I can understand anyone who wants to improve the quality of his or her life by moving from a 'ghetto' to a nicer neighborhood. What I don't get is why, instead of raising the level of their lifestyle to their new surroundings, they instead bring their 'ghetto' lifestyle with them and begin to bring their new neighborhoods down to that level. They live more than one family to a housing unit, bring wrecked cars to their yards, fail to maintain their property, and act and dress in the same manner they did in the 'ghetto'. One example is the common practice of minority youths who walk in the road in front of traffic, disregarding motorists or deliberately challenging them to do something about it. Why do they do these things?
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Name : J-Michaels, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 55, City : W. Hartford, State : CT Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Interesting. I'm African American and have lived in a residential, ALL BLACK neighborhood since I was a child. I don't recall seeing any of the crap you mentioned going on in my neighborhood. Multiple families don't live in the homes, I don't see wrecked cars...in fact, many of the cars I see are late model cars. As for maintaining property, I suppose the landscapers I see maintaining property aren't landscapers, just some 'ghetto' friends of the people who reside in those homes. You're a typical racist white male who's flipping your bad toupee over Black success. Here's a tip for you...get over it. And for a white man, you sure seem to know alot about 'ghetto' living. What are you doing on your time off? Slumming in the ghetto? Got a black chick on the side you don't want your fine white friends to know about? Sneaking to the 'hood after hours to hook up with her? People like YOU are why race relations are in such the dismal state they're in.
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Name : Rhonda-P-Outlaw29983, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 42, City : Laurelton, State : NY Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Perhaps for the same reason that white trash adopts the lowest form of English to speak. It doesn't take any effort or thought. I live in a largely black area of the city, and it is an education. You meet all kinds -- good, bad, and just plain off the wall.
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Name : Lauritz, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 61, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, First of all, your question is also asked by many African Americans. It puzzles us too. I would recommend you watch Chris Rock's 'Bigger and Deffer' comedy special because you will find an answer to your question and the common perception of the people you speak of. Think of this 'class' of person unique in the sense that they don't represent black people as a whole. We are no more proud of them then you are of the rednecks Jeff Foxworthy speaks of. And, yes, we too exit the neighborhood when they move in.
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Name : Paul30464, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 32, City : Atlanta, State : GA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 1) NOT ALL BLACK PEOPLE WHO MOVE TO NICER AREAS ACT IN THIS WAY AND TO ASK 'WHY BLACK PEOPLE ACT LIKE THIS..' PUTS ALL OF US IN ONE GROUP!! 2) Some black people may act in this way because this may be what they saw when growing up. For instance, the black youth your complaining about may see the way they act in the streets and to motorists as something normal to them so,reason this out with me now, do you think if they are in another area they will necassary act diffrently!! 3) Some black people may be able to move to a nicer area an but their living habits may still be of the ghetto because this is what their used to . Belive it or not , I live in the Ghetto and attended a private high school in West Hartford ,CT. Talking to me,you would think I was raised in a nice home in West Hartford or a similar town, but actually I was raised in the ghetto.I don't act the least bit ghetto because I was raised diffrently and have seen a diffrent way of living most of my life. It is what I'm used to. Just don't the black peole your talkin about to change overnight.
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Name : Christy32115, Gender : F, City : Manhattan, State : CT Country : United States, Social class : Lower class, I think its called a product of your background and its values. Much like how the Klampets moved into Beverly Hills but it didn't change how in their own way they were very ignorant. Instead of the Hills and a shack their new location was a mansion but it didn't stop them from using the cement pond and putting chickens on the pool cues and eating at the pool table. Its like the individuals you describe and I've seen it myself. I find some people live in a social bubble not really aware outside of it,how they are perceived and their behavior associated with it.
