Rachel Dorezal's Parents ''Saddened'' By Her ''Dishonesty'' Amid Race Controversy: ''She Wants to Reject Us and Her Identity''

NAACP leader's mom and dad speak out about her claims that she's African American

Rachel Dolezal's parents are speaking out about the race controversy surrounding their daughter, who has claimed to be black for years despite having no African American roots.

Ruthanne and Lawrence Dolezal spoke with HuffPo Live today where they revealed that found out Rachel was lying about her ethnicity "some years ago" through a Spokane newspaper interview she did.

"We were puzzled. We didn't understand why it was necessary for Rachel to represent herself as African American when she's Caucasian," Lawrence said.

Ruthanne and Lawrence, who also have "four black adopted children," say they have a very strained relationship with their daughter, who works with the NAACP as a civil rights activist. "She wants to reject us and her identity as being out daughter," Ruthanne said with tears in her eyes. "That is the basis of her hostility towards us."

"It hurts us deeply and we're quite saddened by that," Lawrence added.

When shown a recent picture of Rachel, Lawrence said, "We recognize her obviously but that isn't the Rachel we know...The Rachel we know is the Rachel that was always caring about other people and spoke of all of her family and wanted to be identified with us."

"The rejection is the painful part of this," Ruthanne continued. "We're very fond of our African American friends, we've always enjoyed ethnicity and diversity and had friends and Rachel grew up that way. Adopting the four children was an extension of that as well. Her identification with African Americans is not hurtful to us, but for her to reject us as her parents, that is what hurts. And the dishonesty is very concerning."

The couple says Rachel told her African American siblings to keep her secret for her. "They were warned not to let it out, not to blow her cover. That's what we've been told by them," Ruthanne revealed.

While she denies her daughter has mental illness, Ruthanne went on to describe Rachel as "not always realistic or rational. This is obviously the most extreme of her behaviors in that line."

As for what they would say to their daughter if they could see her today, Ruthanne said, "I would just say Rachel we love you and please tell the truth."