Ethnicity as a lifestyle choice

All this hullabaloo about Rachel Dolezal “identifying” as a black American. It’s kind of ironic/interesting that Ms Dolezal’s most vocal critics are the same people who keep telling us that we’re all the same under the skin, and that race doesn’t matter. In that case what difference does it make whether her dark skin is the result of natural or artificial pigmentation? “Going black” isn’t all that unusual anyway. A guy I went to school with – a thoroughly white Irish guy – gradually became “black” in his teens and twenties. First he began wearing his hair in dreadlocks and dressing in “ethnic” clothing. Then he began to speak with a Jamaican accent. His skin became darker (whether through tanning, make-up or auto-suggestion I have no idea). He was a guitarist, and he played only reggae, mostly Bob Marley songs. He even formed a reggae band. The last time I saw him he was planning on going to live in the US , to find his “roots” (yes, I know). That was years ago. By now he’s probably the president of some African republic.