The Wrong Color African-American
I've joked to a friend, born in South Africa to American parents -- white American parents -- that he's African-American. And really, he is. But, a white student, born in Mozambique and now a U.S. citizen and a student at the Newark-based University of Medicine and Dentistry said that about himself (when asked in what sounds like some awfully P.C. cultural class exercise) and was penalized for it.
Oh yeah, and he also wrote an article for the school newspaper that I wish I could get my hands on -- titled "A More Colorful View Than Black and White" -- an attempt to explain his description of himself and call for tolerance at the school.
As somebody who'd like to see us become a "post-racial" society, I think that sounds just great. And I love that he described himself as African-American. I find the term and the way it's applied just ridiculous. I have a friend, deep brown as dark chocolate, who was born in Saint Lucia. She is a black person, but she is not African-American, and it's technically wrong to call her that.
Also, while I'd call her "African-American" if she wanted me to (and she's never referred to herself that way or asked to be referred to that way), I don't want people to call me "German/Polish border-American and half-Russian-American." I'm American and really, really advantaged to be one, as is any American of any color, because there's a level of opportunity here for people of any color or class that you find nowhere else in the world. And while there's discrimination against various people, many people have it tough in some way: they're born very homely, or very poor, for example. I think people would be hard-pressed to name a European country where an Oprah could rise as she did. Yet, on college campuses we're still mired in P.C. and racial division -- and colleges like the one in the story seem to be working as hard as they can to maintain that racial division.
More, from the Sarah Netter story on ABCNews on what's now happening to Paulo Serodio, the subject of the story, who has filed a lawsuit against the school:
Serodio told ABCNews.com that he believes that America has outgrown the labels of black and white, something he wrote about in the article.His own children, he said, are of mixed ethnicity European and Chinese. In his own case, he said, "There's a distinction to be made here between ethnicity and being from Africa."
...The lawsuit claims Serodio tried to stop publication on the newspaper article, but was too late. In response, the professor of the latter cultural class posted a reply on the bulletin boards at the medical school stating that Serodio "had failed to learn professionalism and humanism."
That's when, according to the lawsuit, the harassment, some physical, began in earnest. According to the lawsuit, Serodio's tires were vandalized in December of 2006, other students put up posters slamming him and he was denied protection by the school.
In January 2007, Serodio was made to promise he would never again write in any public forum at the school at the risk of facing disciplinary action, according to the lawsuit.
But Zeff said that the same month, his client was designated as the person who would take notes from a particular class for posting online, as was customary. The notes, Zeff said, contained a few jokes and comments as was typical for students who posted notes online and had been approved by the class professor.
But after a fellow student complained, the same professor that approved the notes filed a complaint about their content, according to the lawsuit, and school officials demanded that Serodio submit to a psychiatric evaluation.
The evaluation was given in April 2007 and Serodio was declared "fit for medical student functions," according to the lawsuit. But after a disciplinary hearing on April 1, which consisted of testimony from anyone claiming to be offended by Serodio's comments, he was notified of his suspension.
The lawsuit claims Serodio was suspended on May 15, 2007 for a period "of not less than one year."
Messages and e-mails left with Duncan and Cohen as well as UMDNJ Dean Dr. Robert Johnson were not returned.
His suspension, which Serodio said was for "unprofessional behavior," meant he was unable to take the board exams reserved for students preparing to enter third year and therefore could not transfer elsewhere to continue his education even though he completed all the second-year coursework.
...Serodio told ABCNews.com that he was technically reinstated last spring, but it was too late to start his third year because he still had not been allowed to take his second-year exams.
"I feel unprepared now," he said. "That was very penalizing to me."
So Serodio said he decided to take a year's leave of absence to spend time with his children and get things sorted out with the school, while trying to stay current on his studies for the exam.
The lawsuit is asking for reinstatement to UMDNJ and to the National Board of Medical Examiners so Serodio be allowed to take his board exams. The suit is also asking for recognition that UMDNJ's actions were discriminatory and retaliatory and for unspecified monetary damages.
