Meet Rachel Dolezal.
She is a very accomplished woman.
-She attended and graduated (with a master's degree) from Howard University
-She is an adjunct professor of Africana studies at Eastern Washington University
-and Sheis currently was a president of the local chapter of the NAACP in Spokane, Washington. (She was recently resigned because of this scandal)
-She's also a White woman masquerading as a Black woman for over a decade.
This shocking reveal was made last week by, of all people, her own parents Larry and Ruthanne Dolezal. They revealed on TV and social media that their daughter, Rachel, is not Black, but is of European, Czech, Swedish, and German descent (with possible traces of Native American included as well). They also reveal that her fascination with Black culture began after the couple adopted four African American children.
"It's very sad that Rachel has not just been herself," Ruthanne says in an interview with the Spokane Spokesman-Review. "Her effectiveness in the causes of the African-American community would have been so much more viable, and she would have been more effective if she had just been honest with everybody."
In an interview with CNN, Mother Dolezal said that her daughter "has not explained to us why she is doing what she's doing and being dishonest and deceptive with her identity. She has never claimed to be biracial or African-American in our presence."
Father Dolezal chimed in, saying to The Washington Post, "Unfortunately, she is not ethnically by birth African American. She is our daughter by birth. And that's the way it is."
The NAACP itself released this statement on the controversy last Friday:
And when asked about the allegations surrounding her true ethnicity, Dolezal said in an interview:
"That question is not as easy as it seems. There's a lot of complexities ... and I don't know that everyone would understand that. We're all from the African continent."
And when pressed by a reporter from KXLY, Dolezal dodged the question, saying "I don't understand the question," before leaving.
I...don't know what to say about this without speaking gibberish. Or end up talking out of my ass again. So I'll say this. This news came at me like a moving train. It was out of nowhere, it was crazy, and it really left everyone divided.
I don't find anything wrong with not acting like your race, as long as you don't lay it on thick and end up looking like a nut. I've been more White than Black all my life. If you know me, you may have seen me dress more sharp than not, and act more respectable than not. You can call me a middle-class version of Carton Banks!
But this is absurd. From looking at pictures of her when she grew up and later became a adult, it's just kinda creepy.
This is her when she was a kid:
a white, freckle-faced, blond-haired kid.
A far contrast from what she looks like today.
In this photo, she's shown wearing dreads.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with that here,
but in this pic,
she's shown with an old Black man at an event at a university. It's claimed that she had this man pretend to be her father. Not only has she wanted nothing to do with her parents, she's willing to erase them, and the rest of her family, from her life and not let anyone she knows know about them.
That's evil.
That's cunning.
That's ingenious.
But who knows? Maybe she has a reason for this. Maybe she wanted to masquerade as a Black woman because she really wants to teach AA History and Africana studies on her own term and interests, because not many people would ever think of a White person teaching African American history and culture to other African Americans, Whites and other races. Call me out if you want, but this is what I'm getting out of this. Maybe lying to her friends, colleagues, and peers about her ethnicity to become an important figure in advancing African American history by teaching it to her students and others, is a really good thing.
Twisted, yes, but still a good thing.
Or maybe she's so freaking obsessed with Black culture, that she'll become worthy of an insane asylum by becoming a Black person and live in the public eye under deceit and infamy just because. In example, she crossed checks on an application for White, Black and Native American.
Again, who knows?
But at least she has people defending her. One of those is singer Keri Hilson. (who?)
She says in a series of Tweets that we should thank her for everything she's done in the community, and more she's done than most Blacks.
And you know what? She's made a good point.
Dolezal really did something not many white people (and some Black people) have done (at least in the public eye in awareness). She is a Caucasian who has been committed to the betterment and awareness of African American culture and history by teaching it and Africana studies. And she has done this intentionally. She's also a president at the NAACP, which is a good thing, even when not taking to account that there already are Whites working at the NAACP, and that some Caucasians actually helped found the NAACP!
But still, that one thing she's done all of these years was despicable! And if her parents had not said anything about it, she would've gotten away with this and took it to her grave.
And another thing: She really didn't have to lie about her ethnicity.
She could've done all of these things as just her true self, and no one would judge her about it. Well, no sane, informed people would.
(This point was made when one of Hilson's fans [or detractors] tweeted this back)
So in the end, I will praise Rachel Dolezal for being committed to raising awareness of the history of and the betterment of African American culture, and the pride of African Americans, but I will scorn also her for lying about her race.
