Cairo is a stark version of countless towns and neighborhoods that fill the US. They are not rare, or confined to one place or race. They are in every state, red and blue. The glib cliches for these communities (especially minority ones) have become derogatory: Left-behind, fly-over, ghetto, inner-city, urban or rural blight.
They are derogatory because they come loaded with judgement.
Regardless, we need to speak and write about these communities. Most importantly, we need to listen to those who live there.
'via Blog this'