[DougB]

The only race I am aware of is the human race of which most people I have met are a member.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Cedwards38

I'm not sure about the rule, or even if there is a rule. How much African American blood must one have to be able to claim it as their race? How many generations must one trace back to prove one's race? My personal rule is twofold. It includes (1) you are what you say you are, and (2) it really doesn't matter since I'm more concerned about the content of your character.

Good. We should get back to what the great man said I mean Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The media made both of these stories very important but I do not see the merit in either story --much ado about nothing.

I would like to know how Rachel Dolezal actually benefited from seeing herself as black though.

[Gary7]

Originally Posted by CathyandSteveG

This woman....was deceitful. There is a huge difference between what she has done and what jenner has done....not even in the same ballpark.

She maliciously used the system to better her lifestyle....she lied, and she cheated....with the intent to GAIN. She purposely masqueraded herself as a black woman...she colored her hair, got a kinky perm, and colored her skin......
If she is a light skinned, blonde blue eyed black woman...fine.....it is possible.....but how dare she transform herself physically into a BLACK woman to fool the system.

To me ....that's unforgivable.

By the way...I have no idea how much "blood" you need to be a particular race. But for most colleges and universities....you must be 1/8 native american or Asian...etc...to get special scholarships or financial aid.

Excellent point. I am very happy that I live in a community where women do not color their hair, get a perm, or go to the local pool to get a deep tan.

[CathyandSteveG]

ah...but do they do it to deceive and gain something they do not deserve??????? Do they pretend to be something they are not? Do they lie about it?

[Taltarzac725]

Black Like Her: Rachel Dolezal and Our Lies About Race - The New Yorker

This is a deeper examination of the Rachel Dolezal scandal by Jelani Cobb - The New Yorker

[Gary7]

Originally Posted by CathyandSteveG

ah...but do they do it to deceive and gain something they do not deserve??????? Do they pretend to be something they are not? Do they lie about it?

I cannot answer those questions.

But, to me, women do look very different than they would if they did not color their hair, perm, and/or tan.

I would guess they do these cosmetics (along with other items, e.g., makeup, etc) to look better than they would otherwise.

I am very fine with this .... it happens all of the time. I am glad they do these things.

To me, what is important is .... not what a person looks like ... nor what a person is trying to look like ... what is important, to me, is what is inside.

We all look different from each other ... and we try to fix our selves up to look nice. Accept people not on their external looks ... but who they are on the inside ... their personality,

[Topspinmo]

Guess she got training from Elisabeth Warner? She also sues the college brown University (I think) saying she was discriminated against cause she was white. IMO she has be lieing for aloooong time and it just came natural to her to get what she wanted.
As far as Jenner and the untalented clan probably done it for money and headlines. But, what do you expect from land of OZ?

[redwitch]

So, would Ms. Dolezal have been head of the Seattle NAACP and accepted as a black activist had she remained outwardly Caucasian? if so, the lies were unnecessary. If not, then shame on those who made race be a factor. Regardless, she did willingly lie and mislead and, I believe, showed a lack of moral character.

Jenner is now part of a community that is ridiculed, derided and abused. The surgeries to change sexes is painful. The hormone treatments are known to increase cancer risks. She is now extreme fodder for comedians (nothing like Kardashian jokes with transgender issues thrown in the mix). What she and Chaz Bono have done for the transgender community should be applauded. They both are helping in gaining a little acceptance for a group that has always been maligned and ridiculed, at best. More than one transgender has been beaten, raped and murdered. If this doesn't take courage, what does?

[sunnyatlast]

As we scratch our heads trying to figure out what percentage makes a person black and qualified for benefits like full ride scholarship to Howard University (Dolezal), I'm still trying to figure out.....

....how having a white parent and a black parent, 50% of one and 50% of the other, makes the person "black" and not "white" or "biracial", as our president has been known for most of his life. (Please don't make it political. Many people ask this question!)

