Inflammatory categories

It's not often that someone is attacked for being politically correct, but that's what Paulo Serodio alleges happened to him.

The former New Jersey med school student claims in a lawsuit that he told his professor and classmates that he is a "white, African, American," according to the Associated Press, since he is a Caucasian male who was born in Mozambique and later became a U.S. citizen.

He said various classmates and staff members at the school found it offense that a Caucasian man would call himself "African-American," which led to harassment and his inevitable suspension.

For all I know, he could have been someone who was unfairly discriminated against or an absolute jerk who provoked others. Regardless, this story got me thinking about how I categorize myself.

Throughout high school and college, I called myself either Asian American or Vietnamese American. While widely accepted, it isn't quite true. One day, my freshman college roommate, Steph, asked me why I called myself that since I was born here, adding that I should just be "American."

Easy for him to say. He doesn't have to answer the consequential follow-up question, "No, what are you, really?" before having to engage in an inane conversation about everything that person knows about Vietnam and/or Asia. (Note to others: I don't care that you've tried pho or know someone who shares my last name.)

At the time I felt it was an attack on my pride of my heritage, but he was right. Calling myself something hyphenated wasn't accurate. I wasn't born in Vietnam or any other part of Asia. Heck, I haven't even been over there.

Taiwan-born Milwaukee Bucks forward Joe Alexander has more reason to be called Asian American than I do, despite the fact that he's Caucasian.

So what does that leave me? In recent years, I've gone with "American of Vietnamese descent." It's more accurate but not completely.

I suppose I could go with "American of mostly Vietnamese but also Chinese and perhaps French descent," but that may be too long.

Time to crown King Manny

(and boom goes the dynamite)

Wow.

Simply wow.

When Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao faced British fighter Ricky Hatton last Saturday, I – along with nearly every boxing analyst I saw and read – predicted that it was going to be a long, hard-fought bout (I had Pacquiao winning with a ninth-round knockout). This was only the Pacman's third bout above 130 and Hatton had an undefeated record at light welterweight.

In fact, the only person I saw who predicted anything short of a drawn-out battle was Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach, who said it wasn't going to go past three rounds.

It didn't even get to round three. In fact it was absolutely lopsided as Pacquiao utterly dominated Hatton, knocking him down twice in the first before taking him out with a devastating left with a second left in the second. Hatton's trademark bullying tactics could not work against someone so fast, so strong and oh so accurate.

Any doubts that he's not big enough to compete at this weight has been erased. Those who questioned his beating of an over-the-hill, malnourished Oscar De La Hoya can't argue with his results against Hatton, who before this weekend was the reigning king of light welterweights.

All hail, King Manny.

When Pacquiao beat Erik Morales, he was considered one of the best fighters the Philippines had produced, alongside Flash Elorde. When he won the world title at 135 and then beat De La Hoya at 147, he was seen as the best boxer Asia's produced and the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world. With his domination of Hatton, he now has to be placed among the greatest of all time.

This from a 98-pound 16-year-old who lied about his age and placed metal weights in his pockets so that he could participate in his first fight 14 years ago.

But like most boxing fans, I want to see him face Floyd Mayweather Jr., the former pound-for-pound champion. If Mayweather beats Juan Manuel Marquez in July, it's almost a certainty that their paths will clash in a December or January fight.

Mayweather has shown that he has problems against fighters who are faster and stronger than him. Against Zab Judah, he struggled early on as Judah pushed him. But Judah has no stamina and once round three started, Mayweather was in his rhythm.

But Pacquiao's no Judah. He's faster, more accurate and has some of the best footwork in boxing. Mayweather relies on speed and accuracy, too, so it'll be fun to watch.