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RE: New GPS Feature Sparks Controversy

Sounds good, but I'd say the naming of it was very inappropriate. That name is just as bad as if they'd named it Honkey Town app.

But I do agree there are places in most cities you do not want to go sightseeing thru. And Race has nothing to do with it.
 
Ghetto doesn't refer to racism. it just means that a certain segment of population lives there.
could be Jewish, Hungarian, Polish, Italian, or british ghetto... generally with illegal operations going on..
so don't read too much into the name.
 
Very true. In fact, there is an element of coercion in the proper term "ghetto" - folks who lived in one were forced to be there, and technically that is the proper definition. Over the passage of time, here in America, residing voluntarily with people ethnically like you, as was done from around 1875 to the 1920s, was called being in a ghetto, but there was definitely no force involved in it. People lived there who were recently immigrated and wanted to remain with people who spoke their language and had a similar religion and outlook on life while they prepped their children to really be the ones to step out into society. My mother could give first-hand account of this were she alive, as that is the milieu from which she came.

This app could serve another function as well. When I worked for DON one of my duties was to brief the master-at-arms, CO, XO, Ops officer, and interested parties in a ship's company about places to avoid when their ship visited the port city where I was stationed. We wanted to keep their crew members from getting rolled (or worse) while visiting the city. What invariably happened, at least with a certain proportion of the ship's company, is they would treat info passed to them following this briefing as a directory on where to go to have any real fun, as everything that was illegal or immoral was located in that area - which would mean that was why it was off-limits, or at least why they were warned about it - it was the only place to have any worthwhile fun. It's like reverse-engineering the app, or at least the purpose of it.
 
I know I have wished for this feature on a few occassions. Especially after ours routed us through a very bad area of Atlanta while we were on vacation (right outside the football stadium).. Was not fun. I do agree though the name could be more, ummm, generic.. I do think myself will catch a lot of flack with this just from perception.
 
I can agree there are areas that in my Hometown anyone would want to avoid..
And placing a warning in a GPS might be a prudent thing to do..

As for the name they have chosen, perhaps was a less then desirable name..
Racist, no but perhaps I can see how some might be angry..

To keep drivers safe from danger is something I will give MS credit for..
And I know from my own experience, that there are dangerous areas in most cities
and to warn someone is a proper thing to do..
 
johnh_049 said:
Ghetto doesn't refer to racism. it just means that a certain segment of population lives there.
Click to expand...


Well, not really; certainly it's initial usage was totally 'racist' *; the Jews of Venice were forced to live in a small walled area of the city, formerly part of the city arsenal, which was called Geto - it is the setting for The Merchant of Venice. So although it certainly can mean what you say johnh, it usually does have that other connotation.






(*Last time I looked there was only one human race, so I hate the words "race" & racist". It's a bugbear of mine, I feel if we keep using the words we are encouraging the 'myth' that these lowlifes peddle. - Steps off soapbox & walks away :running:)
 
GT182 said:
Sounds good, but I'd say the naming of it was very inappropriate. That name is just as bad as if they'd named it Honkey Town app.
Click to expand...
I was thinking the same thing. Regardless of the historical usage of the word "ghetto", here in the US it has a definite racial connotation. Why not just name the app "Bad Neighborhood" or "Don't Go There"?
 
AndyG43 said:
Well, not really; certainly it's initial usage was totally 'racist' *; the Jews of Venice were forced to live in a small walled area of the city, formerly part of the city arsenal, which was called Geto - it is the setting for The Merchant of Venice. So although it certainly can mean what you say johnh, it usually does have that other connotation.






(*Last time I looked there was only one human race, so I hate the words "race" & racist". It's a bugbear of mine, I feel if we keep using the words we are encouraging the 'myth' that these lowlifes peddle. - Steps off soapbox & walks away :running:)
Click to expand...

AndyG - no kidding, thanks for the history lesson - I was wondering where that term came from. Also the historical connection is important to a total understanding of this pejorative. One of the things that makes SOH so much fun - there is a tremendous variety of backgrounds represented in the membership and the information this knowledge base can impart is impressive indeed!
 
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