Letter: Race-based humor inappropriate for Chronicle

You know what's sad? That in 21st century America, after years of racial inequality and social injustice for a whole lot of people, not just African Americans, that we still think stereotypical jokes about white people and black people are funny. I am referring to the column in Monday's Chronicle by Theo Huxtable's Protege. You know, that hilarious column about the party scene at Duke for incoming freshmen. That sure was funny how he or she wrote about young white fraternity men at white parties as drunken lawbreakers with no rhythm and attendees at black parties as enjoying the loud booming bass song (occasionally peppered with ass songs) who have oppressed by the fascist police who search them for weapons.

Here on a college campus, the one place where you expect enlightenment and mixing with people from around the world, or at least the U.S., we apparently have a sub-culture of segregated partying going. Man, those white dudes always throwing up, man those blacks having to deal with those white dudes throwing up. Crazy police always searching the black folk. Funny stuff. That column, regardless of my ethnic background, offended me. And the plethora of issues it brought up would take several letters to cover

But here's the clincher--it's humor. Why? Why is this still funny? Are we really that different, especially in college? The worse part is, black/white humor is still the norm. Think I'm off base? Check the box office records for the last month. The number one movie in America for three weeks standing was... Bringing Down The House. A sweet tale of a black, female convict who tricks this bland white dude into going out with her. Hilarity ensues. She talks funny, he's so square. She's so urban, he's so suburban. Ha ha. Next up... Head of State, another top-five film about a black guy who runs for president. But of course he can't run for president the normal way--no. He has to be all street, with hip-hop clothes and a graffiti campaign bus. Funny. I mean that's Hollywood, but I guess I expected better humor in a college newspaper.