Is Rachel Dolezal black or white?

by B. R. GOWANI

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, July 24, 2009. On the right, Rachel Dolezal is seen in this undated picture. PHOTOS/ABC News

is Rachel Dolezal black or white?

Rachel Dolezal’s parents say she is caucasian
a fact, because she was born white
but she identifies herself as black
out of sympathy for black people

“police brutality, economic disenfranchisement, …” and so on
I will never stop fighting for human rights” she said

she declares: “yes, I do consider myself to be black
though biologically, she accepts, she is “caucasian”

she was accused of posing as a black person
when she applied for admission at Howard University,
the historically black school, open to people of all races

later, she charged Howard with racism
for denying her a teaching post
because of her “white” color

transracial adoptees are mad
others point out the torment black women suffer
which Dolezal, as a privileged white woman, hadn’t

4,848 blacks per 100,000 are incarcerated in the US
i.e., “more than a tenth of all prisoners on Earth
is a Black U.S. ‘citizen’ (ex-citizen)”

there is rampant and outright racism
to the extent that police kill black people

in this horrible situation
any support from non-blacks is most welcome

her intentions are good to fight racism
the means employed are questionable
but then again “race is not biological

but the question is:
is Rachel Dolezal black or white?
there is only one way to determine:
leave her in a black neighborhood
in any of the cities:
New York, Baltimore, Chicago, North Charleston, Ferguson, …
if the police stops her, then she is black
otherwise she belongs to the white dominant race

B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com