Safety in the African American Ghetto
The name ghetto traces its origin in the Second World War. It was used then to describe regions, especially in Germany and Venice where the people of Jewish origin were compelled to reside. Over time, the use of the name ghetto has evolved and it is currently used to describe regions within a city where those living below the poverty line reside (Hurst, 2005). Today most people living below the poverty line find themselves living in the African American ghettos.
The question is, is it safe to do so? To begin with, these ghetto areas are associated with both advantages and a variety of problems. Hereby discussed are reasons why or why not living in the ghetto is encouraged. Ghettos are primarily considered as potential regions for crime. There are many reasons that would persuade one to believe that unlawful gangs find their hiding places in ghettos. It is obvious that the gangs expose those living there to security threats.
In the recent past, dangerous weapons including grenades and guns have been found hidden in these areas. Unfortunately, these risks extend further during criminal searches where suspected homes are regularly searched by law keeping authorities making people living in such conditions feel particularly insecure (Joel, 2007) Unlawful gangs extort money from those dwellings in these regions purporting to offer protection. These ‘taxes’ are themselves a breach of the law and attempts to wipe such practices end up in death of people living therein. Criminal activities in the ghetto regions extend to social crimes. Bars and clubs are common regions for wars, sexual abuse among other social crimes.
On the contrary, ghetto regions can be considered safe for people living below the poverty line. Houses are available at cheaper prices giving them an opportunity to live within their means. Cheap facilities enable people living in these regions to survive without engaging in criminal activities and exposing themselves to the danger of encountering the law keeping authorities. Foodstffs and other essentials of living are available at much cheaper prices giving the people an opportunity to meet their basic needs (Somanathan, 2004).Isolation is yet another challenge associated with African-American ghettos.
The people living in these regions which are considered segregated from other parts of the city do not receive equal treatment on matters of national importance. They are rarely represented in decision making organs. They prefer to suffer the fate rather than take part in fighting the circumstances. On the contrary, this isolation from other parts of the city is immensely advantageous. People live without suffering mistreatment from neighbors whom they cannot interact with.
They share thier sorrow as well as happiness without feeling socially isolated. Other advantages of being in isolation from other regions include accessing social facilities at affordable costs and receiving special attention during campaign periods among others. Inadequate health facilities and medical attention in ghetto areas pose a great danger to the lives of people living there. Fatal outbreaks of diseases such as cholera are common phenomena in the ghetto regions. One cannot deny the fact that the children in the ghetto areas live under high risks of diseases. Heaps of refuse, unattended sewerage systems, animal carcasses among other factors characterize the ghetto regions.
Health facilities in the ghetto areas are rarely upgraded leaving the people exposed to the danger of spreading of diseases. Substandard social amenities too expose the citizens to social torture. The social amenities standards are compromised and rarely receive attention. In general, poor health facilities, compromised social amenities; social abuse and unemployment are common in the ghetto regions. On the other hand government attention is once in a while directed to the ghetto regions.
Development projects such as new and affordable structures funded both by governmental and non-governmental organizations benefit the people greatly. Once in a while people livinng in the ghettos receive free medical attention such as free checkups and treatments as well as training from both governmental and non-governmental organizations. People living in these areas are commonly considered to be uneducated. These people have low incomes, therefore, live in poorly built structures that are subjected to cold, rain, dust among other hazards .Congestion in these regions explains why fire outbreaks are common in the ghettos .
That is why, the people are uncertain about the future they may intend to build. Ghettos people are considered a burden. Ghettos are rarely attended and, in case, this happens,, entry routes to the regions are rarely pliable by firefighting equipment (Hurst, 2008). On the other hand it is important to appreciate that well wishers as well as industries offer employment to people living in these regions. Ghetto regions are, thus, considered sources of labor which explains why they are safe regions for those seeking employment opportunities. Ghetto regions are not only economically potential regions but are also opportunities endowed with diversity of culture explaining the role they play for both foreign and domestic tourism.
Ghetto regions are densely populated and are, hence, considered unsafe for human activities. There is little space for expansion and, in most cases, human activities are inhibited in these regions .On the other hand ghetto regions are opportunities for setting up business premises, retail and wholesale, owing to the fact that they are characterized by dense population.Conclusion There exists a thin margin between safety and unsafe living in the ghetto region. As explained, the ghettos are characterized by high crime rates, poor health standards, unemployment and isolation.
On the other hand they are endowed with perspective for business activities, affordability and social equity among others .One has to weigh the options available in order to decide whether or not to reside in these regions.
