who lives in the now racially sensitive 21st century.
For example, I socially agree with McWhorter’s viewpoint on the use of the word “thug” between the different races and the way “thug” is a more polite way to call someone an “N-word”. However, I am baffled by his lack of facts to support his claim. McWhorter gives broad examples on the situation in which the use of the word “thug” would be different, but not the actual emotions behind the use the word in an individual that was Caucasian. McWhorter does provide a description of the feelings of the word “thug” in the African American society, but he fails to touch the other side of the spectrum. I wonder if there is a Caucasian person who views a “thug” as a hero or as a person with blond hair and blue