Bloglander

The Spokane Human Rights Commission passed a resolution during an emergency meeting last night calling on Rachel Dolezal, the chair of the Office of Police Ombudsman Commission, to resign.

Blaine Stum, chair of the HRC, began the meeting by noting that Dolezal “has been the subject of a lot of controversy” after charges emerged last week that she has falsely represented herself as black and that she exaggerated or fabricated hate crimes committed against her.

“And so I thought it would be a good idea for us as the Human Rights Commission, given how close we align ourselves with the Office of Police Ombudsman, to ask her to resign,” said Stum.

While the resolution avoids wading into the specific accusations leveled against Dolezal, it does state that her “continued presence on the Office of Police Ombudsman has the potential to damage the credibility and legitimacy of the Commission and the vital work they do in the community.”

Toward the end of the meeting, Jamie SiJohn, a member of the HRC, said that Dolezal used stereotypes of African Americans and Native American culture to her advantage.

“I'm offended that this person used stereotypes that I fight everyday to elevate herself,” said SiJohn, a member of the Spokane Tribe. “I think the way to stop it is with education.”

HRC Resolution Requesting Rachel Dolezal Resign From OPO Commission