Miami was looking for ghetto superstars.
The city's proposed summertime "ghetto show" and watermelon-eating contest for kids who participate in citywide affordable summer camps has drawn fire, and for good reason. According to the Miami Herald:
A city press release that promised a ''Ghetto Style Talent Show'' and ''Watermelon Eating Contest'' during a summer camp picnic in the heart of Miami's black community drew sharp outrage on Monday from some Model City residents who live near the park where the events are scheduled.
The press release said, "campers who think they know the true meaning of ghetto style will take to the stage to prove just how ghetto they are.''
 ''We're not trying to be ghetto, we're trying to come out of the ghetto and be a civilized people,'' said Model City resident Grady Muhammad, who added that the billed talent show portrayed the neighborhood's youth as ''subhuman'' or "animals.'' Likewise, the watermeloneating contest echoes unflattering stereotypes and is ''an insult to black history and black pride,'' said Marvin Dunn, a Florida International University psychology professor and an expert on Miami's historically tense race relations.
The press release has since been sanitized, and the ghetto extravaganza reduced to a "funky talent show," with no further desscription. The watermelon eating contest is still scheduled.
What were city officials thinking? There is just no place for glorifying "the ghetto" with children you're supposed to be inspiring and encouraging to make something of themselves. Nice job, Miami.
Flashback post of the day:
|
