I can't recall the last time I measured a nose
with calipers - or compared brains in a weighing pan -
but apparently I have to check my privileged
position of constantly being branded a racist
last week I learned that now it is racist
to call people thugs - but not if you are black -
as if you are black - it is a term of endearment -
oh those ruffians are such fun to be around -
which is pretty racist in itself - given the whole
black savage thing - but now I am racist for saying
that - as the winston smith of language control
central - informing me of this new fact - was black -
so I went to the dictionary of etymology and
was rather surprised - to find - apache - associated
with the strangling worshipers of kali -
the link refers to a french usage for a parisian
gang - but no matter - it's racist - or would be
- or perhaps should be in this purging of language
but back to thug - from marathi thak or thag
meaning 'cheat or swindler' - or hindi thag
or sanskit sthaga-s meaning 'cunning' or even
sthagayati 'one who conceals' - but either way -
when you have the noose round your neck
and the rupee at you spine there's not much
point in arguing about derivations - or even
the precise meaning of words - for the many
arms of kali like nothing more than to cuddle -
and there is something rather odd not being
allowed to use precise words for actual things -
since as I understand it the word was used
to describe the thugs strangling balitmore -
one might argue the ironic point - that those
using it had more than a plank in their eye -
due to the way the police are funded - and
there was more than a little thuggishness
in the death of freddie gray - broken neck -
snapped back - but that's the way the police
get noticed - and those military vehicles
don't come cheap - heil folks - and kali
was pleased - but now I'm being racist -
since one may not argue the ironic point -
nor the precise concealed cunning
cheating meaning of words
The Blue Book
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