Anonymous asked: I really do want to apologize, that's not what I meant at all. I meant that I get the feeling that S&M aren't particularly intelligent. I understand the bad connotations behind the word ghetto, but it seems unfair to harp on them in particular when everyone I know has used it since, well, forever. That's all I meant. I do agree with many of the points made, just that one in particular stood out as seeming odd to me.

Ah, I see your point. The thing is that while a word or phrase may be in common usage, it may have a historical significance that can be offensive to groups of people. 

I’m certainly not perfect in this regard; I would use words like ‘ghetto’ without really thinking about the connotations and meaning behind it. It was just something everyone else did, so what was the big deal? Once I read something about its roots and correlation with modern anti-black sentiment, I was forced to really examine it. I searched out what I could find on the topic, and after educating myself I stopped using it.

Language is socially constructed and while the dictionary definition of a word may be one thing, the connotations also need to be examined. Because everyone uses it, that is exactly why it must be analyzed.

-Admin Anna