She did not have to do this to become entrenched in African American history (maybe she did because wanting to work with Blacks on the teachings of Black history would still be seen as taboo in the 90s and 2000s, but that's absurd. Who knows?). If a Black person (man or woman) wanted to become entrenched in White culture, that's perfectly fine; but if they end up impersonating a Caucasian, that wouldn't be possible even in the slightest, because it looks really stupid for even a light-skinned Black person to try to pass as White (and I mean the rare darker-skinned Whites, too).
And I won't praise her parents either for outing her. I have a lingering feeling that this was done to earn extra cash from TV interviews, more than because they miss their daughter (I may be wrong here.) It's also strange that this just came out of nowhere, and that they are willing to destroy all that their daughter has built up all by herself just to try to reconnect with her, which is failing miserably. They did not have to do this so publicly. Their involvement, along with her adopted brothers (who are Black, one of whom was even told by Dolezal to keep this a secret for so long) is a little strange too.
To end this, I will also say this: It's okay to act like however ethnicity you want. It's not always a birthright to be what your race is shown in the public eye. If you want to act White or Black or Asian or Indian or Native American or any other ethnicity, because you have a fascination of that ethnicity, and therefore become in love with another race's culture, go ahead. It's fine; it's your choice; no one is going to judge you. Just don't lie about it...tread lightly, okay?
No one will take you seriously if you pretend to look & act like Rajesh Koothrappali.
-She attended and graduated (with a master's degree) from Howard University
-She is an adjunct professor of Africana studies at Eastern Washington University
-and She
-She's also a White woman masquerading as a Black woman for over a decade.
This shocking reveal was made last week by, of all people, her own parents Larry and Ruthanne Dolezal. They revealed on TV and social media that their daughter, Rachel, is not Black, but is of European, Czech, Swedish, and German descent (with possible traces of Native American included as well). They also reveal that her fascination with Black culture began after the couple adopted four African American children.
"It's very sad that Rachel has not just been herself," Ruthanne says in an interview with the Spokane Spokesman-Review. "Her effectiveness in the causes of the African-American community would have been so much more viable, and she would have been more effective if she had just been honest with everybody."
In an interview with CNN, Mother Dolezal said that her daughter "has not explained to us why she is doing what she's doing and being dishonest and deceptive with her identity. She has never claimed to be biracial or African-American in our presence."
Father Dolezal chimed in, saying to The Washington Post, "Unfortunately, she is not ethnically by birth African American. She is our daughter by birth. And that's the way it is."
The NAACP itself released this statement on the controversy last Friday:
"For 106 years, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has held a long and proud tradition of receiving support from people of all faiths, races, colors and creeds.
NAACP Spokane Washington Branch President Rachel Dolezal is enduring a legal issue with her family, and we respect her privacy in this matter. One's racial identity is not a qualifying criteria or disqualifying standard for NAACP leadership. The NAACP Alaska-Oregon-Washington State Conference stands behind Ms. Dolezal's advocacy record. In every corner of this country, the NAACP remains committed to securing political, educational, and economic justice for all people, and we encourage Americans of all stripes to become members and serve as leaders in our organization."
And when asked about the allegations surrounding her true ethnicity, Dolezal said in an interview:
"That question is not as easy as it seems. There's a lot of complexities ... and I don't know that everyone would understand that. We're all from the African continent."
And when pressed by a reporter from KXLY, Dolezal dodged the question, saying "I don't understand the question," before leaving.
I...don't know what to say about this without speaking gibberish. Or end up talking out of my ass again. So I'll say this. This news came at me like a moving train. It was out of nowhere, it was crazy, and it really left everyone divided.
I don't find anything wrong with not acting like your race, as long as you don't lay it on thick and end up looking like a nut. I've been more White than Black all my life. If you know me, you may have seen me dress more sharp than not, and act more respectable than not. You can call me a middle-class version of Carton Banks!
But this is absurd. From looking at pictures of her when she grew up and later became a adult, it's just kinda creepy.
This is her when she was a kid:
a white, freckle-faced, blond-haired kid.
A far contrast from what she looks like today.
