So some Houston police officer got suspended for co-creating and distributing what essentially sounds like a Eubonics-to-Standard English translation ‘zine, with pictures. And folks are up in arms. I don’t really want to chime in on the topic of the Ghetto Handbook until i see a copy for myself, so I’ll hold off on my opinion for a minute.

Grudge Report: “Ghetto Handbook” Leads to Persecution
AP: Officer Suspended Over `Ghetto Handbook’

The booklet billed itself as a guide to Ebonics, teaching the reader to speak “as if you just came out of the hood.” It included definitions such as “foty: a 40-ounce bottle of beer”; “aks: to ask a question”; and “hoodrat: scummy girl.”

Again, I haven’t seen the booklet or its pictures so this could be taken out of context, but the above-quote doesn’t seem insulting or degrading to me. What do you think? Last year I had to explain to my uncle what a forty was. One of my favorite shows Futurama uses ‘aks’ in their futuristic Standard English. And there are far worse terms for scummy girls than hoodrats. Maybe the pictures are on some shit or something.

Personally, I just say they should have passed the cops copies of Aye Jay’s Gangsta Rap Coloring Book instead.