In the Don’s Corner we are all about taking things to the next level, climbing to the pinnacle of manhood. Therefore, it is imperative to clarify a couple of terms that we have gotten confused for years. There are a lot of casualties of this confusion as people have attempted to be one, by doing the actions of the other, totally confused. So, let’s put things in perspective and liberate the new generation from these same mistakes. For dons worldwide, let’s clear up the misconceptions between a thug and a gangster.
THE THUG
The original Thugs were bands of traveling criminals in India who strangled and robbed travellers. These gangs committed murder following precise religious rites to honour Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction. Ok, that is where the term originated, but as always, we took the term and gave it its own definition. In our communities, historically, the thug is that crazy dude down for whatever. A madman, the one to be feared. A thug is the one who put in work for a gangster. When a gangster barked, it was the thug that did the biting for him. Thugs usually had it rough growing up. Loners, they usually found family in the neighborhood gangsters who could relate to their plight. Typically, a thug was that person that would do things others wouldn’t, which is how they earned their rep of being a hellraiser. Thugs usually have no rhyme or reason to their antics; they just love to inflict the same pain they were given over the years. That can change, and often does, when they are recognized and recruited by a gangster. Simply speaking, thugs are gangsters-in-training – IF they can survive, adapt, and elevate their mindstate.
THE GANGSTER
The term gangster first came to light in America in the early part of the 20th century. It was used to refer to poor Irish and Italian immigrant street “gangs” who banded together to pursue their slice of the American pie. Gangsters were very organized and always had a goal of legitimacy. They took pride in their dress, and had a strict code of ethics. They often plotted strategic goals that wouldn’t materialize until the next generation of their bloodline. Gangsters often forged strategic alliances with those in power to help facilitate their various enterprises. Gangsters were visionaries willing to do anything to achieve their goals.
The Discussion
A lot of people today, particularly the youth, have the titles confused. They feel that if you bash someone’s head in, or if you shoot someone at the drop of a dime, then that makes you a gangster. Worse, they feel that if you sell drugs, or rap about committing crimes, then that makes you a gangster. Nothing could be further from the truth! A real gangster wouldn’t even be associated with this madness. All of that is thug behavior. Apathy has no place in the life of a gangster. A thug’s number one tool is his apathy – just not caring about anything. Gangsters are meticulous planners that use violence as a final resort, and a means to an end. The most notorious gangster in American history is Carlo Gambino, Founder of the Gambino Crime Family, which later grew to infamy on the exploits of thug /wannabe-gangster John Gotti. Carlo Gambino was nicknamed The Jackal because it was said he would order hits with a smile on his face. That is the movement of a gangster. A silent check mate over a loud “king me!”, which brings me to why I say John Gotti wasn’t quite yet a gangster when he took the helm of the Gambino Crime Family.
Most gangsters matriculate into the position of a boss. They climb the ranks from being a thug, to a gangster, to one day being a boss (hopefully.) Boss status is usually conferred on a person after he has proven himself worthy by his peers. This coronation by his peers is what gives him his power because he has deemed himself worthy of their respect by adhering to their rules, unlike a thug, who is typically uncontrollable. In Gotti’s case, he wrested his position away prematurely by killing his boss – actions of a thug, rather than a don. Consequently, his entire reign was characterized by thug moves (tough talk, senseless murders, abuse of authority, flamboyant overtures, and in-fighting) that eventually led to his demise.
Gotti’s story should be the personification of the difference between a Gangster and a Thug. As Don’s, we should refer to it often so that we can learn from his mistakes. As dons we should learn from the mistakes of others because we can’t possibly live long enough to make them all ourselves. So, to my dons, recognize the difference between a Gangster and a Thug. Most importantly, let’s aspire to be better than both of them because we are DONS and this . . . is our corner.
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