JOHN CURLEY

Is it OK for white people to steal black culture?

Jun 16, 2015, 12:58 PM | Updated: 3:14 pm

Former NAACP leader Rachel Dolezal appears on the “Today” show set on Tuesday. (AP)...

Former NAACP leader Rachel Dolezal appears on the "Today" show set on Tuesday. (AP)

(AP)

OK, so Rachel Dolezal told the “Today” show she’s black on Tuesday, so now what?

KIRO Radio’s John Curley says now it’s time to start identifying what black culture is and how it’s different from white culture, and decide whether white people are allowed to borrow from black culture.

Ask Elvis Presley, Tom suggested. Presley has been criticized for stealing music and dance moves from African-American artists of his time.

“The idea of a white guy all of a sudden acting ‘black’ and then trying to sell themselves in the rap world, people often get upset about that as well,” Curley pointed out.

This happens in the art community a lot, Tom said. Eminem has said he identifies more with the African-American community than with the white community. Quentin Tarantino has gotten into trouble as a movie maker for the same thing.

Related: Dave Ross says Dolezal is most fascinating woman in America

Tom Hanks’ son, Chester Hanks, a rapper, was recently in trouble for using the N-word and defending it.

Meanwhile, Tom points out that in 2002 Dolezal filed a lawsuit against a historically black college claiming she was discriminated against because she was a white woman.

Dolezal sued Howard University, where she attended graduate school. Back then, she went by her married name Rachel Moore.

She asserted the school blocked her appointment as a teaching assistant, failed to hire her as an art teacher after her graduation, and removed some of her art pieces from exhibition in favor of African-American students.

A 2005 District of Columbia appeals court later threw out the lawsuit upholding a lower court’s ruling that found no evidence of discrimination.

John Curley on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to tom and curleyTune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 3pm for The John Curley Show.

John Curley

John Curley

I-638 WA girls sports WA transgender...

John Curley Show

‘Collide with the will of the people’: Curley questions Seattle schools’ legal action over transgender eligibility in girls’ sports

John Curley critiques the legal challenge against girls' sports eligibility for transgender athletes in Seattle.

3 hours ago

Ferguson millionaires' tax...

John Curley Show

‘How much is enough?’: KIRO hosts question WA’s spending as Ferguson celebrates voters keeping millionaires’ tax

Washington voters rejected Initiative 645, keeping the state’s millionaires tax in place. Ferguson said the tax would help bring fiscal stability.

2 days ago

seattle housing build...

John Curley Show

‘I think this is a very smart move’: Curley praises Nilu Jenks’ push to make Seattle housing easier to build

Nilu Jenks aims to simplify Seattle housing development through zoning changes and faster permits, boosting the housing supply.

2 days ago

seattle public disorder...

John Curley Show

‘They aren’t accepting failure as an option’: Seattle chamber CEO contrasts San Francisco’s approach to public disorder

Seattle's chamber CEO urges leaders to learn from San Francisco's approach to public disorder for a stronger community response.

3 days ago

holiday travel costs relatives airline airfares...

John Curley Show

‘It’s outrageous’: KIRO hosts say rising airfares are putting family visits out of reach

Rising airfares are making family visits harder to afford, KIRO hosts describe the tension between travel costs and spending time with relatives.

4 days ago

WA girl sports ban transgender...

John Curley Show

‘That’s not little’: KIRO hosts clash over verification requirements in WA’s I-638 transgender girls sports ban

KIRO fill-in host Angela Poe Russell challenged how WA's approved ban on transgender girls in school sports, initiative 638, would be implemented.

5 days ago

Is it OK for white people to steal black culture?