I think everyone feels a mixture of emotions. Mostly shock then empathy then confusion. That she has some mental issues is of no doubt.
Her allegations about hate mail and an ominous noose that "suddenly" appeared were found to have no merit when investigated by the police. Was it a ploy to get attention? I think probably. Why, I haven't a clue.
She moved on to Spokane, maybe 30 miles away, for a fresh start. Was the ploy no longer working and more people were becoming suspicious? I don't know but when it started up again in Spokane the lid blew off. Obviously she was not well schooled in the art of deceit coupled with the lure of publicity though she got her fair share by virtue of the positions she held. It just wasn't sensational.
People wanted to believe there was merit to her claims. She was likable enough and trying to do good work for the minorities in our cities. One thing I can say with some certainty, if she was really raised in Troy, Montana it's hard to believe she started identifying as black at the age of five. It would be difficult to find enough blacks in Troy for her to identify with. It's a tiny town in northwestern Montana not far from the Idaho border and decidedly white.
The more she seeks out publicity the less sympathy people are going to have for her. What's next? A reality TV show? A movie? I hope not. While it may enrich her pocket book, it won't enrich her life. Perhaps a better avenue would be sorting out her family conflicts.
It's strange to me that this should have started here, at least the breaking of the news. Coeur d'Alene and its surrounding areas, especially Hayden just to the north, has fought long and hard to rid itself of the reputation as a haven for neo Nazis and their ilk. Now it seems we have a case of racism in reverse.
I hope she gets the help she needs to sort out her life. It seems a waste for one so capable to be so hindered by her own actions.
