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

[wendybtn]

Fascinating article. She made quite a few claims in there, including that her parents would punish her and her siblings "by skin complexion." Her skin complexion as a child clearly was very white and freckled.
She claimed she was hunting her food with "bow and arrow" as a child.
She accused her mentor of slipping her a date rape drug.
She claimed she was a victim of multiple hate crimes.

Her siblings were adopted when she was 17! Perhaps borderline personality disorder.

 

[jjenny]

Sounds like Howard University just assumed she was black based on her portfolio full of portraits of black people.
There is no way she can be prosecuted for getting the scholarship.
False police reports can certainly be prosecuted, but rarely are (in general).
Police would have to have enough proof the claims she made were false.
As it is, they just suspended their investigation into her claims.

 

[otto]

Sounds like Howard University just assumed she was black based on her portfolio full of portraits of black people.
There is no way she can be prosecuted for getting the scholarship.
False police reports can certainly be prosecuted, but rarely are (in general).
Police would have to have enough proof the claims she made were false.
As it is, they just suspended their investigation into her claims.

Perhaps the police were concerned that, if they announced that they believed her complaints were fabricated, the decision would erupt into a race issue with protests. Now that it is known that she is a white woman filing complaints that she was threatened because of having black skin, police can re-visit the issue and charge her with mischief, or something related to wasting police resources.

 

[otto]

The more I think about it, the more it seems like sexual characteristics, and racial characteristics, fall into the same basket. Anthropology describes race by bone shape, just like sex is described by physical characteristics. DNA always tells the truth, but if someone with male DNA can claim to be female, then why can't someone from the Mongoloid race claim to be Negroid, especially since it's possible to alter the physical characteristics of bones with surgery?

That is, race is not a social construct. It is an anthropological classification, just like sex.

Racial Identification in the Skull and Teeth
Jodi Blumenfeld, University of Western Ontario Journal of Anthropology, 2011; pg 5

http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1137&context=totem

 

[meanmaryjean]

BBM: This is very odd. I'm beginning to wonder about her mental health.

Beginning? :gaah:

 

[Donjeta]

As a child, Doležal and her family hunted their food with bows and arrows. From Montana, she, her mother, stepfather and three siblings moved to Colorado in 1992 for two years. From there, her family moved to Cape Town, South Africa, where her stepfather accepted a religious job opportunity.

- See more at: http://easterneronline.com/35006/eagle-life/a-life-to-be-heard/#sthash.X8QTJFqv.3J99sMx5.dpuf

Dolezal's mother said she and Larry lived in a teepee for a while in 1974, when they were first married and three years before Dolezal was born.
"That was the end of living in the teepee," Ruthanne said.
Ruthanne said other claims attributed to her daughter in the media are untrue.
Rachel did not have to use bows and arrows to hunt for her own food, Ruthanne said, and she never lived in South Africa or Colorado. Ruthanne said she, Larry and the younger adopted siblings moved to South Africa in 2002, and lived there until 2006. Larry was stationed there as an employee of the faith-based Creation Ministries International.
"Rachel did not even ever visit us there," Ruthanne said.

She was 25 when her parents moved to South Africa.

Dolezal's birth certificate filed in Lincoln County, Montana in 1977 states that Ruthanne is her mother and Lawrence Albert Dolezal is her father.
Ruthanne also clarified that Izaiah, who Dolezal often says is her son, is actually Dolezal's adopted brother. Between 1993 and 1995, Ruthanne and Larry adopted four black infants: Ezra, Izaiah, Zachariah and Esther.

There must be at least 16 years of age difference between these siblings and Rachel so it doesn't seem very likely that they'd have been physically disciplined together very often. Has she got other siblings?

http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_385adfeb-76f3-5050-98b4-d4bf021c423f.html

 

[Donjeta]

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.

Caitlyn Jenner appears to have been pretty honest and straightforward about her transition.

Now if Caitlyn Jenner had faked Bruce's death and arrived at the funeral claiming to be his long lost twin and told some tall tales about where she's been all Bruce's life and made up some tragedies that she's endured, and here's the will bequeathing all of Bruce's property to the twin, then it would be comparable I think.

