'White African-American' sues med school

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NEWARK, N.J., May 13 (UPI) -- A native of Mozambique has sued a New Jersey medical school, saying he was suspended for defining himself in class as a "white African-American."

Paulo Serodio, 45, is of Portuguese descent. But his family has lived in Mozambique for several generations.

He told ABC News that he got into trouble at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark in March 2006 when an instructor, Dr. Kathy Ann Duncan, led students in a discussion, asking them for self-definitions.

Serodio's description of himself upset some other students, and he said Duncan later told him never to call himself an "African-American" again because some others found it "offensive."

Serodio said that he was suspended for unprofessional conduct after he made a similar comment in another class and then wrote an article in the student newspaper trying to explain his ethnic background. He said that other students also harassed him.

"I wouldn't wish this to my worst enemy," he said. "I'm not exaggerating. This has destroyed my life, my career."
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http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/05/13/White-African-American-sues-med-school/UPI-97771242239421/
 
[quote name='VioletArrows']I think Law & Order's pretty much covered everything stupid people can do by now.[/QUOTE]

You're not giving stupid people enough credit.
 
I've often wondered about this sort of situation, someone who is from Africa but is not actually black. If going by the country of birth, they'd be African, but trying to get people to see it that way would be nearly impossible.
 
Its funny how some people think everyone from Africa is actually black :lol: Have they seen Tunisians, Moroccans, and other countries in the Maghreb area of the continent?
 
We have a certain stereotype to uphold when talking about African-Americans.

He brought it upon himself by being and .

EDIT: I like how he says this has ruined his life. Yeah. I'm sure somebody forced him to write an article about it in a newspaper.
 
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it's possible he did do it in an unprofessional way

like the prof mentions american slavery and he butts in with "as an african american, let me say that my people blah blah blah"

and the newspaper thing seems a little weird.. it'd be interesting to actually know what he said in it.
 
Enjoying the knee-jerk PC police reaction. Easy boys, you'll give yourselves whiplash!

Serodio said he is a third-generation African of Portuguese ethnicity whose great-grandfather emigrated to Mozambique. He came to the U.S. in 1984 after being accepted at New York University.
He met his future wife and started a family and, after deciding to settle in the U.S. permanently, got his citizenship in the early 1990s. After doing research work on and off, including for UMDNJ, with pauses in between to be a stay-at-home dad, Serodio said he decided to become a doctor to follow in his parents footsteps.
His plan, he said, was to become a doctor and join Doctors Without Borders where he could travel back to Africa to do charity work like his parents, either as an internist or possibly a neurologist. He started medical school, he said, when his eldest child was in first grade.
The family, he said, had hoped to hold a joint graduation party this spring– for his son's passing out of fourth grade and for Serodio's graduation from medical school. But they will only be celebrating his son's achievements this year.
The lawsuit claims Serodio began to be harassed by other students who sought disciplinary action against him for his statement in Duncan's class, but was never given a chance to defend his views against the complaints.
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http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id=7567291&page=2

I'll let it play out some more, but if true it's ironic and sad.
 
Obviously, now that "African-American" has replaced black, it's not allowed to mean anything else anymore.
 
I still dont know how "African-American" replaced "black". I dont remember a poll or a vote being taken. :) I actually went to college with a "white" girl who's father was "white" South African and her mother was a "white" American. I noted that she was more African-American than I was.

I actually prefer black to AA. My parents are from Illinois and South Carolina. I cant trace any roots back to Africa. And if we're *really* going to go back, then all people have African roots.

What I found funny about the particular situation is that the teacher asked the students to "self-identify". The teacher should have been ready for anything.
 
technically pretty much all people are from africa so all americans are african americans. but the point remains, nationality is fucking dumb. super super super dumb. nobody gives a shit what arbitrary political boundary you or your parents were born within. or, at least, they shouldn't. it's fucking bogus. who gives a shit. we're all human. it doesn't matter whether you were born here or there, or your parents lived under this ruler or that one, it doesn't fucking matter. i look forward to the day we earthicans live under our global hegemon and put this petty shit behind us, only revisiting it as humans hundreds of years from now when our ancestors want to make fun of how fucking stupid their species used to be.

more to the topic at hand, nobody can be outraged over this without context, we don't have enough info. i don't believe intelligent, educated med students would flip out over a foreign guy saying he's african american. there has to be more to it. also, don't you guys find it odd he mentioned being african american in multiple classes and in the school newspaper? sounds like the jackass was trying to start shit. i bet he was either flunking out or changed his mind about med school, so he wanted to start shit in a controversial way to sue.


edit: this post is a prime example of the shaq-fu icon sucking. was it crotch's suggestion? The Man never takes the good advice.. still can't have an all-caps reply of "OH SHIT." which is desperately needed.
 
[quote name='Maestro Fresh Wes']It's who you are, not where you went
We all originate from the same descent.[/quote]

Truer words were never rapped. :nottalking:
 
I haven't seen Barbershop before, but it's the only thing on atm... They actually have a white guy working in duh barbershop. Didn't know that.
 
[quote name='VipFREAK']I haven't seen Barbershop before, but it's the only thing on atm... They actually have a white guy working in duh barbershop. Didn't know that.[/QUOTE]

Is it Jay Mohr?
 
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