WA - Civil rights activist Rachel Dolezal pretending to be black, parents say #1

[gitana1]

Clearly no longer employed by her university which stated she is hired on a quarter by quarter basis and is not a professor: http://m.kxly.com/news/ewu-releases-statement-on-rachel-dolezal/33552506

 

[EllieBee]

My DD is caucasian, but often asked if she is biracial. She has a dark complexion, curly hair and full lips. She is actually Scots-Irish/Italian ancestory.

And Moorfield Story (sp?) was a white man.


And Bruce Jenner is now Caitlyn. He was born a man but identified as a woman. He is now living his truth. Perhaps this is Rachel's truth. But right now, we really don't know. So how can anyone call her a fraud?

Now if it comes out she did not identify as "black", but did this for other, sketchy, reasons?: then let's reexamine.

But really? Whatever.

 

[jojo87]

So help me out here. This lady was pretending to be black when she was white is that the gist? I usually stay away from these conversations because I'm totally ignorant of all the issues but this story has reached me here in Ireland and I don't get it. Was it to get her job? Surely only hiring black people would be discrimination as much as only hiring white people? So it could hardly be that? Is that correct or is race discrimination allowed for certain organizations?
Really do you guys get it? Did people believe her for a long time.

 

[Irisha]

So help me out here. This lady was pretending to be black when she was white is that the gist? I usually stay away from these conversations because I'm totally ignorant of all the issues but this story has reached me here in Ireland and I don't get it. Was it to get her job? Surely only hiring black people would be discrimination as much as only hiring white people? So it could hardly be that? Is that correct or is race discrimination allowed for certain organizations?
Really do you guys get it? Did people believe her for a long time.

I'm thinking "book deal" < I wouldn't read it> or stupid reality show< cray cray comes in all forms???????> I never ever watch reality tv, I live it. This just came up in the news the last 24 hrs.

 

[gitana1]

My DD is caucasian, but often asked if she is biracial. She has a dark complexion, curly hair and full lips. She is actually Scots-Irish/Italian ancestory.

And Moorfield Story (sp?) was a white man.


And Bruce Jenner is now Caitlyn. He was born a man but identified as a woman. He is now living his truth. Perhaps this is Rachel's truth. But right now, we really don't know. So how can anyone call her a fraud?

Now if it comes out she did not identify as "black", but did this for other, sketchy, reasons?: then let's reexamine.

But really? Whatever.

Being trans is to be part of a fluid spectrum of gender and sexuality. It has nothing to do with lying about one's ethnicity in order to achieve positions in organizations and universities.

 

[EllieBee]

So help me out here. This lady was pretending to be black when she was white is that the gist? I usually stay away from these conversations because I'm totally ignorant of all the issues but this story has reached me here in Ireland and I don't get it. Was it to get her job? Surely only hiring black people would be discrimination as much as only hiring white people? So it could hardly be that? Is that correct or is race discrimination allowed for certain organizations?
Really do you guys get it? Did people believe her for a long time.

Lol, I am here in the US and I don't get it either. Unless she was required to be black in order to get a job (which would be discriminatory), I don't see the problem. Legally speaking.

Ethically, we are maybe talking about something else. But lines are blurred.

Again, if she fraudulently profited from pretending to be black, then, yeah.

 

[EllieBee]

Being trans is to be part of a fluid spectrum of gender and sexuality. It has nothing to do with lying about one's ethnicity in order to achieve positions in organizations and universities.

But if she truly identifies as black? Who are we to say she is wrong?

Transgender persons are born physically as one gender, but identify as another.
This woman was born white, but possibly identifies as black.

Perhaps I am missing how we embrace one and not the other.

 

[gitana1]

So help me out here. This lady was pretending to be black when she was white is that the gist? I usually stay away from these conversations because I'm totally ignorant of all the issues but this story has reached me here in Ireland and I don't get it. Was it to get her job? Surely only hiring black people would be discrimination as much as only hiring white people? So it could hardly be that? Is that correct or is race discrimination allowed for certain organizations?
Really do you guys get it? Did people believe her for a long time.