How does 50/50 translate to one race or the other?? The race designation should be "biracial"!

Better yet, race designation should be "HUMAN" race. Period!

[Debree]

I agree with you. It should be biracial, not black or white.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by redwitch

So, would Ms. Dolezal have been head of the Seattle NAACP and accepted as a black activist had she remained outwardly Caucasian? if so, the lies were unnecessary. If not, then shame on those who made race be a factor. Regardless, she did willingly lie and mislead and, I believe, showed a lack of moral character.

Jenner is now part of a community that is ridiculed, derided and abused. The surgeries to change sexes is painful. The hormone treatments are known to increase cancer risks. She is now extreme fodder for comedians (nothing like Kardashian jokes with transgender issues thrown in the mix). What she and Chaz Bono have done for the transgender community should be applauded. They both are helping in gaining a little acceptance for a group that has always been maligned and ridiculed, at best. More than one transgender has been beaten, raped and murdered. If this doesn't take courage, what does?

Personally. Jenner seems to have made the problem of transgender acceptance and violence against them worse by coming out this way rather than doing things quietly or at least with more patience rather than making this another episode of very high rated "reality TV". And Jenner and the Kardashians can afford the best bodyguards money can buy as well as vacations to places where no one knows them. Most transgenders cannot afford such safety and security.

I am still trying to get a handle on the Rachel Dolezal matter. It is getting hard to get the facts because of all the media attention.

[claricecolin]

As I see it the main issue with Dolzal is that she lied for personal gain. She gave talks as a black woman talking about the black experience. She claimed she was a victim of hate crimes as a black woman. She made up her upbringing. She also sued Howard as a white woman claiming discrimination. You simply cannot claim "blackness" when it is convenient for you.

There are non black heads of NCAAP chapters so she still could have participated if she wished as what she is.

As far as how biracial people classify themselves that depends on many factors. In my experience those who are very light/have more European features tend to be more likely to classify as biracial. Those who are darker/more African features may choose Black or African American. Those that do usually do so as that is what most people would assume they are. That is primarily the reason President Obama refers to himself as black. If he were walking down the street one would think black man not biracial.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by claricecolin

As I see it the main issue with Dolzal is that she lied for personal gain. She gave talks as a black woman talking about the black experience. She claimed she was a victim of hate crimes as a black woman. She made up her upbringing. She also sued Howard as a white woman claiming discrimination. You simply cannot claim "blackness" when it is convenient for you.

There are non black heads of NCAAP chapters so she still could have participated if she wished as what she is.

As far as how biracial people classify themselves that depends on many factors. In my experience those who are very light/have more European features tend to be more likely to classify as biracial. Those who are darker/more African features may choose Black or African American. Those that do usually do so as that is what most people would assume they are. That is primarily the reason President Obama refers to himself as black. If he were walking down the street one would think black man not biracial.

I interviewed for a Reference Librarian position at North Carolina Central University's Law Library. NCCU is a traditionally African American school. I had not known that when I applied but had been applying to just about every librarianship position that was advertised by the various library associations. This was in December of 1994. I never saw so many shades of color. There was even someone who looked like an albino but of African American ancestry. These people seemed to fit in there but many I would not have described as African American just from their looks. Their going to NCCU made them identify themselves as African American to others. This does seem more complicated though as some African Americans with very few actual "black" features are still black as seen by themselves and the people they associate with as with some of the NCCU Law School students and professors.

My sister-in-law is of African descent but she seems to first see herself as Jamaican. She is also a US citizen having served in the US Navy as a support staff to SEALs. She has one son, Balil, who is quite dark in complexion another, Kalil, who is quite light. He has still pointed at his skin and told me that he did not chose this. This was when he was about 6 or so. He is around 14 now.

[dewilson58]

Dolzal and Jenner are just trying to change what God created.

[sunnyatlast]

My sister-in-law is of African descent but she seems to first see herself as Jamaican.

If only our fellow Americans of partial African descent would "first see themselves as" Americans.