I have something on my mind I just need to say something about it. As many of you know, Sarah and I recently moved to a house here in San Jose. This great retired couple let us "housesit" for them while they are in Turkey for a year serving as missionaries. In a conversation I had with a friend a month ago, I was disturbed by a comment with guy said.
He wanted to know where I was moving to, so I told him the approximate location of the house. He said, "Oh, that's almost in the ghetto man." This comment really made me mad. Here's why:
-The term "ghetto" comes from the era of the Jewish Holocaust (I think). This is where the Jews were required to live while they were being persecuted. Using this term to describe a neighborhood today is an insult.
-Secondly, I resent the fact that someone felt like they had to warn me that I might be moving into a bad neighborhood. It was like this person was saying that this "ghetto" neighborhood was not an acceptable place to live. Well, there are plenty of good people who live in this neighborhood and many of these people cannot help their economic or social condition.
-I felt like this person had a certain standard for a "good" home. It really bothered me that someone could make a comment like that. Why do I deserve a "better" neighborhood? Maybe I'm part of the reason why there are these "bad" neighborhoods. Maybe instead of retreating to the "good" neighborhoods, I could be an influence for God's love in this "ghetto".
(By the way, the neighborhood I live in is great! I don't know what this guy was referring to because I love this place!)