Cop Suspended For "Ghetto Handbook"

[admin]

Cop Suspended For "Ghetto Handbook"
Houston school police officer distributed offensive Ebonics primer

Link to view Handbook:
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0831073ghetto1.html

A crude "ghetto handbook" distributed to police patrolling Houston's public schools has resulted in the suspension of one officer. The eight-page booklet was handed out in May by a officer with the city's Independent School District, but did not come to the attention of school brass until recently, when a discrimination complaint was lodged.

The booklet, which was given to about 20 cops, is subtitled "Wucha dun did now?," and purports to help the reader "learn to speak ebonics as if you just came out of the hood...because you could find your self with a problem one day and ebonics could save your life."

The booklet offers definitions for street slang like "hoodrat" ("scummy girl") and "foty" (a 40-ounce bottle of beer) and concludes with a "poem" incorporating these terms.

It also includes a copyright notation that the booklet is a "first edition, second soon to follow." That now appears to be the wishful thinking of a novice author.

The booklet was provided to TSG by school officials who removed the name of the suspended officer from the publication as well as the names of several other cops who have not been disciplined.

[darqpoet]

I'm really curious to see what the response is on this one. These stereotypes are constantly reinforced in our communities and publicly via television/radio and such but, we find it offensive when outsiders judge us based upon the very same representations.

[ssjup81]

I dislike the idea of a "Ghetto Handbook", mainly because of its enforcing a stereotype. A negative one where blacks are concerned...that we can't understand anything unless it's spoken in ebonics and slang. I find a lot wrong with this.

[cat4everrr]

MTV trying to condition black women into thinking they are only worthy of ghetto-girl status

http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur36441.cfm

[RM Gray]

Well I'll chime in since no one else is :-). Anyway, I think the majority of the problem is one page 2 of this handbook. With these respected publications apparently giving weight to the ebonics phenomenon, what is the issue with police officers using the term as well? As a black man, I knew people (back in high school...ironically, the same place these officers seem to work) who used this type of slang. Depending on where one comes from, it is cultural. There is even a difference between the slang used by black kids in the South as opposed to the North (i.e. Atlanta and New York). Did you know that if someone asked you for a 'fag' in the UK (an english speaking country), they're only asking to bum a cigarette? But if this same person asked for a 'fag' in the wrong area of the US, they might be harmed. Ebonics/slang exists and I personally can't blame police officers for trying to better comprehend a culture that is more than likely foreign to their own experiences.

[LiberatedAspirations]

Well I'll chime in since no one else is :-). Anyway, I think the majority of the problem is one page 2 of this handbook. With these respected publications apparently giving weight to the ebonics phenomenon, what is the issue with police officers using the term as well? As a black man, I knew people (back in high school...ironically, the same place these officers seem to work) who used this type of slang. Depending on where one comes from, it is cultural. There is even a difference between the slang used by black kids in the South as opposed to the North (i.e. Atlanta and New York). Did you know that if someone asked you for a 'fag' in the UK (an english speaking country), they're only asking to bum a cigarette? But if this same person asked for a 'fag' in the wrong area of the US, they might be harmed. Ebonics/slang exists and I personally can't blame police officers for trying to better comprehend a culture that is more than likely foreign to their own experiences.

I agree with you. I think that we as a people are willing to jump on anything just to feel like we "did something" about the problem of racism. I believe that if a black cop had wrote and passed this handbook out to other black cops we would have never heard a thing about it. I dont know much about the story but the cop was white right?

[tasteerain]

Please tell me how can speaking ebonics help save your life? If the police had to come after you in the first place, they are going to use whatever means necessary to getting you under control or you are going to jail. No if's, and's, or but's! They are really not interesting in hearing what you have to say and they certainly are not going to put themselves in any danger. If there is any inclination that they are in harms way, they will take you down or out. They will not try to talk there way out of a situation that is "life threatening". The author of the handbook is not all that bright himself because he sure needs to spell check the words that are not ebonics (platnium, what the hell is that; I've heard of platinum) and doesn't know when to capitalize words that should be capitalized (i.e. the beginning of a sentence). The handbook is ridiculous! If a black cop had made the handbook, he would be as ignorant as the a-hole who actually wrote it. Skin color does not excuse ignorance! :mad:

[trina6]

this is a mess!!:( smh

[Isshinryu]

The world has long gone to hell in a rusty bucket with no bottom. Ebonics is picked up by our youngest brothers and sisters in grade school. What good will it do them in the workforce or at an interview? Contribute this to television, movies, etc. To rap music as well. We as African Americans in this day and time will be 'PO' in spirit if we continue on this road of self destruction. Those who came before us and paved the path into a highway toward improvement and betterment of our children's lives have done all for naught.

Isshinryu

[xuewen]

I belive the future is bright, why not lead yourself onto a happy way?!

[War God]

And then not post a response to the topic anyway...

[ukdoc]

Cop Suspended For "Ghetto Handbook"
Houston school police officer distributed offensive Ebonics primer

Link to view Handbook:
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0831073ghetto1.html

A crude "ghetto handbook" distributed to police patrolling Houston's public schools has resulted in the suspension of one officer. The eight-page booklet was handed out in May by a officer with the city's Independent School District, but did not come to the attention of school brass until recently, when a discrimination complaint was lodged.

The booklet, which was given to about 20 cops, is subtitled "Wucha dun did now?," and purports to help the reader "learn to speak ebonics as if you just came out of the hood...because you could find your self with a problem one day and ebonics could save your life."

The booklet offers definitions for street slang like "hoodrat" ("scummy girl") and "foty" (a 40-ounce bottle of beer) and concludes with a "poem" incorporating these terms.

It also includes a copyright notation that the booklet is a "first edition, second soon to follow." That now appears to be the wishful thinking of a novice author.

The booklet was provided to TSG by school officials who removed the name of the suspended officer from the publication as well as the names of several other cops who have not been disciplined.





Im really liking this thread and forum.

Great stuff.