Dare I write about Rachel Dolezal, the woman who headed the NAACP until this week, who taught Africana studies at Eastern Washington, who claimed to be black but, according to her parents, is not?

I do not understand what all the furor is about (especially on the right). Yes, I’m opposed to fraud, but what harm has she done? For a white person to pretend to be black is extremely rare; I don’t think it signifies anything. Her pretense is more related to some pathologies of hers than to national issues of identity or national policies. She apparently did a good job as head of the Spokane NAACP. Let’s leave her alone.

By the way, today’s Chronicle article about Dolezal today doesn’t accept comments—I presume they are closed because the editors feel that would be too acrimonious, even vile. This story has hit a nerve. It shouldn’t have.