Originally Posted By Lisann22 Really, so there's a certain diet for people living in "ghetto" now? This is interesting because I grew up in a so called ghetto and I didn't know we had certain dishes and food items classifed for us.
Originally Posted By Kimrue I grew up poor too, dragged myself out of that hell hole and now can laugh about it...hence MY PERSONAL terminology of "ghetto food" I would never take it upon myself to "poke fun" at poor if I didn't grow up poor myself. Yes, if you TRULY lived in a poor area, there ARE foods that we all grew up on. To me, it's funny...I'm able to laugh about it now and look back fondly on it. If you are offended by my terminology, don't be, I have a right to call this whatever I wish. We threw leftovers, like fishsticks, in meatloaf and everything had velveeta in it to fill our tummies...ghetto food! Why am I no longer sensitive about it? Because I had a GREAT childhood no matter where we lived and what I ate. Everyone in my family is now living a pretty well off life which makes this cinderella story all that much better. I look fondly back on the days where we had very little. It brought my family close and we laugh about the casseroles mommy made for us...we even still make some of our ghetto dishes for the holidays. It's so funny to see people who didn't know us "back then" and they are surprised to see our family dishes passed down from generations...they are like...UH, what the hec is THAT...we laugh and gobble it up and remember the christmases when that was ALL we had on the dinner table. Yes, I grew up poor, but HAPPY so I CAN laugh at these types of food and call them what I wish. If it offends you, I apologize.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 Thanks for the background info, explains a lot. Yes, I was TRULY poor and grew up in a ghetto.
Originally Posted By Kimrue what the??? YOu were poor and you didn't eat velveeta??? "cheese" you can leave on the counter???? $1.50 for a 15lb loaf of delicious yummyness and you NEVER ate it....Hec even rich people eat velveeta, we were living large when we had that hunk of "cheese" that goes with EVERYTHING....ahhh, velveeta.
Originally Posted By SuzieQ "Ghetto" must have a whole different meaning for you Kimrue! I'm not exactly sure why, but I'm offended.
Originally Posted By SuzieQ I figured it out. You've taken the foods people eat and associated them with 'class'. Wealth has zero to do with class. Butter, sugar and cinnamon was heaven on earth and a treasured treat in my household. FWIW, I don't think Velveeta is as well known on the West Coast.
Originally Posted By ADMIN <font color="#FF0000">Message removed by an administrator. <a href="MsgBoard-Rules.asp" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the LaughingPlace.com Community Standards.</font>
Originally Posted By goodgirl I guess I have been troubled by the phrase "ghetto." Although I grew up middle class, I think I understand being poor. The first batch of kids my mom raised grew up during the depression and WWII. I've heard the stories from my siblings many times. I guess I find it offensive to use the word "ghetto" to describe things. If Lisa were to use it (which I don't think she does) its somehow acceptable to me because that's where she grew up. But if my older brother were to use the phrase, it would be akin to the "n" word because that's not where he was raised.
Originally Posted By quincytoo >>>>>Ghetto" must have a whole different meaning for you Kimrue! I'm not exactly sure why, but I'm offended<<< I agree..I was reading the "ghetto food" post with an uneasy feeling ...... >>>>I figured it out. You've taken the foods people eat and associated them with 'class'. Wealth has zero to do with class. <<<<< You have that right also.... I hope that Post 22 really is an apology .......
Originally Posted By Lisann22 Kimrue's use of the word is probably innocent, words like ghetto and other slang that is more let's say minority based have slipped into the mainstream. I personally have a problem with it because it symbolizes different things to different people. It's starts to categorize us and seperate us. I kid and say I'm a homegirl a lot. I truly am, I'm hispanic, I'm from the barrio aka ghettos of SF and East Bay, I grew up amongst gangs, drugs, lowriding, all the things that make up a homegirl in California. It's very much who I am. I do realize that to others that could mean something completely different. It's not necessarily negative to me but to others I'm sure it is if you base it on the images of TV, magazines and the news. You don't have to be from the ghetto to be poor and you don't have to be poor to be ghetto? I hope I make sense and I didn't mean to derail this thread.
