Clemson University and leaders of the state chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People are rightly looking into an incident of race stereotyping at an off-campus party.

White students, at least one in blackface, mimicked images of hip-hop culture, according to a Clemson official. This took place on the day before the national holiday last month honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

Some of the students at the party, The Associated Press reported, apologized at a meeting of students on the campus. As well it should, the university is conducting an investigation of the party and behavior of students, including underage drinking.

The NAACP leaders urged a thorough investigation and "timely and appropriate action" by the university. They also said: "We will rely on the findings from our own independent investigation to determine how best to engage the students, administrators and faculty, and local community leaders about broader diversity changes that can enhance the educational experience for students at the university."

From that, the NAACP investigation appears to be aimed at helping students understand why black people would find minstrelsy offensive - and helping them move beyond it.

To punish the students for offensive but constitutionally permitted speech would be a mistake, and that shouldn't be the NAACPs objective.

However, if its investigation results prompt Clemson to do more to help students understand and accept diversity, that could be a good outcome.

As is most often the case, more speech is the antidote to offensive speech such as the Clemson students engaged in.