Getting "Thugged" At The University Of Chicago

Some white students at the University of Chicago got into some hot water recently:

It was called a "straight thuggin" party and it offended some students and community residents at the University of Chicago in Hyde Park.

NBC5's Jennifer Mitchell reported Wednesday that the party took place inside a dorm at the university and that students were seen in photos from the party wearing low-ride pants, gold chains and baggie clothes.

Some referred to it as a ghetto party, Mitchell said.

"I think that they meant it as a joke, but I, personally, didn't take it as a joke," said Brittany Hamelers, a U of C student.

"It was a mockery of a subculture of blackness," said Latrese Goldson, president of The Organization of Black Students. She said that everyone at the party on Oct. 14 was white. When a number of black students showed up as the party ended, she claims, they were told they were "the most thuggin' there."

Natasha Hodnett, who went to the party, called it a misunderstanding.

"We were just kind of mocking pop culture in a sense," she said. "It had nothing to do with race. Like, I'm sorry we made a mistake. We're sorry we offended people, but we didn't mean it this way at all. We're not racist. We're not trying to attack the plight of the black man."

Regardless of their intentions, complaints were taken to university officials, who will hold a forum next week on race and diversity.

I'm not convinced that the young people involved in staging this party are necessarily guilty of racism, but I'm reasonably sure that that a case can be made they're guilty of exercising poor judgement. ----------------------------See our latest posts right here.