'Ghetto Talent Show,' Watermelon Eating Contest Outrages Community

Yahoo ^ | 07/26/2005 | Staff

[Imani]

Miami city leaders are apologizing for a news release that invited summer campers to a ''Ghetto Style Talent Show'' and ''Watermelon Eating Contest.''

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The release said that children participating in the summer camp who "know the meaning of ghetto style" would have a chance to "prove just how ghetto they are.''

Members of the black community expressed outrage at the wording of the invitation to the talent show. The show will be part of the grand finale picnic for the city's summer camp program to be held Friday at Hadley Park.

After being criticized by residents of the nearby Model City neighborhood and community leaders, Miami Parks Director Ernest Burkeen, who is black, released a formal apology and announced the renaming of the talent show.

The show will now be called the "Funky Talent Show," according to Burkeen's written statement. The watermelon contest will still be part of the event.

Even though the name has been changed, Burkeen did still continue to defend the choice of the name for the show.

"The word 'ghetto' was used to imply a down home show, not something offensive, but embracing the culture of today's youth and their language," he said.

Church and community leaders said that changing the name isn't enough -- the damage has already been done.

"It's almost equivalent to saying, 'We're having bananas at Jose Marti Park' and referring to Miami as a 'Banana Republic,'" the Rev. Richard Dunn said.

Other critics said that the watermelon eating contest is a painful reminder of racially insensitive stereotypes.

"Watermelon, back in the days, was a good food for African Americans, according to the Bible, but at the same time, it had an attachment with slavery and bondage ties," the Rev. Carl Johnson said.

Some members of the community had a different perspective and said that critics were missing the point.

Michael Hardaway said, "They have to understand that the young generation has a whole different style than they do … At a ghetto-style talent show the kids are getting together to show their talent."

Other community activists said changing the name of the contest is just the start of what needs to happen.

Dunn suggested that instead of buying hundreds of watermelons for the contest, the money could be spent on school supplies and backpacks for kids who need them.

Andre Williams said, "No more watermelons --- and as Reverend Dunn says, we need to give books and school supplies to our children."

City officials said Tuesday that the contest is popular and it will not be canceled. The picnic will go on Friday as planned and will include up to 3,000 children from across the city.

[durasell]

I know you're not saying that NYC doesn't have the worst ghettos...

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

LOL... that was funny.

[solitas]

Other critics said that the watermelon eating contest is a painful reminder of racially insensitive stereotypes.

Dem idjits don' t'ink we white folk eats watermelon too? I do; granted, I've never stolen one...

[World'sGoneInsane]

Speaking as someone who lived in Miami for three years, I can honestly say that the black ghettos down there are the WORST neighborhoods in the US and that includes South Chicago/Anacostia/Newark, etc.

You said the black ghettos are the worst? What other type of ghettos are in Miami?

[cyborg]

After I made spaghetti with garlic sauce, I'm sure they were wishing they only had watermelon seeds to contend with :-) I hate cooked greens but I'll juice collards and drink them.

[netmilsmom]

>> I hate cooked greens but I'll juice collards and drink them.<<

Oh that's different. I'm not sure about it.

[cyborg]

I went to a cookout at a sorority I was pledging and I just didn't like it. I'm too used to callaloo. Juiced collars has a strong taste but mix it with carrot and cucumber and it's good for you. I grew my own collards this year. Not too successful but they're good for salad wraps :-)

[wtc911]

I know you're not saying that NYC doesn't have the worst ghettos...

--------------------------------------

That is exactly what I'm saying. There's not a bad area of the city that I don't know (btw ENY isn't even the worst we've got) and our worst doesn't come close to places like spanishtown in Camden, the Cabrini Houses in Chicago, parts of New Orleans, Detroit or even Buffalo to name a few....sorry.

[Clemenza]

You have sort of a Central American ghetto in Miami (Riverside), but its NOWHERE near as bad as any of the black neighborhoods.

[durasell]

C'mon, where's your NYC pride?

[durasell]

-
Major Strasser: Are you one of those people who cannot imagine the Germans in their beloved Paris?
Rick: It's not particularly my beloved Paris.
Heinz: Can you imagine us in London?
Rick: When you get there, ask me!
Captain Renault: Hmmh! Diplomatist!
Major Strasser: How about New York?
Rick: Well there are certain sections of New York, Major, that I wouldn't advise you to try to invade

[jocon307]

"I'd like to know where the Bible says that watermelon is good food for Africans!"

