Transgenderism is so yesterday. Now, it’s time to “discuss” transracial issues! That, of course, according to a guest on the June 15 edition of MSNBC’s NewsNation. Tamron Hall invited Earl Hutchinson – a radio host and prominent author on racial issues – to the program to chat about the still unfolding story surrounding Rachel Dolezal, the now former head of the Spokane NAACP who lied about being black.
Hall started the conversation by asking Hutchinson if Dolezal has “identified herself as transracial,” and he responded by suggesting that she’s never had the chance to fully explain herself other than stating that she considers herself black. He added: “You know, if you consider yourself from the moon, or a Martian, I mean, if that’s what you wanna be, that's what you want to be.”
The radio personality mentioned that – aside from the fact that Dolezal clearly lied about her race – it is important that people look at her record:
The critical question is, what did she do as president of that chapter? I took a look at it. I took a look at the record. I took a look at the minutes of some of the meetings that they had, and I got to tell you, Tamron, I was absolutely bowled over on all the key issues: education, health care, criminal justice reform, police misconduct and civil rights. I got to tell you, she was spot on and the chapter was spot on.
Hall concluded her interview by wondering if we have reached a point where discussion over transracial issues may become necessary:
[A]re we now looking at a space where I am Caitlyn, so that’s how she wants to identify herself – are we now at a transracial point? Because when blacks passed for white it was in many cases because their life was in danger. Are we at a transracial point now where someone like a Rachel is now on the forefront of something we've probably never discussed before?
Hutchinson replied in the affirmative, saying “we are going to discuss it and we should discuss it.” He continued by claiming that “we have a new dynamic, biracial and transracial...I think it’s a healthy dialogue.”
Many have pointed out the contradiction on the left between acceptance of transgender people and the mocking of Rachel Dolezal for identifying as black. As ridiculous and upside down as the logic may be, at least Hutchinson is consistent on the issue.
The relevant portion of the transcript is below.
MSNBC
NewsNation
June 15, 2015
11:42 a.m. EasternTAMRON HALL, host: You've got Rachel Dolezal's parents on this morning, as we've worded it here because we have to do it this way. Her parents confirm that she was born Caucasian. And then we have to say she allegedly lied about her race. What is the proper way to explain this? And I'll read a tweet I just got from Dr. Jared Willis, and I don’t normally read tweets like this, but he says, ‘If Rachel Dolezal is transracial, then she didn't lie about her race @tamronhall. It would be respectful to use the proper pronouns to discuss.’ Has she identified herself as transracial?
EARL HUTCHINSON, radio host: Well you know, Tamron, there’s a couple things that really hit me about this story when it broke. First of all, what did she actually say? I'm hearing what everybody, her parents, everyone else is commenting says that she allegedly said – I want to know what she had to actually say.
The only thing, Tamron, I could come up with that she actually said from her own lips, I consider myself black. Okay. You know, if you consider yourself from the moon, or a Martian, I mean, if that’s what you wanna be, that's what you want to be.
Now, but then there was something else Tamron. I wanted to take time to find out exactly what did she do as president of the Spokane NAACP. I mean, most people had never heard of her, obviously. Probably most have never even heard of the Spokane NAACP. I actually took time, and I urge other people to do this, too. Set aside for a second the big debate about what she did or didn't do, what she said or didn't say, what she – how she represented herself or didn't represent herself. The critical question is, what did she do as president of that chapter? I took a look at it. I took a look at the record. I took a look at the minutes of some of the meetings that they had, and I got to tell you, Tamron, I was absolutely bowled over on all the key issues: education, health care, criminal justice reform, police misconduct and civil rights. I got to tell you, she was spot on and the chapter was spot on.
[...]
HALL: But on a serious note here, going back to this note from this doctor who sent this on Twitter, are we now looking at a space where I am Caitlyn, so that’s how she wants to identify herself – are we now at a transracial point? Because when blacks passed for white it was in many cases because their life was in danger. Are we at a transracial point now where someone like a Rachel is now on the forefront of something we've probably never discussed before?
HUTCHINSON: Well, and we are going to discuss it and we should discuss it. Because you know what? Everything is changing. You know, when you’re looking at race in America and the whole dynamic and how it's framed – you know, historically, Tamron, there was black and white. Then, of course, it was expanded. Asian, Hispanic, and now we have a new dynamic, biracial and transracial. Alright, so Rachel fits into that dialogue, and guess what? We're going to keep having that dialogue. And quite frankly, Tamron, I think it's a healthy dialogue.
