Ukraine knows of nearly 3,000 Africans recruited into Russia's armed forces
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14 replies
In other words, about three days worth of Russian meat wave tactics. Poor guys had no idea they were going to be impressed into service.
Edit: Is there a non-racist word for impressment? I thought it might be dragooned, but I don't care for the term "shanghai'ed".
Press-ganged?
Yeah that works.
Im not a native english speaker. How is this word racist?
I am a native English speaker and have the same question
It might not be in point of fact, but as an anachronism its original context has faded. It's more that it might inspire shadings of connotation that would be unintended, so I would hesitate to reach for that word in mixed company or on the internet. Among people who know me as a strident anti-racist I would feel more sure of being understood if I used it.
Why is impressment considered racist? A quick google didn't give me anything.
No, "shanghaied". I don't know the origin of that term, it just has a bad vibe
It's got an interesting history, go check it out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghaiing
Origin is basically it was a place where a lot of dudes got forced into naval service. It happened in many different port cities, it's just that the public conscious kind of just settled on Shanghai as where it happened a lot. Plus for some time Shanghai literally had a thing where British people there were not subject to local laws so as one can imagine it probably led to some less scrupulous folks taking advantage of that.
Idk I haven't really done a ton of research or anything this is all very surface level. Bad vibes indeed, getting knocked out by whatever drugs and waking up on a boat finding out you're part of the crew sounds like a pretty bad time.
Hoodwinked and Shanghai'd sound like the racist slang term for what impressment was.
Impressment seems to be the dictionary term for the action of pressing people into navy service whether they like it or not.
Hoodwinked? Not exactly the same connotation, just a fun word.
Russia must have promised a lot of money for them. Sucks that they're pows now
South Americans too
These guys are going to have a blast in the Ukrainian winter. (Pun Intended)