Metta World Peace And The Thug Debate

04/24/2012 03:19 PM

by Chip Cosby
• 3 Comments
• Filed under: Chip's Commentary

Los Angeles Lakers player Metta World Peace’s cheap shot on Oklahoma City Thunder forward James Harden means not only that a suspension is coming for the controversial forward, but it also brought to light a debate over the use of the word ‘thug’. CN|2 Sports’ Chip Cosby examines on his Tuesday update.

About Chip Cosby

Chip Cosby is the host of cn|2 Sports. He came to cn|2 in May 2011 after working 14 years as a sports reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader. Chip graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1996 and has spent his career covering everything from UK to UofL to high school sports. Chip says one of his favorite aspects of the job is meeting the casual sports fans across the area. Be sure to say hello the next time you see Chip!

Comments

Mike Nelms wrote on April 24, 2012 06:10 PM :

Thug is just a word that describes a person’s behavior and not race or gender. There are too many words that are being eliminated from use because the media decides that word isn’t considered politically correct. Thug seems an appropriate word for Artest’s behavior historically. Let’s not start looking at thug as racially insensitive word.
Connie Barlow wrote on April 25, 2012 11:04 PM :

The word thug is a shortened version of the word thuggee, a Hindi word originally referring to a member of an organized group of assassins who strangled their victims. Rappers did not create this word and the player formerly known as Ron Artest does not fit this definition. Ghetto does not mean poor-it describes a thickly populated living area inhabited by an ethnic minority.I wish your guest had been more precise when he opined on the topic.
Don Dasher wrote on April 26, 2012 02:44 PM :

I use that word to describe many people in sports and entertainment. Color was never considered when using the word. It’s not a racially charged word and I wish folks would stop trying to find another reason to divide the races.
When I watched Ron Artest do this I said thug, idiot and dumbass when talking about him. I also remembered his other childish antics on the floor and in the stands. He is a big bully and really needs some therapy. I don’t like his kind of play in sports and when I see someone like him who is very good at his profession stoop to this level all it does is remind me of a childish thug who doesn’t know how to act that should be disciplined.