Rachel Dolezal: "I wouldn't say I'm African American, but I would say I'm black"

[gollygee]

http://www.colorlines.com/articles/rachel-dolezal-vanity-fair-‘i-wouldn’t-say-i’m-african-american-i-would-say-i’m-black

It’s not a costume. I don’t know spiritually and metaphysically how this goes, but I do know that from my earliest memories I have awareness and connection with the black experience, and that’s never left me. It’s not something that I can put on and take off anymore. Like I said, I’ve had my years of confusion and wondering who I really [was] and why and how do I live my life and make sense of it all, but I’m not confused about that any longer. I think the world might be—but I’m not.

Dolezal also said that she doesn’t feel she lied about who she is:

It’s taken my entire life to negotiate how to identify, and I’ve done a lot of research and a lot of studying. I could have a long conversation, an academic conversation about that. I don’t know. I just feel like I didn’t mislead anybody; I didn’t deceive anybody. If people feel misled or deceived, then sorry that they feel that way, but I believe that’s more due to their definition and construct of race in their own minds than it is to my integrity or honesty, because I wouldn’t say I’m African American, but I would say I’m black, and there’s a difference in those terms.

She goes on to talk about the things she lost when the controversy hit, including her position at the NAACP, her spot on the police oversight commission and her part-time job teaching in the Africana Studies program at Eastern Washington University. “I’ve got to figure it out before August 1, because my last paycheck was like $1,800 in June. [I lost] friends and the jobs and the work and—oh, my God—so much at the same time,” she told writer Allison Samuels. She says she is making money by doing hair, and she averages three appointments a week for braids and weaves.

[snooper2]

1. she is back! ROFL

" from my earliest memories I have awareness and connection with the black experience,"



Lincoln County, Montana

The racial makeup of the county was 96.09% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 1.20% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 1.86% from two or more races. 1.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.6% were of German, 12.0% English, 10.2% American, 9.8% Norwegian and 9.4% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.5% spoke English, 1.7% German and 1.3% Spanish as their first language.

[oberliner]

8. When she was a teenager, her parents adopted three African-American children and one Haitian child

For what that is worth.

[snooper2]

9. yep, from her earliest memories

LOL-

Ironic thing is, I actually read the whole article, since losing her jobs the only money she is making is from doing hair for black women.

[oberliner]

10. Maybe something traumatic happened in her youth

And so she has blocked out the time in her life before she became a teenager?

[cwydro]

13. When I was a kid,

I was convinced I was an American Indian. I told my parents I was sure they had adopted me. (I'm very white lol).

My British parents gently explained to me that I was not, but they encouraged me to read and learn about American Indians. They took me to historic Indian sites and bought me books.

But I knew I really wasn't an Indian, no matter how much I wanted to be.

[Blue_Tires]

19. So why did she pretend to be native American before

Becoming black?

She's a grifter, plain and simple

[Sissyk]

21. +1000

That is all.

[Initech]

2. Pass the butter please!

[Jamastiene]

3. I wonder if someone who actually is black finally told her fine, she can be

an "honorary" black person, if that would make her STFU and go away. What a weird way to get her 15 minutes of fame.

[Walk away]

4. I guess everyone has the right, or at least the ability, to self identify as...

absolutely anyone or anything they please. The problem starts when you expect anyone else to share your concept of your self. Unless it somewhat matches up reality, you may find yourself alone on your own planet!

[LondonReign2]

6. "From my earlierst memories, I've been the Queen of England..."

[Walk away]

14. Well, at least that's believable Your Majesty!

Off with their heads!!!!

[Chirpio]

7. I feel Armenian

I quit feeling half Scandinavian half Peruvian.

[Walk away]

15. Good for you...your planet isreally small!

[geek tragedy]

5. How long before she heckles Bernie Sanders? nt

[oberliner]

11. Do white-people-pretending-to-be-black lives matter?

That's a question that must be answered.

[Walk away]

16. How do you know that it wasn't her????? nt

[tammywammy]

17. I saw this yesterday on Twitter

Danielle
Danielle – ?@abradacabla

#BernieSoBlack Rachel Dolezal claimed he's her grandfather

[geek tragedy]

18. that's about right nt

[KamaAina]

12. Ms. Dolezal, this is the operator. Your fifteen minutes are up.

Please deposit more quarters.

[Starry Messenger]

20. I put my finger on what also bothers me about her.

I can't speak to her inner life, but she didn't just pretend to be Black. She created a whole character of a particular female activist of Black consciousness, who explores how race theory and her life intersects. I notice she didn't "feel" like a Black person who works at Jimmie Johns and takes shit from the boss all day.

[Fla_Democrat]

22. The results are in......