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Name : DIVA, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 30, City : CHAPEL HILL, State : NC Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, 
JSParticipant
I grew up in a predominantly white, upper-middle class area and I can understand the mindset that you seem to be coming from. Please keep this in mind: When one culture is exposed to another - be it a difference in race, economic status, etc - the actions of the other may seem weird or even inappropriate. A common reaction of the majority culture is to label the behavior unacceptable because it does not follow their norms and values. In response to your specific question, it is very hard to move up in this world. Someone moving up out from the 'ghetto' may have spent everything they had to move to another place. They may not have the same resources available for fancy landscaping. They may be working two or three jobs to be able to afford their new place and not have the time to spend in the yard at the moment. That said, the majority of people I have know who have managed to better their living situation have fierce pride in their accomplishment and do whatever they can to make it beautiful. They shouldn't be lumped together with the few who may indeed act how you described. As far as 'acting and dressing' the same, why should they abandon their identity? I am not clear on exactly what you mean by this. The way a person dresses in many ways reflects their cultural identity. They shouldn't be expected to change that in order to assimilate into another person's idea of 'respectable.' Ethnic diversity in no way brings down a community. Infact, I would say that it only enhances it. This may explain multi-family households. Many cultures have very extended families that live together. Or they may be sharing the cost of bettering their lives. That may be the only way to make better future for their children. Lastly. Where I am from, it is common practice of ALL youths (and lots of adults)to walk infront of traffic! Driving downtown the person I have to slam on my breaks to avoid slaughtering is most of the time a middle-aged, white businessman on his cell phone.
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Name : JS, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 26, City : Portland, State : OR Country : United States, Moving to a nicer neighborhood does not cause one's 'ghettoness' to magically disappear. It's all about how you are raised. I'm sure you have seen whites who act low class, loutish, and ignorant as well.
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Name : Lisa22740, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, many people believe that when they change their surroundings, they change themselves. although that is true, what they fail to realize is that some things are more deeply rooted than simply what is on the outside. they don't see that there is more work to be done than relocation alone. they may be gripping on to the past, afraid that if they change their way of life, then somehow they are forgetting who they 'truly' are (after all, they lived most of, it not all, of their lives that way). certain behaviors may be so deeply rooted, it becomes like trying to 'get a leopard to change his spots', but they aren't permanent spots, merely difficult stains.
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Name : T. Grant, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 23, City : Jersey City, State : NJ Country : United States, Occupation : State Worker, Education level : 4 Years of College, It's not that the new neighbors are trying to 'bring down' their new neighborhood. They bring with them the lifestyle they have lived prior to becoming your neighbor. If you have a French flavor and enjoy a glass of wine with your meals and allow your children to do the same you will continue this practice even when you move to a neighborhood where the parents wouldn't think of serving their children wine with dinner. When a car for example is bought used and not in so good of a condition to begin with you aren't going to just junk it if it is your only means of trnasportation. You bring the car with you hoping to get enough 'extra' money to get it fixed and in better running condition. To your new neighbors this is a slight on the block but to you it's your mode of transportation. There is nature and there is nurture. Instead of seeing your new neighbors as 'ghetto' which is a nurture condition; learned not inbred, know that the ghetto is on the outside not the inside. Help them become familiar with the customs and ways of their new surroundings. Go out and show them the proper way to 'garden' and care for a lawn where in their old neighborhood they may have only seen broken glass not grass. Many 'ghetto' families don't have the home improvement know-how. Union carpenters and laborers of 'non-ghetto' families have been trained and are skilled in these areas. The ghetto family was denied access to unions and specialized training for reasons we already know the details of and therefore don't arrive with a 'handyman' in the family. There could be some wilderness buff out there who would look down on YOU for not knowing how to build a log cabin with your bare hands. That would be unfair to condemn you for what you don't know or arent' familiar with. Be a good neighbor and help erase the traces of 'ghetto' that linger for some of these families.Show them the ropes and act like they are part of the community and not strangers. That will help the situation more than you think. As far as challenging authority don't you think this is part of every youth's experience of growing up. You see it as unique to the ghetto neighbors but it is not. It's unique to youth. They aren't aliens- they're humans and human behavior in general leaves a lot to be desired these days. Cellphone usage, profanity, road rage, these aren't ghettoisms they're humanisms. Try a little more patience, extend a helping hand and see if in time the situation doesn't improve.
