Skip to main content

FM
Former Member

Rachel Dolezal's Father: 'Rachel Is Clearly White as We Are'

 

The parents of Rachel Dolezal, the president of Spokane, Washington's NAACP chapter, say their daughter "has not explained to us why she has disguised herself and been deceptive about her ethnicity."

 

For years, Rachel Dolezal, 37, has identified herself publicly as African American. When applying for a spot on Spokane's Police Ombudsman Commission -- of which she is now chairwoman -- Dolezal identified herself as white, black and American Indian, ABC affiliate KXLY-TV in Spokane reported.

 

But Ruthanne and Lawrence Dolezal told "Nightline" via Skype that Rachel is their biological daughter and they are both white.

 

Lawrence Dolezal said they have two biological children including Rachel. They also have four adopted children who are African American.

"But Rachel is clearly white as we are," Lawrence Dolezal said.

 

PHOTO: In this July 24, 2009, file photo, Rachel Dolezal, a leader of the Human Rights Education Institute, stands in front of a mural she painted at the institutes offices in Coeur dAlene, Idaho.
Nicholas K. Geranios/AP Photo
PHOTO: In this July 24, 2009, file photo, Rachel Dolezal, a leader of the Human Rights Education Institute, stands in front of a mural she painted at the institute's offices in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

 

"She has not explained to us why she has disguised herself and been deceptive about her ethnicity, so we can't explain to you," Ruthanne Dolezal said.

 

Rachel Dolezal received her master's degree from the historically black Howard University, according to her biography on the Eastern Washington University website. She is now an adjunct professor in the Africana Studies program at Eastern Washington University, where she teaches African and African American Art History, African History, African American Culture, The Black Woman's Struggle and Intro to Africana Studies, according to her university bio.

 

Her work focuses on "race, gender and class in the contemporary Diaspora with a specific emphasis on Black women in visual culture," her university bio said.

 

Rachel Dolezal, president of the Spokane, Washington chapter of the NAACP, is accused of misrepresenting her race.
Rachel Dolezal, president of the Spokane, Washington chapter of the NAACP, is accused of misrepresenting her race.

 

"We've always supported her activism for justice and equality," Ruthanne Dolezal added. "But this deceptive side and the way she's tried to represent herself as someone she is not. that is what is concerning to us."

 

"She is so assimilated into their culture and their community that she may falsely consider herself African American," Lawrence Dolezal said. "But by birth she certainly is not."

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Originally Posted by Jay Bharrat:

Nothing is wrong with what she did.

 

If a man macho Olympic winner can claim to be a woman, and we cannot laugh at such debauchery, what's wrong if this lady identifies with Afros?

 

The weirdos are salivating at what Bruce Jenner did, so why would we be upset at this woman?

I kinda like that actually.

 

I know a couple who lived on the Rice Lake Reserve, he's native, she's white (Irish). She knew more about the Indian and their heritage than many Indians along with her husband, she taught in one of the native schools. Maureen did much more for the community than many, she raised funds to help build proper facilities for the youth.

 

It is obvious, the woman in the photo feels comfortable around her new adopted family,too bad we can't all be,like her. When asked our ethnicity, we answer with whatever we feel like identifying with at that moment.

cain
Originally Posted by cain:
Originally Posted by Jay Bharrat:

Nothing is wrong with what she did.

 

If a man macho Olympic winner can claim to be a woman, and we cannot laugh at such debauchery, what's wrong if this lady identifies with Afros?

 

The weirdos are salivating at what Bruce Jenner did, so why would we be upset at this woman?

I kinda like that actually.

 

I know a couple who lived on the Rice Lake Reserve, he's native, she's white (Irish). She knew more about the Indian and their heritage than many Indians along with her husband, she taught in one of the native schools. Maureen did much more for the community than many, she raised funds to help build proper facilities for the youth.

 

It is obvious, the woman in the photo feels comfortable around her new adopted family,too bad we can't all be,like her. When asked our ethnicity, we answer with whatever we feel like identifying with at that moment.

 

Surprisingly, this novel argument promulgated by Jay here is pretty sensible and I'm inclined to agree in part as well.

