By Chelsea-Badeau
Can a white person be an African-American? Paulo Serodio, a 45-year-old naturalized American of Portugese heritage born in Mozambique, says yes. He is suing the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey for discrimination that he says led to his suspension.
He told ABCNews.com that his instructor, Dr. Kathy Ann Duncan, asked the students for self-definitions during a discussion on culture and medicine. Serodio identified himself as a “white African-American.” He says Duncan later told him never to refer to himself as that again, because it was “offensive” to others in the class.
Serodio said that he made a similar reference in another class and also wrote an article in the student newspaper titled, “A More Colorful View Than Black and White.” He says these actions led to harassment from other students and ultimately his suspension for unprofessional conduct.
"I wouldn't wish this to my worst enemy," Serodio said. "I'm not exaggerating. This has destroyed my life, my career."
While Serodio’s suit, which asks for reinstatement at the school and monetary damages, is bringing new attention to the meaning of the term “African-American,” it’s not a new debate.
In 2004, a white high-school student (born in Johannesburg) named Trevor Richards was suspended from an Omaha, Nebraska school after distributing posters that promoted him as a candidate for the school’s "Distinguished African-American Student" award. WorldNetDaily.com reported that this story sent “shock waves across America as debate rages over who can claim rights to the term ‘African-American.’”
What does “African-American” mean? Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary defines the term as “an American of African and especially of black African descent.”
So if only people of black African descent should be allowed to refer to themselves as African-American, what is Serodio? "There are people of all races who are African," Serodio told ABCNews.com. He said he had no problem identifying himself in that way until Duncan’s class.
Will we, as Americans, ever get to the point where we drop the titles and just become Americans?
In college, I studied abroad in Australia. One of my roommates was from Ireland. When she was introduced to some other exchange students, she asked one of the girls what she was, and the girl replied, “I’m Irish.” My roommate said, “No you’re not. I’m Irish.” The girl was from America. Her great grandparents were from Ireland. My Irish roommate couldn’t understand why she had referred to herself as Irish and not American.
I think we can celebrate the uniqueness of our own individual heritages and backgrounds without getting wrapped up in unnecessary titles that often hold little meaning for the people using them. Maybe I am an eternal optimist (something I have been accused of in the past), but I would like to think that at some point in the future, Americans will be less concerned with specific titles and identifications and just relate as Americans that share the same concerns, hopes, and dreams.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
33 comments:
Covering your tracks with style. Un-believable.
It's just a nother thing where a white man wants to be black. He can't be black so he wants to act black or at least act like he has the right to be treated like he's black. How in the world can he be African American if he's white? It don't matter where he's from if he's white.
North Africans are a different race from the sub-saharan Africans, yet they are Africans!
Just another way to buck the system.
They sure learn those kind of things real fast.
Im just a SHORE-BILLY.
White americans or white people are treated like they have committed a crime every time they use white anything.
You can have Black Entertainment TV, Black Miss america, NAACP, Black Association of Firefighters, Black Faternal Order Police.
Try having "White" anything and your are screwed.
I am so freakin sick of this crap, I have never owned a slave and never will. How long will they use that as a crutch?
Get over it.... You have been PAID IN FULL!
We the American people will be our own downfall. It's a shame you have to have a title to think you are more special than someone else. WE ARE ALL SUPPOSED TO BE EQUAL. Please?????? Our demise will be our own damned fault. Wake up AMERICAN PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!
I saw this comming a while back
To arbitrarily assume a black person is African-American is highly offensive. The majority of black people in the world are not African American. Why is that? Well they aren't American, live in another county, love the idiots that say a black person living in England is African-American. Even if you meet a black person in US, doesn't mean they are an American citizen, alot of foreign students at colleges, visitors, or immigrant workers.
Next, African - many Blacks are not African - what about Haitians, Jamaicans, Creole, Black Indians? What about all the White African Americans? What about Blacks who's ancestors are European or Asian? Also, many times you will offend a recent African immigrant by calling them African-American because they are not slave era African-American. These people prefer to be called Sengalese-American, or Ethiopian-American. (if they are USA citizens, again they might just be Sengalese.)
I love the audicity of Blacks who get offended if they not called African American. Were their parents immigrants? Grandparents? Great-Grandparents? Great-Great-Great Grandparents? Most likely NO. They are AMERICAN, lets stop trying to divide us further. We are all descendants of Africa, whether we're White in color or Black in color.
So is Tiger Woods African-American? NO! He is mixed raced, if anything he is Asian-American. He is 25% Chinese, 25% Thai, 25% Black, 12.5% White (Dutch) and 12.5% Native American. To call him African-American is racist!
Stop being so offended by the terms Black & White - it's descriptive and something that can be identified. If I see a person with Brown hair and a person with Blonde hair - is it offensive to identify the one as being Blonde?
This is exactly why, while the police became politically correct years back calling black crime suspects "African-American," it's an inaccurate descriptor. Many Africans are indeed white.
If your white you don't get equal protection under the law! Whites are second class citizens in this country but pay everyone else s way.
Wouldn't you know that Jesse Jackson was the one that coined the bulls*t term 'African American'... Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are the two biggest embarrasments to the black community.
