GHETTO

G-H-E-T-T-O.

GHETTO.

How exactly do you explain (logically)to someone what ghetto is? How do you explain this to a child who has grown up hearing the term and using the term but then seriously asks you one day? "What does ghetto mean?"

When I was first asked this question I opened my mouth to answer and quickly I was speechless. Being that I was driving at the time, passing by low income housing, I could've easily pointed and said that is ghetto. Or I could have mentioned a few "famous" people and said that they are ghetto. I really wanted to give my child a serious answer though. I couldn't think of a way to seriously give a definition of what ghetto is. I thought to myself, what is wrong with this? How could I seriously not explain what ghetto is in a serious manner?

So I looked up the merriam-webster definition of "ghetto" in the meantime:
1 ghet·to noun \ˈge-(ˌ)tō\ plural ghettos also ghettoes

Definition of GHETTO

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
Examples of GHETTO
He grew up in the ghetto.
Origin of GHETTO
Italian, from Venetian dialect ghèto island where Jews were forced to live, literally, foundry (located on the island), from ghetàr to cast, from Latin jactare to throw — more at jet

First Known Use: 1611

2 ghetto transitive verb
Definition of GHETTO
: ghettoize
First Known Use of GHETTO
1936 ghetto noun (Concise Encyclopedia)
Formerly, a street or quarter of a city set apart as a legally enforced residential area for Jews. Forced segregation of Jews spread throughout Europe in the 14th–15th centuries. Ghettos were customarily enclosed with walls and gates and kept locked at night and during Christian festivals. Since outward expansion was usually impossible, most ghettos grew upward; congestion, fire hazards, and unsanitary conditions often resulted. Ghettos were abolished in western Europe in the 19th century; those revived by the Nazi Party (see Warsaw Ghetto Uprising) were overcrowded holding places preliminary to extermination. More recently, the term ghetto has been applied to impoverished urban areas exclusively settled by a minority group or groups and perpetuated by economic and social pressures rather than legal and physical measures.

So with some events that happened since my child asked me what ghetto meant I had a conversation with another adult and "ghetto" was referenced very loosely. This is what actually made me want to write on this. The term "ghetto" has become such an everyday word in lots of different cultures, cities, ethnicities, etc that to say something is "ghetto" does not necessarily mean that it is "slumming". In discussing an altercation that happened at a middle school, this friend of mine referred to the school as ghetto. So I listened and heard her out. After naming and comparing numerous local middle schools (Junior High for those that call it that) it came to discussing how the public school district boundries made no sense. What it all boiled down to was how certain types of children didn't belong at the original school in question. I will leave race out of this because that was not brought up in the converation. So basically, a couple of children were mentioned and said that they didn't belong at the school they attend because it is ghetto for them and they don't belong. Instead they belong at one of the newer middle schools in a "richer" part of town. My thoughts were to reply with "so they should be going to school with the snotty rick kids" but I kept it contained to my thoughts as I was hearing her out. Now let me explain that the school in question is a very mixed school. It's district boundries include a wide range of the spectrum. From low income to high income. Being that it has such a diverse population of students there are bound to be problems. In looking at the school districts, there is not one middle school that could NOT be defined as "ghetto" with the exception of the "snotty little rich kid" school. Now the city in which I live is not the slums by any means but I just feel that it is so diverse that there are no definite areas where you can say it is ghetto or it is not.

So back to my response that these children belonged at the other school than which they attend. I did open my mouth and have a light moment of word vomit. Basically I responded with "so what then? So they can attend these "higher income" high schools with drug problems?" No, I'm not proud of my moments of word vomit but I mean what I say. It is true, the "higher income" high schools do have drug problems that have made the news. One of which is known to have heroin problems. Very sad situation actually. The other one has it's problems of drugs and alcohol but it is not as clear as the heroin problem at the other school. Now I'm not saying this to point fingers, but to reiterate what we have seen on the local news, in the local obituaries, etc. Sure, all schools have their problems but that is my point actually. No matter where you go, you will have problems. It is just the type of problems that makes the difference. Fights, drugs, alcoholism in teens, bullying, etc. It is everywhere!

So just because a particular school has fights all the time, does that classify it as ghetto? No, it doesn't.

(By the way, this friend of mine is the one that actually got my child to thinking to ask me what ghetto is.)

Now let me end by asking you again, how would you define "GHETTO"?

4 Month Anniversary....a few days ago

So I have gotten really lazy about blogging and running and....well I'll just leave it at that. So there is something that caught my interest and got my mind running so I thought I would come and blog. Low and behold, I log in and realize that I missed my 4 month anniversary since I became a quitter.



I have no idea how I just completely forgot on the first that it was another month since I've been smoke free. Especially since this past week I've said A LOT that I am about to be driven to start smoking again. Stress levels have been super high, mostly this past week. I seriously must've said at least 5 times per day that I was about to start smoking again. Of course I haven't, I'm actually ok without it believe it or not. Even when I have a drink every now and again I am ok with not smoking. I'm sure the cold weather has something to do with that now too. HA!

So I'm going to keep this one short because I have another topic that I would like to write on before I lost it from my mind. I just would like to mention how when I was searching from the picture above there were tons of pregnancy pictures and infant pictures of "4 months". I am not pregnant but I'm sure I've gained as much weight since I quit smoking to now as a 4 month pregnant woman. DISGUSTING! Granted I just had an annual "wellness check" at work. My triglycerides are lower, my HDL is good, my LDL is above normal (gotta get that in check stat) and we just won't discuss my bmi or any of that.

Thank you to those that still support me in staying smoke-free! I may not mean that I'm going to start again when I say it but they are still the first ones to tell me I better not start again. It truly does mean a lot.