Transethnic?

cheri1122 · Jun 13, 2015

I found none of the allegations of her listing African American on applications, and the NAACP said they don't require anyone, even the chairman, to actually be 'colored people'. [ I dislike the term African American - aren't we all Something American?] I have Native American in my ancestry, along with the usual suspects: English, Irish, etc. We're ALL pretty much melting pots - though diluted by time.
If she benefited from misrepresenting her race, then she will pay for it. But if she didn't, it's a pretty big flapdoodle over not much, IMO.
And I think adoptive parents do have a responsibility to try to include a child's heritage in their education, however it can be done. If it's important to the child, their cultural heritage can provide a sense of belonging that they might not have otherwise. Maybe they won't care, but they ought to know about it, at least.

cheri1122 · Jun 13, 2015

The NAACP stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Where in there does it require one to be a 'colored person' to be part of that?
It's like men can be feminists - and the really smart ones are, lol.

LDB · Jun 13, 2015

No, virtually none of us are something-American. There are a few that hold dual citizenship and dual passports but they are few and far between. The other 99.997% are Americans. So the adoptive parents only had to bring him up to foster the learning of his heritage. That is an excellent catch phrase though. And not providing enough black playmates? In our hopefully changed utopia aren't we supposed to be the new and improved transparent post-racial nation? So why does anyone need anyone of a particular color?

Turtle · Jun 13, 2015

cheri1122 said:
I found none of the allegations of her listing African American on applications,

Do a Google search for <Rachel Dolezal application>

and the NAACP said they don't require anyone, even the chairman, to actually be 'colored people'.

Even if they did require members and leaders to be black, there's no way they can openly say it. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies to everybody.

However, a few years ago the NAACP started a push to become more diverse (mainly due to dropping membership, by a really, really lot). They actually began as a bi-racial organization and then got away from that. There was about a 30 year period there where the entire membership, 100 percent of it, was black. But a few years ago, 6 or 8 maybe, they shifted their focus larger civil rights issues. They have 4 or 5 chapters with white people at the helm. Up in Hamtramck, MI they have a Bangladeshi-American in charge. There's a Dominican in charge of one chapter, several Hispanics in charge of others.

If she benefited from misrepresenting her race, then she will pay for it. But if she didn't, it's a pretty big flapdoodle over not much, IMO.

You are a very forward thinking liberal, because right now the liberals are crucifying her, but it won't take long before the pack up and change the position. Once the bulk of the liberals realize that if Rachel Dolezal declares herself to be a man, which we all must accept at face value and celebrate, then we must also do the same if she says she's black, or whatever. (I do wonder what race she becomes when she's stopped by the police, though). It matters not so much as what race she is, but that she misrepresented herself with a lie. She appropriated another culture and another heritage, claiming an oppression that wasn't hers to claim.

If it were that easy to change your race, black people would declare themselves white in a heartbeat. That way they would have good credit, could swim, and wouldn't get beat up by the police.

And I think adoptive parents do have a responsibility to try to include a child's heritage in their education, however it can be done. If it's important to the child, their cultural heritage can provide a sense of belonging that they might not have otherwise. Maybe they won't care, but they ought to know about it, at least.

Yeah, that's what parents should do, give their kids a sense of belonging... elsewhere. Kids aren't stupid, they know what color they and their parents are. It's most important that parents love them and care for them and helicopter over them. Their heritage is their parents and their country.

(Maryland finally gave up on the free range kids, BTW. Threw in the towel, parents win).

I think there is a lot more to this story which will come out sooner or later. The parents are a Duggar-esque fundamentalist Christian family. One of the adopted sons (maybe more, I forget) complained about the ridiculous and strict religious rules. One of the reasons they adopted black kids was because they did a stint in South Africa doing mission work. The parents have seemed guarded and careful with their words in the interviews. Oddly guarded. There's something odd going in with all of this. They live in the northwest corner of Montana. The dad was the County Commissioner but got in trouble with billable hours and improper use of a county vehicle, or something like that.