The NAACP has had white people working for it for years but I think it could be harder for a white person to advance in the organization. Also, I think it would be hard to e a white professor in African studies. Not impossible but less likely.

Clearly this woman is enamored with the idea of being a member of a minority group and wanted to be part of such a group. I suspect she liked the thought of solidarity through being oppressed. Pretending to be black helped her to be not only a member of the group but also a leader.

This seems to be a lost woman who wanted status within a group she admired.

 

[gitana1]

But if she truly identifies as black? Who are we to say she is wrong?

Transgender persons are born physically as one gender, but identify as another.
This woman was born white, but possibly identifies as black.

Perhaps I am missing how we embrace one and not the other.

Gender is not biology. Gender is a social construct that changes between cultures and over time. The number of genders within society has also changed over time with ancient Israel, for example, having 7, Ancient Greece having three and the early Middle Ages having five.

Jenner was born biologically male - that's her biological sex- and then the male gender was assigned to her. However, she apparently never identified with that gender.

Second, the reactions and statements of this woman- evading the question, lying about who her father is or who her sons are, etc., indicate that being black is not how she truly identifies. It is an ethnicity she appropriated for her own purposes.

 

[wenwe4]

multiple stories and video of Interviews with her biological parents which aired last night are at this link. Dolezal has just been suspended from reviewing cases as a Police Omsbudsman in the city of Spokane. See krem.com

Local news stations

Krem.com
Kxly.com
Khq.com

Sorry having trouble linking

 

[oh_gal]

Whatever is going on , she fancies herself quite a lot. She loves the camera.

Look at all her pics on the fb page for Spokane NAACP

https://www.facebook.com/spokane.naacp?fref=photo&sk=photos

(bbm)
Yes, all that preening for the camera...she reminds me a lot of my 9 year old, when I peek in on her and see her doing that in front of her mirror.

 

[oh_gal]

But if she truly identifies as black? Who are we to say she is wrong?

Transgender persons are born physically as one gender, but identify as another.
This woman was born white, but possibly identifies as black.

Perhaps I am missing how we embrace one and not the other.

But she has no true AA heritage. That would be like me, waking up tomorrow morning, and saying, "You know...I feel like an Eskimo today." And suddenly, portraying myself, and filling out legal paperwork, identifying myself as having a biological tie to an Eskimo tribe.

 

[jjenny]

The NAACP has had white people working for it for years but I think it could be harder for a white person to advance in the organization. Also, I think it would be hard to e a white professor in African studies. Not impossible but less likely.

Clearly this woman is enamored with the idea of being a member of a minority group and wanted to be part of such a group. I suspect she liked the thought of solidarity through being oppressed. Pretending to be black helped her to be not only a member of the group but also a leader.

This seems to be a lost woman who wanted status within a group she admired.

And never mind her claims about getting hate mail.
Which apparently was not mailed but placed into mailbox. She apparently made a bunch of claims over the years, including a noose being placed on her property.

"The only way this letter could have ended up in this PO box would be if it was placed there by someone with a key to that box, or if a USPS employee was involved," the detective wrote in the police report. Police interviewed and all three postal workers who had access to the P.O. box and cleared them of any involvement."


http://www.kxly.com/news/spokane-ne...pend-dolezal-hate-mail-investigation/33556708

 

[Nova]

Anyone can be a civil rights activist and there are many civil rights. But in the job description for NAACP positions, is being a certain percentage of Black African required? I really don't know. I can say I would assume a person working there is black, but is it a requirement? It sounds like she lied to get scholarship money. Are their other crimes she committed by lying about her race?
To me, if I looked at a picture of her without any story, I believe her by appearance to be Caucasian.

I can't believe the NAACP requires one to be black to be employed there. It was founded by a group of white socialists and had Mitt Romney as its keynote speaker as recently as a few years ago.

http://blogs.christianpost.com/thinkingoutloud/naacps-founders-were-white-socialists-10757/


Since the NAACP is over 100 years old, I'm sure it has had many white members over the years. And I have no doubt I'd be welcome if I called and asked to volunteer or apply for a staff position.

