Editor, Times-Union: I find it alarming that with all that occurred in Baltimore this past week, including rioting, looting, arson, curfews and injury to the police, that a major point of controversy was the word “thugs” uttered by the mayor of the city. She was chastised by members of the community, subsequently apologized, and retracted from earlier use of the word during the first day of the riots. It was as if her choice of the word thugs was more damaging than the loss of revenue, disruption of small businesses so vital to the community, damage to the city’s reputation and infrastructure, school closures and fearfulness of the law-abiding inhabitants. Perhaps using a better term for the criminals who break windows, throw rocks and bottles, set fires and steal would be more tolerable and assuage the problem. Why not “unauthorized early shopping representatives” or “potential buying agents”? Arsonists could be deemed “ignition specialists.” While the word “thug” may be a little strong, it implies criminal activity and is still appropriate. Any other euphemism would hide the truth that the perpetrators, no matter what their ethnicity and age, are what they are – opportunists who use any crisis as an opportunity to break the law. Max Sherman Warsaw, via email
