Samuel Kajah blog 2                                                                                                                       

There Goes the Neighborhood

The phrase ‘There goes the neighborhood’ is a saying used to describe an unfortunate or malevolent event or condition that could change the reputation of a community or even the community itself. When Spaniard Christopher Columbus (originally Italian) and his crew arrived on the island of San Salvador, they surveyed the various animals, plants, and the general area. He took a liking to the nature and wished to return home with some of his discoveries. Columbus and his men approached a village and noticed that the natives had already fled their homes. The natives had seen Columbus and co coming and knew that they might be in trouble, so they fled with their valuables into the mountains. In a modern tongue, the natives would’ve thought or said ‘there goes the neighborhood’ because the Spaniards invaded their land. Columbus took plants and other resources left and right to return home with. The natives probably saw this as a treat and ran away. What they were thinking (there goes the neighborhood) meant that their home was being invaded and changed it in a way that was not benefiting them. Their situation concerning Columbus perfectly depicts the phrase.

            Similarly, communities in Chicago faced what the natives of San Salvador went through when Columbus took advantage of their land. In mostly the southern and western parts of Chicago, lots of murders, stealing, and other crimes occur each and every day. The people of those communities think only of their safety and have little time to enjoy outside their homes. Gangs and their enemies make these communities their war ground and that doesn’t benefit the civilians in that neighborhood in anyway.  Like the natives, those people hide where they can to avoid the violence. Also, whenever a crime happens and it gets on the news, the people of the community think ‘there goes the neighborhood.’ This is because the reputation of the area is painted malevolent and all other people outside that neighborhood see it as inferior to their own. Columbus appreciated the land of the natives but he still had the intention of taking their resources for Spain. The natives knew this and fled to avoid any unnecessary dilemmas just like people today flee to avoid violence.