 

[wenwe4]

I believe there is a significant personality disorder going on here, but there is a whole other issue about race. Spokane and Coeur d'Alene are very close cities. While the demographic is predominantly Caucasian, there are probably more Native peoples than AA.

Spokane had an AA Mayor in the late 70's and early '80's who was loved by all. There have been very few incidents of reported hate crimes due to race over the past 40 years. I think her appointment to the Police Omsbudsman committee without further vetting of her claims was accepted because those in authority didn't want to question her. They wanted to accept unconditionally that there are many skin colors.

If anything, I am most concerned that she has filed these allegations of "hate crimes" to further her notoriety. Portraying herself as being one of the few who will speak up about some underlying current of actions against people of color. Unfortunately, while there have been pockets of Arayan Nations living in northern Idaho, they really didn't amount to much. Locals protested when they tried to march in a parade in CDA.

I think the local government wanted input from diverse cultures, but there aren't multiple people vying for the positions. IMO

 

[Donjeta]

Oh my gosh. You just must read her bio for the African studies department. (People usually have to write those themselves, btw): http://m.ewu.edu/csbssw/programs/africana-studies-program/aep-faculty

Her efforts were met with opposition by North Idaho white supremacy groups, including the Ku Klux Klan, the Neo Nazis and the Aryan Nations, and at least eight documented hate crimes targeted Doležal and her children during her residency in North Idaho.

That seems an odd thing to mention in a faculty bio, even if true.

But maybe this sums up her life:

She believes that the creative process is part of what makes us human and unifies our self-identity with the world around us.

It's a creative process.

Doležal also entertains an interest in the medical field and has begun pre-medical studies, working toward an MD and a residency in trauma surgery. She hopes to combine her medical knowledge with her passion for human rights and engage in life-saving surgery efforts around the world.

Is this true or another fabrication?

A prospective trauma surgeon can expect school and clinical training to take a minimum of 14 years.

http://study.com/trauma_surgeon_training.html

She'd be in her fifties, before she could run off to do life saving surgery efforts around the world.

 

[nightwatch]

Wow! This is imitation of life in reverse. Great old 1930's movie. Jmo

ciao

 

[Donjeta]

In interviews with the Washington Post, Dolezal's adopted brothers confirmed that she is white. Ezra, who identifies as "25 percent black," said Dolezal's charade could be construed as "highly racist." He added that Izaiah, a 21-year-old man Dolezal refers to as her son on social media, is actually her adopted brother. Ezra and another brother, Zach, don't keep in contact with Dolezal because they allege she turned Izaiah against their parents, and claimed he was abused.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...te-woman-convince-everyone-she-was-black.html

Nancy Hines, communications director for Whitworth University told the Daily Beast that Dolezal only taught two courses at the university, both in the evening continuing study program for adults. The first of those courses was in 2011, and the second in 2014. On her LinkedIn page, Dolezal says she was an adjunct instructor at the university from 2011 until January 2015.

Dolezal, whose only graduate degree is an MFA, claims to have taught courses on race and ethnicity. Hines declined to comment on educational requirements for faculty or staff.

"Well, you can ask the person that," Hines replied when asked what would qualify someone with an MFA degree to teach on race and ethnicity.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-naacp-president-rachel-dolezal-may-be-white/

Ezra Dolezal, 22, compared his sister’s decision to conceal her race to blackface.

“Back in the early 1900s, what she did would be considered highly racist,” said Ezra Dolezal, who described himself as “25 percent black.” He added: “You really should not do that. It’s completely opposite – she’s basically creating more racism.”

Zach Dolezal, 21, said when he visited his sister in Spokane, he was told not to speak of Lawrence and Ruthanne as their parents.

 

[katydid23]

One of my closest friends wasborn and raisedin Puerto Rico of American and Swiss parents and was given numerous grants and scholarships based on his perceived ethnicity. Being as his parents were rather poor, he accepted the assistance and with a shrug said "well, I AM Puerto Rican".

And he was. Not ethnically, but legally.

So again, what is race, really?

