Ghetto Miasma in Compton

The Oxford English Dictionary defines "ghetto" as a section of a city occupied by a minority group who live there especially because of social, economic, or legal pressure.

The fruits and vegetables are not fresh at the Ralph's supermarket in Compton. The floors are in need of deep cleaning. Shopping carts litter the parking lot and the lighting is not all that great. Contrast this to your experiences with another Ralph's, say, one in West Los Angeles or any other located in middle to upper class neighborhoods. The disparities are numerous. How could a major company operate so poorly on Compton Boulevard and so angelic a few miles down the freeway? Does Mr. Ralph have Ghetto Miasma?

When looking at the health of a community, we should look at nutrition. What food options are available in south Los Angeles? As only a mere daytime visitor to the ghetto, I know that if I did not pack my own lunch, that I'd be up Shit Creek if I wanted to eat a healthy meal. Compton, the city where I perform my teaching duties, is inundated on every street corner with the finest names in fast food. And they are situated conveniently next to liquor stores to maximize your dining experience. After all, what's better than a smoke after a big meal? Bottom line: If you want to eat healthy in the ghetto, um, eat at Subways. They are sprinkled into your neighborhoods because Jared Fogle's story is compelling enough that even poor people may be interested.

The reality is that healthy lifestyles come with affluence. The invisible hand of the market dictates the types of products offered to consumers. In West L.A., it may be a bit difficult to locate a McDonald's. If you are in South Central, throw a rock and 9 times out of 10, you will hit the yellow arches. The people demand it to be so with their dollars. Why? Fast food is cheap and when you are poor, cheap is all you can afford.

Ghetto Miasma is not a gas as rumored; it is everything physical about poverty. From broken down homes with leaky roofs and iron barred windows to unkempt supermarkets and public buildings, all things physical in the ghetto suggests to all your senses that you are ghetto. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy. There will always be Miasma in the ghetto. It is in its definition.