THERE IS, however and based on a cursory glance at various web articles, a history of conflict over the racial make-up of the leadership. Some African-Americans feel a European-American lacks the proper experience to serve in a position high in the NAACP's administration.

Without taking a final position on the subject, I can understand how such protesters feel.

***

And while I'm on the subject, I'm not ready to employ such terms as "transracial". I realize there are whites who love and even identify with black culture and blacks who do the opposite. This is only natural in a society where interracial marriage becomes ever more common. I have no problem with Europeans having an affinity for black culture (the fact is we ALL do to a greater or lesser extent: look at our pop music, fashion, musical theater, etc.); but I'm not sure that qualifies any of us as "trans" in the sense used in "transexual".

For one thing, "black" is a social and cultural construction, as is "white". In the case of transexuals, sexual identity is quite real.

 

[Nova]

But she has no true AA heritage. That would be like me, waking up tomorrow morning, and saying, "You know...I feel like an Eskimo today." And suddenly, portraying myself, and filling out legal paperwork, identifying myself as having a biological tie to an Eskimo tribe.

Not quite. Doesn't she have black, adopted or foster brothers/sisters? Did I misread the article?

I'm not saying that makes all her claims valid, but it's not quite as random as you make it appear.

 

[jjenny]

Not quite. Doesn't she have black, adopted or foster brothers/sisters? Did I misread the article?

I'm not saying that makes all her claims valid, but it's not quite as random as you make it appear.

He parents adopted a number of black children. But she is the bio child of the parents, from what parents say. Both parents are white, which makes her white.

 

[wenwe4]

Not quite. Doesn't she have black, adopted or foster brothers/sisters? Did I misread the article?

I'm not saying that makes all her claims valid, but it's not quite as random as you make it appear.

Her bio parents adopted 3 AA small children and one from Haiti but she is significantly older than they are. One of them is living with currently and she is referring to him as her son, he is 21 y/o. She does have a child from her previous marriage to an AA man. She is currently involved in a legal case with her bio parents regarding the 21 y/o.

She was scheduled to speak at the EWU commencement for AA studies tonight, but decided to back out last minute. (Per krem news)

 

[katydid23]

But if she truly identifies as black? Who are we to say she is wrong?

Transgender persons are born physically as one gender, but identify as another.
This woman was born white, but possibly identifies as black.

Perhaps I am missing how we embrace one and not the other.

When her white birth parents speak on TV, and show pictures of her as a blonde, blue eyed little girl with straight hair, then we can ask how she 'identifies' as African American. One cannot just post a picture of a random black man on their FB, and say he is their father, when their own white father lives in the same town. That is just :nuts: JMO/IMO

 

[Nova]

Her bio parents adopted 3 AA small children and one from Haiti but she is significantly older than they are. One of them is living with currently and she is referring to him as her son, he is 21 y/o. She does have a child from her previous marriage to an AA man. She is currently involved in a legal case with her bio parents regarding the 21 y/o.

She was scheduled to speak at the EWU commencement for AA studies tonight, but decided to back out last minute. (Per krem news)

Thank you for refreshing my memory, wenwe4. I wasn't trying to claim her stepsiblings "made" her black, just that the choice was quite as random as choosing "Inuit" out of a box.

Regardless of how she came to her current identity, I think a black person (or any critical thinker) would point out that passing as black when you can always go back to being white involves a level of privilege that isn't available to any but the lightest skinned African-Americans.

I won't fault any black person for thinking she is an inappropriate representative for the NAACP.

 

[katydid23]

Not quite. Doesn't she have black, adopted or foster brothers/sisters? Did I misread the article?

I'm not saying that makes all her claims valid, but it's not quite as random as you make it appear.

When she was a teen, her white parents adopted four African American young children. But that hardly makes her black. I think that her full scholarship to Howard may have had something to do with it.