Racial stereotypes not fodder for jokes

While we as Duke students understand that April 1 is a time for jokes, the "China Invades Duke, SAT Scores Rise" article turned an opportunity to utilize creative and smart humor into a crass, low-brow exercise. The article is based on oversimplified, overarching stereotypes about Chinese students at Duke, and while one may argue that the myth of the so-called "smart Asian" is a positive one, even "positive" stereotypes harm by masking the reality of the continuing discrimination against Asians and Asian Americans today.

This is not the first time that The Chronicle has printed stereotypes about Asians (i.e. remember the "Monday, Monday" column on undateable engineers?) Why is it that jokes about Asians are deemed appropriate fodder for laughter? Had the article been targeted at any other minority group, the reaction would surely have been different.

Instead of utilizing creativity and originality, the staff blew the opportunity to print a genuinely entertaining April Fools' edition and instead reverted back to the age-old, cheap shot of racial stereotypes.

At the expense of a cheap laugh, The Chronicle has proven itself to be a laughingstock.

Kathy Choi

Trinity '09

Co-president, Center for Race Relations

Amanda Tong