Transplants, what was your initial reaction to living in Houston? (Vega: crimes, house)

[David Dollar]

Originally Posted by vegankris

I'm always surprised how openly racist people are. Totally different from up north. As an example, up north people don't throw around the very racist word "ghetto". I know people say it has a different meaning in the south, but as far as I'm concerned it's a racist word. And I don't mean to say that everyone is racist.... of course not! I just mean that people that are racist have no problem being very open about it.

Can you explain how this is racist? And also, my girlfriend is a black hispanic from "up north" who also complains about how ghetto people are here. Racism would imply that I look down on somebody because of their race. I don't. I look down on them because of their actions regardless of their race.

[vegankris]

Originally Posted by David Dollar

Can you explain how this is racist? And also, my girlfriend is a black hispanic from "up north" who also complains about how ghetto people are here. Racism would imply that I look down on somebody because of their race. I don't. I look down on them because of their actions regardless of their race.

ghet·to (gt)
n. pl. ghet·tos or ghet·toes
1. A usually poor section of a city inhabited primarily by people of the same race, religion, or social background, often because of discrimination.
2. An often walled quarter in a European city to which Jews were restricted beginning in the Middle Ages.
3. Something that resembles the restriction or isolation of a city ghetto:

Sorry, I don't mean to offend you David Dollar, I'm just saying that where I come from, ghetto is considered a very racist word and just isn't used. And the word ghetto is just an example. I'm just shocked at how open those who are racist tend to be. It definitely is a different culture here.

[cheryjohns]

The sheer size of the city - and I moved here when it was a lot smaller. I can imagine how overwhelmed I would feel now, just moving here.

[tebor79]

Houston is a minority majority city. No place for a racist. I've never met a racist here. Some Mild bigotry maybe.

The first american ghettos were Irish and German.

Ghetto has more to do with socioeconomic standing than race.

[Neworleansisprettygood]

I went to Rice for three semesters and then lived there for a while after "the storm" (I'm not saying it).
The thing I liked most about Houston was the most unexpected- the very liberal, intellectual vibe I got from a lot of people. The thing I liked the least was that up until right before I moved back home I couldn't figure the city out- whoever said that it's like a bunch of cities next to each other was right. It felt like about 500 small southern towns all smashed together, with one having an IKEA, the next a Costco, etc.

[TimBomb]

Originally Posted by vegankris

ghet·to (gt)
n. pl. ghet·tos or ghet·toes
1. A usually poor section of a city inhabited primarily by people of the same race, religion, or social background, often because of discrimination.
2. An often walled quarter in a European city to which Jews were restricted beginning in the Middle Ages.
3. Something that resembles the restriction or isolation of a city ghetto:

Sorry, I don't mean to offend you David Dollar, I'm just saying that where I come from, ghetto is considered a very racist word and just isn't used. And the word ghetto is just an example. I'm just shocked at how open those who are racist tend to be. It definitely is a different culture here.

ghetto

1. (n.) an impoverished, neglected, or otherwise disadvantaged residential area of a city, usually troubled by a disproportionately large amount of crime
2. (adj.) urban; of or relating to (inner) city life
3. (adj.) poor; of or relating to the poor life
4. (adj.) jury-rigged, improvised, or home-made (usually with extremely cheap or sub-standard components), yet still deserving of an odd sense of respect from ghetto dwellers and non-ghetto dwellers alike
1. John's paranoia about triple-checking whether or not he's locked his car doors comes from his growing up in the ghetto
2. "Why you always be talkin' ghetto? Get yo'self a propa' e-ju-ma-kay-shun, kid!"
3. Jane hid her head in embarrasment as her mom shamelessly committed the ghetto act of stuffing the restaurant's bread rolls, sugar packets, and silverware in her purse
4. "A TV Guide duct-taped to a 4 foot stick?! That's one hella ghetto 'mote control!"

vegetarian

A bad hunter. Someone who survives by consuming not food, but the stuff that food eats.
The vegetarian was forced to subsist on slower prey, such as the broccoli and carrot.
I hate vegetarians most, than any other race.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by vegankris

I'm always surprised how openly racist people are. Totally different from up north. As an example, up north people don't throw around the very racist word "ghetto". I know people say it has a different meaning in the south, but as far as I'm concerned it's a racist word.

Takes one to know one!

(BTW B12 deficiencies cause delusions.)

[newtohouston2]

there are definitely racists here. what city is free of them? i dont think people are much more open about it here than in other places. the one exception i noted is the attitude toward "gypsies". i never had heard of a group of people being called gypsies until i came here, but it was always in a negative way. like "watch out...they're gypsies...my dad was once robbed blind by gypsies". i heard it in different situations from different ppl, so im not sure why it became ok to say stuff like that (but not about other groups).

[14Bricks]

Originally Posted by newtohouston2

there are definitely racists here. what city is free of them? i dont think people are much more open about it here than in other places. the one exception i noted is the attitude toward "gypsies". i never had heard of a group of people being called gypsies until i came here, but it was always in a negative way. like "watch out...they're gypsies...my dad was once robbed blind by gypsies". i heard it in different situations from different ppl, so im not sure why it became ok to say stuff like that (but not about other groups).

I've lived here my whole life and I have NEVER herd anybody talk about "gypsies".

[tebor79]

Gypsies are like the homeless panhandlers of Europe, but somehow cooler due to Fleetwood Mac and Shakira.