Just after I posted this, I opened my e-mail and found a link to this Walter Williams piece, "Race Talk." An excerpt:
Race talk often portrays black Americans as downtrodden and deserving of white people's help and sympathy. That vision is an insult of major proportions. As a group, black Americans have made some of the greatest gains, over the highest hurdles, in the shortest span of time than any other racial group in mankind's history. This unprecedented progress can be seen through several measures. If one were to total black earnings, and consider black Americans a separate nation, he would find that in 2005 black Americans earned $644 billion, making them the world's 16th richest nation -- that is just behind Australia but ahead of Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland. Black Americans are, and have been, chief executives of some of the world's largest and richest cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. It was a black American, Gen. Colin Powell, appointed Joint Chief of Staff in October 1989, who headed the world's mightiest military and later became U.S. Secretary of State, and was succeeded by Condoleezza Rice, another black American. Black Americans are among the world's most famous personalities and a few are among the richest. Most blacks are not poor but middle class.On the eve of the Civil War, neither a slave nor a slave owner would have believed these gains possible in less than a mere century and a half, if ever. That progress speaks well not only of the sacrifices and intestinal fortitude of a people; it also speaks well of a nation in which these gains were possible. These gains would not have been possible anywhere else.
John Kerry's second rich wife, Theressa Heinz Kerry described herself as African-American during Kerry's presidential campaign. She is(She was born in Africa) but she got ridiculed for it.
African-American in our culture is reserved for people seeking special privileges, not Americans born in Africa.
My ex-gf's kids are "hispanic" and have taken advantage of that designation. Mind you, they grew up in a rich white neighborhood with a rich white Mom and they themselves look white. But Dad's grand parents are from Spain. (Dad is middle class)
So, grow up in a rich white neighborhood with the best schools, with a rich white mom and call yourself "Hispanic" because 2 of your great grandparents are from Spain.
One of the slacker kids got admitted into a special program in a state college reserved for minorities. He'd been kicked out of high school for selling coke and the only way he could weasel his way into a college was to claim his minority status and say that he needed the remedial help the program provided for minority students. He aced the program and then got bored after his 1st semester and left the school.
sean at May 16, 2009 7:11 AM
Maybe some day I'll find one of these diversity programs I'm interested in and sign up as African American myself. I'm white and I wasn't born in Africa, but, like everyone else, my ancestors were born in Africa. As far as I know that's the only concrete claim most self-identified "African Americans" could make to qualify, so I don't see on what grounds I could be denied.
Shawn at May 16, 2009 7:40 AM
Well, then, how 'bout "American-African"?
Political-correctness: the cure that is worse than the disease.
Jay R at May 16, 2009 7:49 AM
I'm against Affirmative Action so according to the "Progressives" I'm a bigoted Asshole.
The thing is, I agree with the biggest argument in favor of AA when it comes to college admissions. The argument is that these kids have been put at a disadvantage because they had to go to shitty inner city schools.
I agree with that and think those kids should get preferential treatment.
Even the white kids. So there you go. I'm a racist.
The "progressives" would stand at the door of the school denying poor white kids access like George Wallace did with Black kids but they are "compassionate" while I'm the racist.
It's a fucked up world.
sean at May 16, 2009 9:57 AM
The argument is that these kids have been put at a disadvantage because they had to go to shitty inner city schools.
The reality, however, is that most of the "disadvantaged" black students helped by preferential admissions went to the same suburban schools the white kids did.
Affirmative Actions helps middle class blacks more than poor blacks.
Conan the Grammarian at May 16, 2009 3:33 PM
The argument is that these kids have been put at a disadvantage because they had to go to shitty inner city schools.
Disadvantaged here is still millions of times better than disadvantaged anywhere else. I grew up very poor but managed to become someone who now has advanced degrees. Did I do it with AA? Nope. In this country all children have access to education for free. If you go to a state college, you are able to get grants and loans to cover your tuition. Was it easy? No it was not, but it was completely worth it.
In most cases, institutionalized bigotry has ended. People who work hard and make sacrifices are able to succeed in this country no matter where they start from. It isn't easy, but it is possible. Affirmative action isn't doing anyone any favors. It is just paternalism. If you want to get out of where you are, work for it.
Julie at May 19, 2009 9:43 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2009/05/16/white_and_from.html#comment-1649287">comment from JulieRight on, Julie. I worked at an ad agency where only rich, connected kids get jobs, but I tried all these different ways to get in -- finally stood outside and stopped a guy who came out, and looked important -- and gave him my very funny and creative resume and got an interview. If you don't have advantages...make them.
Amy Alkon
at May 19, 2009 10:08 AM
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