BBM

That is kind of funny to ask in this specific case because this woman put everything into the concept of race. She seemed to be very focused on that concept.

This lady, as the head of the NAACP, spoke for blacks ,represented them, and acted as though she had grown up as a black member of society. That is WRONG, imo.

 

[gitana1]

She sounds very troubled but the article kind of makes me wonder how many of these other tragedies she made up.

Then she goes on to tell the reporter all about it.

I guess some weird punishment by skin color scheme might make a person want to change theirs but the question is, is it true?

Then she shares a story about a date rape by a trusted rich mentor that has shades of Bill Cosby there

But is it true?

But is it true?

Did she have cancer for real? or is it a handy explanation for not wearing her own hair?

The trouble with lying about one thing is that you lose your credibility about everything else as well. Wolf, and all that.

Like some of those bloggers who cherish the attention that they get for making up all sorts of medical emergencies but it's all a lie after all.

This reminds me of the mindset of people with Munchausen Syndrome or Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy. Desperate for attention they fabricate illnesses but many of them also fabricate rapes, assaults, hate crimes, they even committ arsons and blame it on others.

I think she has lied about ALL of it.

 

[katydid23]

1. She says......as a child she lived in a teepee with her parents in Montana.

Nope. Her parents lived for a time in a teepee in Montana. She didn't.

2. She says .....as a child she lived in South Africa with her parents for some years.

Nope. Her parents lived in South Africa for some years. She didn't.

3. She says.....while living in that teepee she hunted for food with bow and arrow.

Um. Nope. Neither did her parents.

4. She could have at least been honest about everything else, but nope. She played victim often, in public, and loudly, with claims of nooses and hate mail that included ugly photos of blacks being abused.

And.....she dragged her little brother into her lies. He apparently didn't know the hate wasn't real. She actually withdrew him from school because of the "threats" and bought a gun for "protection."

On the other hand, something stinks about how her deception was made public. I very much doubt her parents outed her because they love her. And, why now? How is it that she gained custody of her little brother? Kinda unusual, given the other adopted kids stayed with her parents.

Apparently, her birth parents had never said anything publicly for years. Even after seeing a picture she posted of a black man, calling him her father.

But recently, an investigative reporter came knocking on their door, asking them if they were her birth parents. And they said yes.
That is according to the interview I saw with them on CNN.

 

[al66pine]

This post does not focus on Ms D, so much as potential shortcomings (imo) in formation & operation of entities like Spokane police oversight committee she was appted to.
ETA: Found https://my.spokanecity.org/opendata/charter/article-16/ so am correcting commission name, per city charter: "Article XVI: Office of Police Ombudsman & Police Ombudsman Commission" eff date Feb 2013.


A city passes ordinance to form a police ombudsman commission; community wants limited background checks of applicants;
does not want to deter ppl who may have a 'misstep or two in their past;'
wants commission to include people most likely to have contact with PD.

And who would those ppl w PD contact be? Arrestees, detainees, convicted criminals?
If Ms D were convicted of offenses re filing false reports w PD, is that cause to remove her from office? Seems not, imo, because, appointees are supposed to include ppl w contact w PD. Is a (hypo) conviction like this just a 'small misstep' like city spokesman referred to, below?

And what are limited background checks? Include or not include -
-Criminal background check? For Spokane only or previous residences?
-Obtaining transcripts from high schools, trade schools, colleges, universities?
-Verification of employment - current and past?
-Verifying professional references named on app?
-Verifying other info applicant reports on form?
Or does 'limited' or 'low-level' mean depending on 'honor system' in self reporting?

Without more specific info about Spokane commission, I can only speculate, but (imo) Police Ombudsman Commission may be great in theory, not so much in RL. JM2cts, could be all wrong.

____________________________________________________________
Spokane City spokesman re 2014 events re new Police Oversight Comm
from http://www.cdapress.com/news/local_news/article_385adfeb-76f3-5050-98b4-d4bf021c423f.html June 11

"...job descriptions were written and we began recruiting applicants," he said.
Spokane Mayor appointed her."

