My grandfather was a bit racist. Not his fault, he was a product of his time. Anyway, he always said that black guys are essentially pussies and subordinate in nature. It is only in groups that they attack and often hone in on the weakest target.
I call bullshit on my gramps but he would have had a field day with this.
Jack Johnson proved your granpa wrong...
But, I think many people who subcribe to thugness, have some serious self esteem issues, and like a pack of wolves, need numbers to justify themselves...
And then you have those who would smoke you just as soon as look at you, and have as many bodies on their count as they have notches on their belt.