Originally Posted By Tiggirl Lisann, thanks for your thoughts on the "ghetto" subject. I'd have to say that I heard "ghetto" used more frequently as an adjective to describe something maybe run down or not as nice as it could be rather than a noun lately. And I hear it used by people of all walks of life and all races. But I never really thought that it might be offensive to anyone. The thought just never really crossed my mind although thanks to your posts I can see how someone may take offence to it. I'm going to say I highly doubt that Kimrue meant anything disrespectful by it, but it just goes to show that everyone see's things differently. Thanks for opening a discussion on it! )
Originally Posted By Tiggirl (Oops... I didn't meant to derail further. I was typing while you were posting Lisann. ;o))
Originally Posted By Lisann22 <<<I'm going to say I highly doubt that Kimrue meant anything disrespectful by it, but it just goes to show that everyone see's things differently.>>> Yep, and I'm not trying to pick at Kimrue. I think it's also a generational thing. I'm pretty sure I'm quite a bit older than you guys - well, I know I am. I'm going a bit Bill Cosby on ya. Sorry.
Originally Posted By Kimrue Ok, fine...you know what, you've taken a totally innocent topic and turned it into a political "issue"...ya know what? I'm done. I can't stand when someone judges me for making a comment based on MY OWN upbringing...get over it! Ghetto is NOT an "INSULTING" word. It is MY OWN PERSONAL discription of something that I've personally experienced during my lifetime during a period of hardships. If you find that personally insulting GET OVER IT...it's NOT about you...that's like me using the word "pollock" I'm polish and can use the word as I see fit, as often as I like when I like....I've seen people on these boards use WAY more insulting terminology for way more controversial issues... Growing up myself in the GHETTO...I've heard the word "gringo and gringa" thrown around quite a bit...this word was used on another topic with NO CONTROVERSY WHATSOEVER...I personally find that term offensive...everyone else on the topic glazed over it like it was nothing! If you have NEVER lived in a ghetto and haven't NEEDED to eat low budget foods god bless you! I'm able to smile about it and laugh about the good times I had during that time. If you find offense to that, fine. I'm out of here, this topic just reminded me of why I left these boards the last time around....
Originally Posted By wendebird Kimrue, you told me what I feed my kids is ghetto food. Sorry, but I do take offense to that. There are ways to express yourself without throwing a hissy fit.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 Did you not read my posts Kimrue?- It's a conversation we are having here. I even said I'm sorry for derailing it. Aye yi yi. <<<Ghetto is NOT an "INSULTING" word.>>> To you and I understand that.
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka <<I'm out of here, this topic just reminded me of why I left these boards the last time around....>> You know what they say...don't let the door hit ya on the way out.
Originally Posted By Kimrue You know what? This was supposed to be a fun topic...I'm sorry if others feel that the word "ghetto" is insulting. I feel even worse that people are offended that they have too eaten the things that I've eaten when I was poor and feel that because of that, my terminology when referring to said food reflects their parenting. I'm also offended (since we are all throwing that word around so freely)that a funny/lighthearted topic turned into something that belongs over in world events. I feel sad that the fact that I can look back fondly on my time as a "poor kid" has gotten such a harsh reaction. I feel even worse that I'm being judged so harshly by these upper middle class full grown adults on a topic they have not lived through. Lisann, I'm not referring to you obviously. If you had slang for things you had dealt with during a tough time in your life like hand me down, too big clothes or low budget meals, and someone had the nerve to put you down further for that, it would be a problem with you too. Others intolerance for my slang shows me that I'm not the controversial person here. I've lived it and so have earned the privelage for using such terminology. I'm seriously sick of people becoming "politically correct" at such opportune moments. Get over it. If anyone of you EVER drove through were I lived when I was very young, you would lock your car doors and say "get me out of this ghetto" so stop with the prim and proper garbage!
