And, as Rush Limbaugh said about 25 years ago during a discussion, he must be a lesbian trapped in a man’s body because that explains his being attracted to women.

Progressives always want to push the envelope. So, if someone can be whatever race they want to be (e.g., Rachel Dolezal, who is a white chick who "identifies" as a black chick), why stop there? What if I want to "identify" as a Douglas Fir tree? Does that make me a Douglas Fir tree? No, actually, it makes me a nutcase who should be committed to a mental Institution. There are some things in this life that are in fact "set" when you come into this world - and genetics determines these things.

Who cares what "race" you are anyway. The real issue is culture and early years upbringing and the attention to reason in determining what one does with one's life.

Well, the complainers seem to have a very weak and very mixed set of premises. They sound just as collectivist as the groups they complain about. I do agree 100% that you can be whatever race you claim, because there is no such thing as race..

Sociology explains race as an ascribed social construct: Race has no objective basis, no scientific foundation. Other people tell you what your race is. You can reject their label, and just be yourself; but they will not reject the label they place on you, and will treat you - for better or worse - as they expect you deserve based on your "race": hatred, pity, empathy, sympathy, admiration, ...

So, yes, at Brown or any other place that cares, feel free to claim whatever race you want. Now, of course, if you claim to be a Native American and have absolutely no Native American ancestors, it's going to be a stretch, even laughable, har har. But, really, when it comes to "race" make up any criterion you want and define yourself as you please, on account of there ain't no such thing.

Thanks Walter, this is the kind of info that I would never hear about but have suspected.
I have passed this on and suggested they do the same.
Identity politics followed your graduation by a decade when Alexander Solzhenitsyn book GULAG ARCHIPELAGO destroyed any cloak of moral authority by communists. To continue the attack on capitalism they needed a new tactic and the answer was identity politics. The lefts tactics morphed into an ethno-racial battle pitting all
minorities as victims of oppression as the result of freedom and capitalism.
your essay is an example of the result of that ideology.
humanities studies of western civilization now ignore reason and judge according to victims viewpoints .

"Red,Green, Black, White,
All it is, Is reflected light.
In those few words of a children's poem is contained the stupidity of classifying people by skin color. More might be said in more erudite terms, but when you slice away all the fancy talk it simply boils down to that. and the crazyness
of thinking that skin color has anything to do with anything but appearance.

the fruition of govt education (public schools)

It never occurred to me to join in by claiming I was that alternative race that was needed to balance things out. While genetically my lineage may not be too diverse I always thought it was cool that my great grandmother was a Cherokee. Because DNA following birth lines is not always equally divided (as thought in by previous examples that you were 1/2 Indian if your mother was Indian, 1/4 if one generation removed) in my features I represent the English and Scottish side much more clearly although I do have some structural features similar to those of Indians. I never thought of identifying as being Cherokee to get some benefit, I just thought it was cool that I was part Cherokee. However, I should have said that I was Negro and that my ancestors were slaves, there just a white master in there somewhere that decided that I was going to be white. I could have demanded education, promotions or any number of benefits. Come to think of it I am now an outsider because I look white but people can't tell the trouble I have had for being Native American! It is interesting what intrigues us and what choices we make. My first girlfriends were Native American Piautes. I always found myself attracted to women who were dark and dark haired, Mexican Americans, Latinos, etc. and finally married a fair skinned, red haired blue eyed English girl who turned out to be a socialist although she claimed she wasn't. Miserable marriage. Should have stayed on track with those dark skinned girls, at least my kids may have had a better shot at using the system. Poor unfortunate blue eyed, blond haired fair skinned girls I have. Raised my girls well, one daughter told me she always felt the girls with darker skin were prettier and wished she could wake up a different color. She saw no downside to different races. I did okay raising her. The only reason to note different races is the same reason to describe someone with curly hair, you might be identifying them for visual contact, other than that what is important is who they are, be discriminatory in your selection of mates or friends so that you will not be miserable.

So far, I have changed my religion (Zarathrustian Tree Worshiper) My color (Off white to pale pink) and now my race.. I'm thinking of Malaysian. Any suggestions?

Interesting that in the article the picture depicts this (fill in the blank) with these two house cats. Perhaps it all has something to do with the definition of "is", it has never actually been defined since Bill redefined it. I don't even understand "it" anymore, what is "it"? As we get more confused by redefinition of everything perhaps some other issues of today will also eventually be redefined, such as sexual deviance could become normal for everyone, or maybe beheading could become just an acceptable retaliation for certain other issues. And without any recorded history lessons man may just have to abolish all his laws and start over, defining everything as he starts over again. Perhaps that is what happens to us after we expire, we just start over again, and have to re-learn everything we are born into. I think I"d like to come back as a dog, a big dog, with a great personality.

My daughter is a senior this year in high school and we have been playing with this very concept. We are generally considered to be White and as she has worked very hard to be at the top of her class and is involved in many different extracurricular activities. We know that she will be accepted to her University of choice but of course we want her to receive as much financial aid as possible. Therefore she has been marking herself as Hispanic on all of the various applications she fills out. If anyone challenges her on this we have done a bit of genealogical research and found that one of my progenitors briefly lived in Cuba before coming to Florida in the early 1800's.

Of course that has nothing to do with how we identify but if it reduces the ridiculous loans that she will need and allows her less debt going into adulthood, I am all for it.

I used to be a 6-4, bald headed, one-eyed white man but now I'm black and exempt from "reparations,"

Me dino is what my moniker says I am.
Those hurtful meanies who'd dare to say different are not being politically correct and should be shunned by any progressively enlightened species everywhere.
Excuse me as I surf elsewhere with my personal computer.