straight thuggin
those crazy kids and their straight thuggin parties:
Nov. 2, 2005: It was called a "straight thuggin' " party and it offended some students and community residents at the University of Chicago in Hyde Park. The party took place inside a dorm at the university and some referred to it as a ghetto party. Students were seen in photos from the party wearing low-ride pants, gold chains and baggie clothes. "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, said this is all 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 black man." Regardless of their intentions, complaints have been brought to university officials, who will hold a forum next week on race and diversity. "It's very important that whenever people understand whenever anything like this happens, in any one of our community members feels marginalized, we're all impacted by this," said Stephen Klass, vice president and dean of students for the university. But, some students failed to see the problem. "If a frat decides to throw toga party, will they have Greek students breathing down their neck?" asked Dan Kimmel. "Comments were made about correlating blackness to what their mockery was," Goldson said. "That's what's the problem, and the fact that they don't understand that is something that the university and our society needs to take responsibility for."
