Definition of Racism Part II: Avoid The Ghetto App. Is it racist?

• OneBuckeye

  

  http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2012/01/17/app-that-would-guide-users-away-from-high-crime-areas-proves-controversial/
  

  DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – An in-development Microsoft smart phone app designed to help drivers and pedestrians avoid unsafe neighborhoods is proving controversial among some minority rights groups that find the software potentially discriminatory.
  The as-of-yet unnamed product is being referred to as the “Avoid The Ghetto” app by those who are concerned with where it will guide users.
  “I’m going to be up in arms about it if it happens,” said Dallas NAACP President Juanita Wallace.
  Wallace spent her afternoon at a rally on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and said she felt safe there, but fears the app may project otherwise.
  “Can you imagine me not being able to go to MLK Blvd. because my GPS says that’s a dangerous crime area? I can’t even imagine that,” she said.
  Microsoft says the app will use crime statistics to determine what parts of town are to be avoided. But it’s unclear where the data will come from and how it will be interpreted.
  Microsoft has filed a patent for the app, but the actual product is unnamed and not available yet.
  Opponents like Wallace fear it could hurt minority communities.
  “It’s almost like gerrymandering,” she said. “It’s stereotyping for sure and without a doubt; I can’t emphasize enough, it’s discriminatory.”
  
  Michael McNally, who was visiting Dallas Tuesday, said an app shouldn’t have enough power to label a community.
  “It may have a high crime problem but have some great cultural, social things you can do there,” McNally said.
  Dallas resident Chris Hurst said it sounds like a good safety tool.
  “I’d be all for it because you can never be too safe,” he said.
  Tommy Jones, who works downtown, said an app like Microsoft’s could hurt a city’s economy.
  “From a business standpoint, it could be devastating,” he said. “Especially in the area of tourism.”
  Economic development is a major initiative that Mayor Mike Rawlings is pushing in parts of the city that the app may suggest against visiting.
  Wallace is concerned this type of technology would continue to perpetuate stereotypes in Dallas and beyond.
  “What happens in North Dallas certainly ought to be no different than what happens in South Dallas, so we can’t keep on doing this,” she said. “This type of technology is certainly going to pronounce and heighten it to some degree.”
  Microsoft declined to comment, issuing a statement that said the company “does not comment on filed or awarded patents.”
  

• sleeper

  

  It's not racist. Some neighborhoods are unsafe, regardless of black or white.
• justincredible

  

  sleeper;1057708 wrote:It's not racist. Some neighborhoods are unsafe, regardless of black or white.

  Indeed. Not racist at all.
• gorocks99

  

  As long as it updates its information at a reasonable rate (i.e., if a community really makes an effort to change things, the crime rate/whatever they're going to do to determine "unsafe areas" drops, and the app reflects that in a reasonable amount of time) I'm fine with it. My GPS took me through some unsavory areas of Chicago when I first moved here and I wasn't thrilled about it.
• Rotinaj

  

  Not even close to being racist. It's actually a pretty good idea
• sleeper

  

  And honestly not to re-hash the arguments I brought up on the last thread, but this is what I'm talking about. This application makes no mention of race but is immediately labeled racist by the black community. Blacks use racism for their personal gain, and that is why racism will never cease to exist in this country.
• rmolin73

  

  Not racist at all.
• DeyDurkie5

  

  the NAACP is the first to comment on it. Silly colored people
• majorspark

  

  Back in the days before Smartphones, GPS, and automatic locks my Dad would just tell my brother and I in the back seat to "lock your doors we are in a ****** section".
• queencitybuckeye

  The racist is the person equating "ghetto" to "black". There are far more poor white people in the country than black.
• Mulva

  

  “Can you imagine me not being able to go to MLK Blvd. because my GPS says that’s a dangerous crime area? I can’t even imagine that,” she said.

  I could imagine you not downloading the app if you were that concerned about it.
  
  

  “It’s almost like gerrymandering,” she said. “It’s stereotyping for sure and without a doubt; I can’t emphasize enough, it’s discriminatory.”

  It's discriminatory against high-crime areas. Stop breaking the law, asshole.
  

  queencitybuckeye;1057800 wrote:The racist is the person equating "ghetto" to "black". There are far more poor white people in the country than black.

  I agree that ghetto shouldn't be equated to black, but I've never liked that argument. The per capita numbers are more relevant, in my opinion.
  
  I think the app is a great idea.
• said_aouita

  

  "Can you imagine me not being able to go to MLK Blvd. because my GPS says that’s a dangerous crime area? I can’t even imagine that,” she said."
  
  Why is MLK Blvd. always near one of the most dangerous areas in a big city? Nothing racist about trying to keep you away from a dangerous area. If race comes into play, it's their fault.
• Steel Valley Football

  This is an app that compiles crime statistics, most likely by census tract or neighborhood codes; nothing more.
• Thinthickbigred

  sleeper;1057708 wrote:It's not racist. Some neighborhoods are unsafe, regardless of black or white.

  Is that just a feel good politically correct statement? Tell me where there is an all white neighborhood that is unsafe . Generally speaking . Tell me if you think what I just said is racist.
• sleeper

  

  Thinthickbigred;1057923 wrote:Is that just a feel good politically correct statement? Tell me where there is an all white neighborhood that is unsafe . Generally speaking . Tell me if you think what I just said is racist.

  Try the south.
• Thinthickbigred

  If they are using crime statistics purely . It will just so happen that communities with color are more crime ridden . It is a fact and whether its a latino or all black community ,those are the facts . We dont want this to be true but wanting something not to be true isnt factual . That is a social economic issue . You go into an all white community and crime goes way way down anywhere you go those are facts . Usually the economic climate in the all white neighborhood is far better than a non white neighborhood . This is going to be the tail wagging the dog argument. Id rather be honest about issues than be politically correct
• Thinthickbigred

  sleeper;1057935 wrote:Try the south.

  In the south you say there are bad all white neighborhoods . Look Sure you have crime everywhere but compare your all white neighborhoods to your all ethnic non white or all black neighborhoods . I dont know where your going with the south commnent .. We are not talking about segregation times and racist beliefs we are talking about crime statistics
• hasbeen

  

  The people calling it avoid the ghetto are the people against it which are apparently the naacp. So naacp leaders see an app to avoid crime areas as an app to avoid black areas. Very telling.
• Thinthickbigred

  pnhasbeen;1057940 wrote:The people calling it avoid the ghetto are the people against it which are apparently the naacp. So naacp leaders see an app to avoid crime areas as an app to avoid black areas. Very telling.

  Yes it is . They know the facts . Sometimes it doesnt work in there agenda .. The NAACP will use both sides of the coin . They are as political as much as anybody can be . If it suits an issue to argue for something and use urban blight for there gain they will . In this case it just so happens to be the opposite.
• queencitybuckeye

  Mulva;1057829 wrote:I agree that ghetto shouldn't be equated to black, but I've never liked that argument. The per capita numbers are more relevant, in my opinion.
  

  For measuring, sure, but the point is when someone says ghetto, most of us have gotten to the point where we don't think color at all.
• rmolin73

  

  You all must have never seen the eastside of Toledo.
• like_that

  

  rmolin73;1057786 wrote:Not racist at all.

  The black guy has logically spoken.
  
  /thread
• Thinthickbigred

  Toledo and Detroit = alot of Middle Eastern people
• rmolin73

  

  Thinthickbigred;1059403 wrote:Toledo and Detroit = alot of Middle Eastern people

  What?
• hasbeen

  

  rmolin73;1059456 wrote:What?

  we don't know.