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Name : Kevin C, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 47, City : Indianapolis, State : IN Country : United States, Occupation : Mail Services Clerk, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I understand your concern for the well being of yourself and others around you but how ignorant can you be. Black people are social people and most of us don't have that much money to begin with. We live with large family's to avoid the situation of our house being repossessed (more than one income)the next time you write to Yforum think first.
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Name : Roland Park Country School student, City : Baltimore, State : MD Country : United States, The answer is that since some white folk do this and some asians do this and some latinos do this, it is not confined to any particular race. Of course if you are ethno-centric race is easy to unfairly generalize about. Do you know that all these people do as you say? If you have met some examples of this it does not mean they all do ti. Each human has to be judged as an individual.
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Name : Lamont, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Presbyterian, Age : 68, City : Honolulu, State : HI Country : United States, Occupation : retired, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, (CONTINUATION FROM PREVIOUS POSTING) Fortunately, for us, this is the exception and not the rule because most people who do have the gumption to get out of impoverished situations are want of a new way-of-living and do not bring the old ways into their new environment. Typically, it is the 'accidentally wealthy' who exhibit this behavior the most. People who make their money in ways that involve rapping and playing sports (but not all the time). A rapper who makes a lot of money actually makes his money off of the street life and he believes and lives this street life. Even though he may change addresses, his mind is still corrupt in wanting to live as 'true to the game' as he can so people won't think he's changed just because he has a little money. As for the walking in the middle of the street thing, that gets on my nerves, as well, but that behavior is a manifestation of poor social training and is not only ghetto behavior but simply ignorant behavior. I've seen middle-class and upper-class kids of other races do the same thing. For these people...it's pure rebellion. They are bumping the 'system' and thinking that they are gaining 'positive, tough-guy/girl' attention in some sort of way. Hope that helped a little.
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Name : Raquel, Gender : F, Age : 31, City : Houston, State : TX Country : United States, This is the same with poor whites as it is with poor blacks. As much as people want to 'move up' they also continue to identify with their friends, family and neighbors back in the slums. In othe words, the dumb bells don't know any better and don't give a damn about living in a sewer. Thats why there used to be restrictions on who you could sell your house to.
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Name : AK28984, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, First of all, 'ghetto' is a state of mind, not a location. This is evidenced by the fact that the average person who lives in an impoverished/lower-income neighborhood is NOT typically the person who showcases these tasteless exhibitions when they move to another, more financially-stable area. The problem is the few embarrassing specimens of the race make the area as a whole look as if it subscribes to those same ideas and standards of act. Now, to answer your overall question, the reason some people who move into an area and fail to leave the 'ghetto-mentality' behind do so because they fear conformity. To conform is to lose themselves and their ethnicity. They fear retribution and ridicule from those 'left behind' because 'street credibility' holds such a high level of importance to them. They do not want to be known back in the 'hood as the one who started making $100,000 a year and moved out of the 'hood and turned 'whitey' or started to 'act white' by disengaging themselves with what the 'hood characterizes as 'black identifying behaviors' which can also be connected to the new hip slang terminology of 'keeping it real'. You are not 'keeping it real' to the race if you do not continue to throw loud BBQ parties (etc.) and invite all your friends from back in the 'hood. If you stopped doing that, they will construe that as your being 'ashamed' of them and of not wanting your new neighbors (read: White neighbors) to think you're 'low-class like them'. You are not 'keeping it real' unless you somehow still show the people who are not 'black' in your neighborhood that you are not a conformist and will not sit by and let 'unwritten laws of behavior of the white man in a white neighborhood' suck all the Black out of them, and thus, ruin their reputation back where they came from. (MORE TO COME...)
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Name : Raquel, Gender : F, Age : 31, City : Houston, State : TX Country : United States, 
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