I think this is gonna get weirder before it gets all sorted out.

Ragman · Jun 13, 2015

cheri1122 said:
..... aren't we all Something American?

No. We are citizens of The United States of America....that makes us Americans. End of story.

aristotle · Jun 13, 2015

Miss Rachel may find herself in need of a defense attorney if, as reported, she falsely represented her status on employment applications which led to financial gain. Moreover, she is an unapologetic liar. Why would the NAACP want to keep such an unethical person on their payroll? It doesn't reflect well on them.

Pilgrim · Jun 13, 2015

She wouldn't be the first unapologetic liar on their payroll; after all, they are a de facto lobbying group fostering their political causes.

LDB · Jun 13, 2015

Tweedledee and Tweedledum on MSNBC can't go enough out of their way to equivocate on behalf of Ms. Dolezal.

https://grabien.com/story.php?id=30119

aristotle · Jun 13, 2015

Bruce Jenner, Miss Rachel and Bowe Bergdahl could open a bar together. What would they call it?

cheri1122 · Jun 13, 2015

LDB said:
No, virtually none of us are something-American. There are a few that hold dual citizenship and dual passports but they are few and far between. The other 99.997% are Americans. So the adoptive parents only had to bring him up to foster the learning of his heritage. That is an excellent catch phrase though. And not providing enough black playmates? In our hopefully changed utopia aren't we supposed to be the new and improved transparent post-racial nation? So why does anyone need anyone of a particular color?

That's why I dislike the term African American: most black people aren't from Africa, nor do they have recent ancestors who were, so why the distinction? Only the Italian Americans ever felt motivated to identify themselves that way, and only when [and because] the Mafia was giving all Italians a bad name. Does someone whose ancestry is Jamaican and British fit the African American appellation? Of course not, but they're called that anyhow - it's just stupid, IMO.
I said nothing about providing black playmates, BTW.

cheri1122 · Jun 13, 2015

Biracial kids very often feel more comfortable with one side of their racial heritage than the other - it's hard to be accepted by both.
I understand that, and think maybe this woman is like them, just because of her adopted siblings. Or maybe she really does have some psychological 'issues', but who knows? But again, it's a domestic dispute, so we aren't getting the truth from all parties, that's for sure.

aristotle · Jun 14, 2015

Miss Rachel's soap opera has just begun: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...naacp-president-ethnicity-questions/71215210/

News article follows below video.

muttly · Jun 15, 2015

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/theanc...d-objective-truth-and-self-marginalization-2/

aristotle · Jun 15, 2015

Miss Rachel resigned today from the NAACP. Her problems are far, far from over.

muttly · Jun 15, 2015

Problems like possible false claims of racial harassment.
http://m.kxly.com/news/questions-raised-about-naacp-hate-mail-report/33512308

muttly · Jun 15, 2015

And plagiarizing.

Did #RachelDolezal Even Plagiarize Her Art Work?
While calling her out on her lies in the rest of her life, Rachel Dolezal’s family has praised her artwork. Some have criticized it as derivative.

Derivative is one word for the following. Plagiarism is another. You can decide.

Here’s her painting “The Shape of our Kind”:

Here’s the famous painting by J.M.W. Turner, “The Slaveship” from 1840:

She is selling the painting on her website for $5,100, marked down from $7,800. She does not make any mention of Turner’s painting from which hers is clearly taken.

The painting is also advertisedas a part of a triptych with two other pieces, and including poetry by her biological brother, Dr. Josh Dolezal who is also a college teacher and a published author. This is pertinent because she has accused him and the parents of abuse, yet she is using his poetry with her art.

In addition to reiterating her hate crimes claims, she notes inher bio on her art for sale site that she is studying to be an M.D. and that she taught biology to middle school students in Idaho.

There is no indication in any background material I have seen so far on her that would suggest she had actually embarked medical studies or was in anyway qualified in any way to ‘teach biology’ to middle school students.

Brian Williams would be proud.