"Coddington said the selection committee was formed in May that year and a decision was made based on community input to do very limited background checks on the applicants.
"The community wanted diversity and limited background checks," Coddington said, explaining that the committee didn't want to deter applicants who may have had a misstep or two in their past. "The low level background checks were intentional."
"Dolezal's application ... was signed by Dolezal and submitted in May 2014...acquired through a public record request."
"On the application...to declare ethnicity. On Dolezal's...was white, African-American, Native American and two or more races.
While ethnicity was not a criterion for selection, Coddington said it was certainly taken into account.
"... city ordinance ...lists six characteristics given serious consideration in the appointment process. One of them is the individual's ability to "Contribute to the diversity of the commission so that the makeup of the commission reflects the diversity of the people most likely to have contact with members of the police department, including geographic, racial and disability diversity."
The Police Oversight Committee has a significant amount of power in Spokane city government,...."
"Coddington said if it is determined that a commissioner fabricated information on his or her application, the City Council has the authority to remove or appoint members to that committee." bbm

ETA: ^led to searches for wrong comm name, because spokesman or reporter used other term.

 

[gitana1]

If you look at the video footage of the interview in her office when the reporter asks her about her son/brother and she cries, her spray tan/make up runs down her cheek and chin.

This story is absolutely fascinating to me and I cant tell you why. It had me pulling up clips of the Jerk last night!!

The story that is being lost, imvho, is not how she chose to self identify. It is about being inauthentic and intending to deceive. Her parents seemed to have implied that basically her whole home town has been totally aware of this ruse for all of this time. Everything starts to fall apart once the conclusion is reached that she intentionally deceived this basic information-to me what makes it even more noteworthy is that she didnt have to in order to get the job.

How did those conversations go with her brother/son and the man who appeared as her father I wonder?

I had never heard of her before this. I am curious as to how we will all navigate the discussion of her accomplishments, her deceit, her appearance and her motivations. As it is, I have never seen a public figure, public in a political sense, with the number of pouty lipped forward selfies as she has.

Im totally fascinated as well. It is so bizarre and the deception so intense.

Histrionic personality disorder, imho.

Oh! That's a good call!

1. She says......as a child she lived in a teepee with her parents in Montana.

Nope. Her parents lived for a time in a teepee in Montana. She didn't.

2. She says .....as a child she lived in South Africa with her parents for some years.

Nope. Her parents lived in South Africa for some years. She didn't.

3. She says.....while living in that teepee she hunted for food with bow and arrow.

Um. Nope. Neither did her parents.

4. She could have at least been honest about everything else, but nope. She played victim often, in public, and loudly, with claims of nooses and hate mail that included ugly photos of blacks being abused.

And.....she dragged her little brother into her lies. He apparently didn't know the hate wasn't real. She actually withdrew him from school because of the "threats" and bought a gun for "protection."

On the other hand, something stinks about how her deception was made public. I very much doubt her parents outed her because they love her. And, why now? How is it that she gained custody of her little brother? Kinda unusual, given the other adopted kids stayed with her parents.

Yeah. I think something's up with her family. They said they only spoke when reporters came round' asking questions, but who tipped them off? She is embroiled in a custody battle with her parents. It is quite possible they caused this to erupt due to that and their anger that she has denied them.

Sounds like she is considered a terrific employee by the NAACP & they do not want to lose her. I just wonder if any false police reports or the theft by deception of the very large scholarship at Howard University are still able to be prosecuted.

You know I think the NAACP actually wants to get rid of her and fast. But they have to support hiring her or they would look stupid for hiring a liar.

I believe the organization quickly put out that statement to cover their tails but also while quietly pressuring her hard to resign due to dishonesty. I believe she will soon resign.

It looks like she did do good work for them though.

Sounds like Howard University just assumed she was black based on her portfolio full of portraits of black people.
There is no way she can be prosecuted for getting the scholarship.
False police reports can certainly be prosecuted, but rarely are (in general).
Police would have to have enough proof the claims she made were false.
As it is, they just suspended their investigation into her claims.

Reports indicate she did not lie about her race when applying to Hiward or while there. Her family states it was assumed she was black until she got there and then there was surprise. She has apparently reported she was ostracized for being white while at Howard. Her family members indicated it was in the last several years that she began to pretend she was black.