 

I don't understand why we need a race police. She did not try to legally defraud someone of something of value per se. She seems to have put a lot of work into crafting this new racial identity. I don't know why she couldn't have studied and enjoyed African culture without representing herself as such. At least 1 drop of recent African heritage might have helped her case.

 

Although, I still find it offensive when whites "fetishize" Indian culture as some cute new hobby. So I can understand why Blacks are deeply upset. With rare exception, it annoys me to see white people in traditional Indian clothes because it looks like some fancy dress party for bored white people.

FM
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:
. . . Although, I still find it offensive when whites "fetishize" Indian culture as some cute new hobby. So I can understand why Blacks are deeply upset. With rare exception, it annoys me to see white people in traditional Indian clothes because it looks like some fancy dress party for bored white people.

wtf are you talking about?

 

the NAACP and most Black people i know are standing behind her

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Originally Posted by redux:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:
. . . Although, I still find it offensive when whites "fetishize" Indian culture as some cute new hobby. So I can understand why Blacks are deeply upset. With rare exception, it annoys me to see white people in traditional Indian clothes because it looks like some fancy dress party for bored white people.

wtf are you talking about?

 

the NAACP and most Black people i know are standing behind her

 

There are still Blacks who are pretty annoyed about her. I addressed my comments regarding those Blacks and other persons. I'm aware that she has substantial sympathy and support among Blacks. I just happen to see the case for both sides. That's all.

 

The fact that this is some kind of national issue is a testament to the dull vacuousness of modern Western society (especially my generation). There are so many other more important issues which confront us and we're chatting about someone's private decision to identify with another race.

FM
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:
Originally Posted by redux:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:
. . . Although, I still find it offensive when whites "fetishize" Indian culture as some cute new hobby. So I can understand why Blacks are deeply upset. With rare exception, it annoys me to see white people in traditional Indian clothes because it looks like some fancy dress party for bored white people.

wtf are you talking about?

 

the NAACP and most Black people i know are standing behind her

 

There are still Blacks who are pretty annoyed about her. I addressed my comments regarding those Blacks and other persons. I'm aware that she has substantial sympathy and support among Blacks. I just happen to see the case for both sides. That's all.

 

The fact that this is some kind of national issue is a testament to the dull vacuousness of modern Western society (especially my generation). There are so many other more important issues which confront us and we're chatting about someone's private decision to identify with another race.

words matter dude . . . u pointed to some fictitious consensus that exists only in the tendentious precincts of your Hindutva brain

 

for all kinds of obvious reasons u think are not-so-obvious, i know it is deliberate on your part

 

that's why i called u on it

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Originally Posted by redux:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:
Originally Posted by redux:
Originally Posted by Shaitaan:
. . . Although, I still find it offensive when whites "fetishize" Indian culture as some cute new hobby. So I can understand why Blacks are deeply upset. With rare exception, it annoys me to see white people in traditional Indian clothes because it looks like some fancy dress party for bored white people.

wtf are you talking about?

 

the NAACP and most Black people i know are standing behind her

 

There are still Blacks who are pretty annoyed about her. I addressed my comments regarding those Blacks and other persons. I'm aware that she has substantial sympathy and support among Blacks. I just happen to see the case for both sides. That's all.

 

The fact that this is some kind of national issue is a testament to the dull vacuousness of modern Western society (especially my generation). There are so many other more important issues which confront us and we're chatting about someone's private decision to identify with another race.

words matter dude . . . u pointed to some fictitious consensus that exists only in the tendentious precincts of your Hindutva brain

 

for all kinds of obvious reasons u think are not-so-obvious, i know it is deliberate on your part

 

that's why i called u on it

 

If it pleases the Lord Redux, I wish to state that impression of consensus was not what I intended to convey. I was aiming for the larger issue. I don't spend ages fine tuning my comments here. I merely intend to convey a point.

 

Whether or not there was "consensus" was immaterial to what I was saying.

 

In sum, you are correct and I freely and happily concede the point. You are the resident guardian of post-Norman Anglo-Saxon Germanic linguistic exactitude.

FM

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×