SoulSurvivor

Ghetto

ghet·to (noun) 1 : a quarter of a city in which Jews were formerly required to live


2 : a quarter of a city in which members of a minority group live especially because of social, legal, or economic pressure

3 a : an isolated group b : a situation that resembles a ghetto especially in conferring inferior status or limiting opportunity

It makes me cringe to hear people use the term ghetto in 2005. Above is Mirriam-Webster's definition of the word. It's as if we have taken it upon ourselves to change the meaning. Here is DQ's definition based on how I have been hearing it used lately:

ghetto (adj.) 1: a term that is used to describe anything that is not "up to par"; something that is no longer functioning at it's full potential; something of lesser value than it's counterparts; a make-shift or homemade object of little to no value.

2: a term used to describe one's behavior and style, particularly someone that grew up in a particular neighborhood that is considered to be of inferior status or limiting opportunities.

Notice a difference? And strangely enough, I am not hearing this term misused so much out of the mouths of African-Americanss...

I was watching a tv show last night, and I heard it used so many times I was actually shocked. I am an avid fan of Big Brother 6, in case anyone is following along, and Ivette is always talking about her "ghetto slide" (a make-shift Slip N' Slide that she made out of garbage bags) and her "ghetto birdfeeder" (a birdfeeder made out of an old water bottle) and so on and so forth. When I was in college, there used to be a grocery store in walking distance of campus. It wasn't the nicest grocery store in the neighborhood, and students were constantly referring to it as the "ghetto" grocery store. Or if something doesn't work right anymore, it's "ghetto".

The people that are using this term in this manner have probably never even been to a real ghetto. And can you compare a raggedy little make-shift water slide made for your enjoyment to people using their resources to make the best out of what they have? Because that is how it goes down in the ghetto.

And oh how I wish that was all.

Ghetto is now used to describe a style; now someone has the ability to look "ghetto", and immediately is judged by it. And the worst is when it becomes a proclamation. Some little triumphant White girl who just so happens to be able to sing the hook of the lastest rap song is now deemed "ghetto". Or by wearing the right style of clothes, or watching an hour of BET gets some non-Black person their Honorary Negro Card.

Most people that actually live in the ghetto spend a good deal of time trying to get away from it. Away from that lifestyle that has been created out of neccessity, and is now being capitalized on by cross-over groupies who think they "know" cuz 50 Cent told them all about it in his one song...and the girls in his video are all light, bright, and damn near white anyway...I digress.

There are so many other words we can use for our purpose. Ivette could have made a bootleg slide. Or a janky birdfeeder.

One day I'm gonna be looking at someone's outfit and say "that looks so Hamptons". Or if I make something that works exceptionally well, I will say "Look, I made mine Martha's Vineyard "...whatcha think?

On second thought...nah, never mind. That would just be really ______ .

posted by DramaQueen @ 2:41 PM