If there's any criminal activity it may be lying to the government to get the ombudsman job and fabricating crimes. But as you said, the false crime reporting may be hard to prove.

 

[LaborDayRN]

In a television interview, Dolezal was asked point blank whether she is African-American after she identified a black man as her father.

“I don’t understand the question,” she replied before rushing away from the interview. She was visibly flustered, so much so that she left her purse on the sidewalk.

She must have been quite flustered to leave her purse on the sidewalk.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...te-woman-convince-everyone-she-was-black.html

 

[gitana1]

Histrionic personality disorder, imho.

More on that: Histrionic personality disorder is characterized by a long-standing pattern of attention seeking behavior and extreme emotionality. Someone with histrionic personality disorder wants to be the center of attention in any group of people, and feel uncomfortable when they are not. While often lively, interesting and sometimes dramatic, they have difficulty when people aren’t focused exclusively on them. People with this disorder may be perceived as being shallow, and may engage in sexually seductive or provocative behavior to draw attention to themselves.

Individuals with Histrionic Personality Disorder may have difficulty achieving emotional intimacy in romantic or sexual relationships. Without being aware of it, they often act out a role (e.g., “victim” or “princess&#8221 in their relationships to others. They may seek to control their partner through emotional manipulation or seductiveness on one level, whereas displaying a marked dependency on them at another level.


People with histrionic personality disorder may crave novelty, stimulation, and excitement and have a tendency to become bored with their usual routine. These individuals are often intolerant of, or frustrated by, situations that involve delayed gratification, and their actions are often directed at obtaining immediate satisfaction. Although they often initiate a job or project with great enthusiasm, their interest may lag quickly.


Longer-term relationships may be neglected to make way for the excitement of new relationships. http://psychcentral.com/disorders/histrionic-personality-disorder-symptoms/

 

[Donjeta]

This from the EWU site:

Rachel Doležal holds her Master's degree from Howard University and is a professor in the Africana Studies Program at Eastern Washington University.

http://www.ewu.edu/csbssw/programs/africana-studies-program/aep-faculty

http://m.kxly.com/news/ewu-releases-statement-on-rachel-dolezal/33552506

When asked about Dolezal, EWU released this statement Friday:

"Since 2010, Rachel Dolezal has been hired at Eastern Washington University on a quarter by quarter basis as an instructor in the Africana Education program. This is a part-time position to address program needs. Dolezal is not a professor. The University does not feel it is appropriate to comment on issues involving her personal life. The university does not publicly discuss personnel issues."

 

[Donjeta]

You know I think the NAACP actually wants to get rid of her and fast. But they have to support hiring her or they would look stupid for hiring a liar.

I believe the organization quickly put out that statement to cover their tails but also while quietly pressuring her hard to resign due to dishonesty. I believe she will soon resign.

It looks like she did do good work for them though.

It seems they might have known about her issues
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-naacp-president-rachel-dolezal-may-be-white/

The Spokane NAACP has offered limited response to the allegations about Dolezal’s race.

James Wilburn, past president of the Spokane NAACP who was replaced by Dolezal, said Thursday that a few members of that group discussed her background before her election late last year.

“It was discussed among close members to me, and we kept it like that,” he told the Spokane Spokesman-Review.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-naacp-president-rachel-dolezal-may-be-white/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/rachel...-address-questions-over-race-monday-1.3112404

KHQ-TV in Spokane reported that Dolezal sent a message to NAACP members saying she would address the situation at a Monday night meeting of the group.


"As you probably know by now, there are questions and assumptions swirling in national and global news about my family, my race, my credibility, and the NAACP," Dolezal's message said. "I have discussed the situation, including personal matters, with the executive committee. I support their decision to wait until Monday to make a statement. The executive team asked that I also release my response statement at the same time, which will be during the 7-9 p.m. CT monthly membership meeting."

After everyone has had time to consult their lawyers?

It's one thing hiring a white person and another thing knowingly hiring an experienced liar. Certainly it looks a bit embarrassing for them, bringing bad press.