Since using the "N-word" to describe a black is off the table, people who like to use the word in a demeaning manner just looked for a replacement word. And apparently, that replacement word is "thug", because it's only being used to describe black people or to reference so-called gangs. The question is: what is a thug?Let's look at it.
The word "thug" comes from "thag", an Indian-Hindi word that means one of these robbers. The British in India gave the name thug to a member of a gang of thieves and murderers. It is said that a thug would pretend to be friendly with a traveler, offer to share the journey, and when the opportunity seemed safe, the thug (as it were) would kill and rob his traveling companion. During the 19th century, it is said that thugs made travel dangerous, so the British government imprisoned most of them, making them less of a threat over a few years. Nonetheless, the word thug has lasted and has evolved and taken on a broader meaning.