I'm african american, and will say that its time to get rid of the race selections on forms and documents..instead they could have selections of your citizenship. For example if you are a citizen of canada then there would be a check box for canadian....if you are american black or white or green...then there would be a selection for american. It's time to stop classifying people by the color of there skin. Maybe we could have American in front of them with parenthesis with the type of decent for example American(African decent), American (White, Caucasian decent)...etc.
please excuse the spelling..I'm not the best...lol
I have heard it all now-but its true there ARE white people in Africa,folks.
In America,"white" people are eventually gonna go the way of the dinosaur....
This whole issue is stupid. Either you were born here or you were not. With all of the artificial inseminations going on now..do we call them Artificial Americans?
And while we are name tagging..call all test tube babies Test Americans. If you have never been in Africa or Ireland or any place for that matter, and were born here, you are Americans! Plain and simple like it or not. You can say you have a different heritage but you are still American!
The guy deserves to lose.
If he is from Africa, then he is NOT an African-American. Even blacks who come here from Africa do not qualify as African-Americans because they are NOT Americans.
I work with a Nigerian. He's as black as they come, but he jokes that he's not black when people call him that, since he's not an African-American. He gets none of the affirmative action benefits...
These white guys from Africa know that too, so this makes them utter losers.
To: 8:03
I don't know of any white man or woman who wants to be black , but I do know a lot of them who would like the same advantages that the blacks have.
Anon 8:21 there are white news stations and media......Cnn, abc, nbc, cbs, lifetime, etc.
..And anon 9:13 "we" prefer being called black. I don't know ONE black person who prefers being called afican american.
Hay 335 that is about the most stupid thing i have herd yet. THERE ARE NO WHITE ANYTHING with the exception of the whit supremist groups. but blacks have those to " The Black Panthers " lets start a united cracker collage fund and see how that works.... oh yea thats rite only united nigro collage funds are allowed..... What a bunch of BULL.
9:13 and 3:37? You wonder why the white people are confused?
thanks LIBTARDS!! hyphenate another one will ya?
12:46 That was pretty good.
2:22 You've never seen the wannabe white gangstas that stroll around dressing and talking black? No there's a step towards a bright and promising future.
12:40 Because by and large whites don't have children unless they can support them. 7 out of 10 black babies are born to single mothers. Ever notice when they run down the names of children in black families, there will be six children and most will have different last names?
I'm african american, and will say that its time to get rid of the race selections on forms and documents..instead they could have selections of your citizenship. For example if you are a citizen of canada then there would be a check box for canadian....if you are american black or white or green...then there would be a selection for american. It's time to stop classifying people by the color of there skin. Maybe we could have American in front of them with parenthesis with the type of decent for example American(African decent), American (White, Caucasian decent)...etc.
please excuse the spelling..I'm not the best...lol
10:43 AM
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So you agree to get rid of affirmative action? Thank god!! I hate as being a white person descriminated against by companies forced to hire minorities. I agree we are all the same... no more minorities... no more favoritism.
Base hires on qualifications... not race.
Ohhhh.. and by the way... if a child is born to a white person and a black person... that child is considered black. Why is that?
If we can't say "African American" or "Asian American" or "European American," how are we going to know who the real Americans are?
I'm talking for Native Americans like myself.
I was friends with a girl in college who was white and born in south africa. Her family had lived there for over a hundred years. So in this case she is also african american since she is now a US citizen.
is there an organization the meets every year to determine what is politically correct? Of course not so we all need to stop this nonsense. I never understand why chinaman is offensive but frenchman or irshman is not. Do we need to add them to "The List". Maybe I'm retarded, wait slow learner, wait challenged, given enough time the current "correct" word will become incorrect.
Because of the nature of my work, I sometimes have to fill out a computer form listing the race of a child. When the parent lists them as mixed, there is no code for that! Who am I to determine what color the child is?
Funny posts. I am a black american, the end. Obama is African American, if you use that word. My parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and great-great grandparents were born in the US. Im in my late twenties and have never liked the term African American because I am acutely aware that the continent of Africa has many countries with different skin types. I hear folk complaining still about affirmative action and special organizations for black americans. Can someone tell me where I can get assistance or a job because my skin color is not white? Think about the purpose of affirmative action. Think about the purpose of the black caucus, aclu, or naacp. The founders didnt wake up one day and say "lets make organizations just for us even though we are all being treated fairly". Imagine that. I have recieved NO societal benefit from having darker skin. The sad reality is that I have had to give 200% more effort to even compete with non-minorities in the workplace. I wish we didnt need special organizations. But I also wish I didnt have to see people with my skin color being sprayed by hoses for protesting the denial of basic rights; i wish there were never signs that said "colored" or "whites" only; i wish i never had to see pictures of black men hung from trees with an audience of white men, women and children. Do you understand why we still have special interest groups?
Black is black, white is white, the past is the past, africa is africa, let america be america.
get over it.
"But I also wish I didnt have to see people with my skin color being sprayed by hoses for protesting the denial of basic rights; i wish there were never signs that said "colored" or "whites" only; i wish i never had to see pictures of black men hung from trees with an audience of white men, women and children. Do you understand why we still have special interest groups?"
You have my sympathy. As a Native American, I wish I had never heard about the near genocide of my ancestors. I'm lucky to be one of the few REAL Americans left.
We're both lucky that Illegal Aliens have become the number one scapegoat in America today. Scapegoats will become more and more important as the economy deteriorates.
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