but I don't agree that its usage is always code word for the "N" word - that's a pretty short-sighted and lazy generalization that doesn't really hold much weight.

Context is paramount, yet again. Also, as you stated - it's quite a reach to say that this is always the case - particularly in this context when the looters in question were in fact acting thuggish, by all conventional definitions of the term "thug."

Interestingly, I bet Quest would walk back the comment in the context of whether or not he thinks Obama was calling the rioters the "N" word - which sort of proves your point.


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