CAN A WHITE GUY BE AFRICAN-AMERICAN?

Paulo Serodio, a Mozambique native, is suing the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He claims he was harassed and then suspended from med school, after defining himself in class as “white, African, American.”

The question posed on CNN is Can a White Guy be African-American?

And here is an excerpt from my musical China - The Whole Enchilada. Life imitating art is a great thing.

ERIC: I...I don’t know what we’re calling African-Americans.

BRAD: How about African-Americans?

PHILIP: Works for me.

BRAD: Works for me, too.

ERIC: It doesn’t work for me.

BRAD: You a racist?

ERIC: No.

BRAD: I think you are.

ERIC: I’m not-

PHILIP: Then what’s wrong with African-American?

ERIC: It’s presumptuous and jingoistic.

BRAD: Well anyone who’s anyone is using the term African-American.

PHILIP: Yeah, it’s all the rage. African-America is the new black.

ERIC: Okay, then what do you call a black guy from Canada?

PHILIP: Non-existent.

ERIC: No, no. Do you call him African-American or African-Canadian?

BRAD: African-American.

ERIC: But he’s Canadian.

BRAD: That’s not my fault.

ERIC: And you don’t see a problem with that?

BRAD: Nope.

ERIC: How about Egypt? Egypt’s in Africa. Do you call them African-Americans or Egyptians?

BRAD: That depends.

ERIC: On...?

BRAD: Whether they’re African-American or not!

ERIC: You’re not -- Okay, my uncle was born in South Africa.

BRAD: Your uncle is African-American?

ERIC: Yes.

BRAD: Wow. Who knew?

ERIC: But he’s white.

BRAD: An albino African-American?

PHILIP: Freaky, man. Is he all scary looking with red eyes like that guy in The DaVinci Code and he had that belt on his leg and he’d pull it and blood would come out of his leg like sploosh, but he was kind of hot and---

ERIC: No, he’s not an albino. He’s white. Caucasian.

BRAD: I thought you said he’s African-American.

ERIC: Yes.

BRAD: So which is it?

ERIC: Which what?

BRAD: Caucasian or Africa-American?

ERIC: Both. My uncle was born in Africa and he now lives in America. Therefore he’s African-American.

PHILIP: Is your sponsor here?