"Yompton"

My wife (another Youngstowner) has been telling me recently of her distaste for using the term "Yompton" to describe Youngstown. Apparently, the issue has even spawned, independently of her, an anti-"Yompton" facebook group (the true measure of social import these days). I'm inclined to agree with her and her constituents, and for the same reasons. It's not so much that it's disparaging of our fair city- there's plenty of that out there- it's that its so uncreative, and more importantly, ignores the fact that Youngstown is its own unique place, for better or worse, and is not just another Compton. Anywhere can be dangerous, crime-ridden, or poverty-stricken. There's more to the Yo than that. More history, more character, more real pride. Pride- not to be confused with street cred- is not easy to come by any more.

It's mostly people outside of Youngstown who use the term. In fact, I had never even heard of the term until a friend showed it to me in the Urban Dictionary late in my high school years. It's not, I don't think, one of those homegrown phrases, like "University on the Corner of Lincoln Avenue." It's another disparaging remark from those who don't understand the place. So screw you, Yompton-users.

Defend Youngstown.

The above was copied and modified from my Livejournal site.