Yeah, me too. Did they even have watermelon in Biblical times/places?

I'd also like to know there in the "day camp directing for dummies" it says "Have a ghetto talent show, such fun!"

[Victoria Delsoul]

Dunn suggested that instead of buying hundreds of watermelons for the contest, the money could be spent on school supplies and backpacks for kids who need them.

Excellent idea. Although, the watermelon contest seems like a lot of fun.

[Allosaurs_r_us]

OK Mh, I would agree the word ghetto is degrading to a vast number of people, but who exactly is appalled at the  watermelon contest if it was not the black community? Aren't we being just a little self conscious and asking everyone to believe there are racial overtones in this aimed at the Africa American community, when in fact this is not remotely what was intended? Am I reading this wrong, or was it not a black man promoting this?

 

Who exactly is finding this degrading?

 

When is the Black community going to start believing that every day American life is not intended to do them a racial discriminatory wrong? Aren't we all becoming just a little thin skinned in inviting such BS?

 

Where are the Black leaders, standing up and telling their fellow men to quit taking everything so personal? This function was never intended this way, yet there is always an instigator ready, willing, and able to stir the prejudicial pot. This is an embarrassment to every single American that has strived to eliminate racial bias in this country. When will the minority communities in this country start to acknowledge there is in fact, a vast number of people from all walks of life trying to absolve the BS racial stereotypes in this country. It has to work both ways damn it! Eventually you are going to have to give us the benefit of the doubt.

 

In the mean time, who will hold these self appointed civil rights leaders to task for making a mountain out of a mole hill every single time they can read racial bias into their paranoia?

 

Apparently propaganda is alive and well, and living in your backyard folks! You can either accept it or deny the so called self righteous SOB  his obvious attempt to separate us and feed his hatred of unity in America! It really doesn't matter what color you possess, in the end we are all still just American.

 

[wardaddy]

I know plenty of white people who live in ghettos.

LOL...in Iowa?

For the record, I like watermelon....very much....and chicken and ribs too

[wardaddy]

the tree in Opa-Locka where rockheads sit around smoking crack with boxes over their heads....whew.

that hood in the west Grove used to be ruff too

and Lib City and even parts of Redlands.

[wardaddy]

First time I saw the abandoned block after block in the South Bronx back in 1980 with fake windows in the buildings was a shock to me.

I thought Detroit and East St Louis were really really wore out too.

Now....over half of my hometown is in the creeping abandonment stage too.....once it starts large....it rarely comes back.

Shame....I mean parts of the Bronx and Detroit have been very bad since the 50s.....gone to seed.

this is really paradox but very very bad barrios, ranchos, favelas, quartiers populaires, etc.....are actually more vibrant than US decaying slums....hell, some Brasilian slums are like their own little mirco economy fifedoms ..a world unto themselves.

[Clemenza]

Now....over half of my hometown is in the creeping abandonment stage too.....once it starts large....it rarely comes back.

Doesn't surprise me, as southerners have never struck me as being an urban people. Nowhere is sprawl more prevalent than in the south.

[4mycountry]

"Watermelon, back in the days, was a good food for African Americans, according to the Bible, but at the same time, it had an attachment with slavery and bondage ties," the Rev. Carl Johnson said.

What??? o_O

[wtc911]

First time I saw the abandoned block after block in the South Bronx back in 1980 with fake windows in the buildings was a shock to me.

--------------------------------------------------

By 1980 the worst was over and the fires of the Fort Apache days were mostly out (the new name for the pct was"The Little House on the Prairie".)

The south and parts of the central Bronx were the worst in the early-mid 1970s. They hit bottom and stabilized there for a while. I worked there in the 70s (first time I pointed my weapon at someone was on St. Ann's Ave.). I had reason to go back through there a year or so ago with my wife in the car. I was going to regale her with war stories but they had all lost their edge because nothing looked the same, everything was new and shiny.

Those Dresden like streets you recall are now low-middle income row houses that show the pride-of-ownership concept of stabilization works. The same is true in Brooklyn's East New York although Bushwick and Brownsville still have the power to scare.