In this photo, she's shown wearing dreads.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with that here,
but in this pic,
she's shown with an old Black man at an event at a university. It's claimed that she had this man pretend to be her father. Not only has she wanted nothing to do with her parents, she's willing to erase them, and the rest of her family, from her life and not let anyone she knows know about them.
That's evil.
That's cunning.
That's ingenious.
But who knows? Maybe she has a reason for this. Maybe she wanted to masquerade as a Black woman because she really wants to teach AA History and Africana studies on her own term and interests, because not many people would ever think of a White person teaching African American history and culture to other African Americans, Whites and other races. Call me out if you want, but this is what I'm getting out of this. Maybe lying to her friends, colleagues, and peers about her ethnicity to become an important figure in advancing African American history by teaching it to her students and others, is a really good thing.
Twisted, yes, but still a good thing.
Or maybe she's so freaking obsessed with Black culture, that she'll become worthy of an insane asylum by becoming a Black person and live in the public eye under deceit and infamy just because. In example, she crossed checks on an application for White, Black and Native American.
Again, who knows?
But at least she has people defending her. One of those is singer Keri Hilson. (who?)
She says in a series of Tweets that we should thank her for everything she's done in the community, and more she's done than most Blacks.
Let's just all thank #RachelDolezal. Identity, pathological, & parental issues aside, she's doing more than most of us do for ourselves.
— Keri Hilson (@KeriHilson) June 12, 2015It is really weird tho. She took it pretty far with slave whips & what not. Levels. Deep. #RachaelDolezal
— Keri Hilson (@KeriHilson) June 12, 2015I'm not sayin she doesn't have serious ISSUES, I'm just sayin don't knock her intentions or discredit her efforts. @NAACP stands by her work
— Keri Hilson (@KeriHilson) June 12, 2015And you know what? She's made a good point.
Dolezal really did something not many white people (and some Black people) have done (at least in the public eye in awareness). She is a Caucasian who has been committed to the betterment and awareness of African American culture and history by teaching it and Africana studies. And she has done this intentionally. She's also a president at the NAACP, which is a good thing, even when not taking to account that there already are Whites working at the NAACP, and that some Caucasians actually helped found the NAACP!
Moorefield Storey, Mary White Ovington and WEB DuBois,So in that regard, Dolezal has done much more honorable works and activities than others (black or white).
three of the co-founders of the NAACP
But still, that one thing she's done all of these years was despicable! And if her parents had not said anything about it, she would've gotten away with this and took it to her grave.
And another thing: She really didn't have to lie about her ethnicity.
She could've done all of these things as just her true self, and no one would judge her about it. Well, no sane, informed people would.
(This point was made when one of Hilson's fans [or detractors] tweeted this back)
@KeriHilson @NAACP but does she realize that she doesn't have to pretend to be black in order to help black people ??
— rian cruz (@RianHilton) June 12, 2015So in the end, I will praise Rachel Dolezal for being committed to raising awareness of the history of and the betterment of African American culture, and the pride of African Americans, but I will scorn also her for lying about her race.
She did not have to do this to become entrenched in African American history (maybe she did because wanting to work with Blacks on the teachings of Black history would still be seen as taboo in the 90s and 2000s, but that's absurd. Who knows?). If a Black person (man or woman) wanted to become entrenched in White culture, that's perfectly fine; but if they end up impersonating a Caucasian, that wouldn't be possible even in the slightest, because it looks really stupid for even a light-skinned Black person to try to pass as White (and I mean the rare darker-skinned Whites, too).
And I won't praise her parents either for outing her. I have a lingering feeling that this was done to earn extra cash from TV interviews, more than because they miss their daughter (I may be wrong here.) It's also strange that this just came out of nowhere, and that they are willing to destroy all that their daughter has built up all by herself just to try to reconnect with her, which is failing miserably. They did not have to do this so publicly. Their involvement, along with her adopted brothers (who are Black, one of whom was even told by Dolezal to keep this a secret for so long) is a little strange too.
To end this, I will also say this: It's okay to act like however ethnicity you want. It's not always a birthright to be what your race is shown in the public eye. If you want to act White or Black or Asian or Indian or Native American or any other ethnicity, because you have a fascination of that ethnicity, and therefore become in love with another race's culture, go ahead. It's fine; it's your choice; no one is going to judge you. Just don't lie about it...tread lightly, okay?
No one will take you seriously if you pretend to look & act like Rajesh Koothrappali.
No comments:
Post a Comment