The Rachel Ray Keffiyeh Fiasco…
So, you heard about the Dunkin Donut ad in which the TV cooking show host Rachael Ray
wears a Keffiyeh, a traditional muslim head dress and tons of bloggers went nuts because they think that she was making a statement supporting the Palestinian struggle?
What really pisses me off is the fact that a simple head dress which is worn by thousands of Arabs and Muslims worldwide is thought to be the symbol of terrorism. By default, wearing one makes you a terrorist. Welcome to the Middle East. Thousands of men wear this everyday. So when one fashion designer behind the scenes dresses Ray in it, they start thinking that it’s a message sympathizing with the Palestinians. Now how arrogant is that!
Critics, including conservative Fox News commentator Michelle Malkin, complained that the scarf looked similar to the black-and-white checkered keffiyeh, the traditional Palestinian scarf. She referred to Ray’s scarf as an example of “jihadi chic.” Critics who fueled online complaints about the ad say such scarves have come to symbolize Muslim extremism and terrorism.
The keffiyeh, Malkin wrote in a column posted online last Friday, “has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad. Popularized by Yasser Arafat and a regular adornment of Muslim terrorists appearing in beheading and hostage-taking videos, the apparel has been mainstreamed by both ignorant (and not-so-ignorant) fashion designers, celebrities, and left-wing icons.”
She then writes, “I’m hoping her hate couture choice was spurred more by ignorance than ideology.”
This is just narrow minded rasicm and Islamophobia. What ever happened to freedom of speech? Even if she didn’t know what it was, dumpin it is not the right thing, but when faced with a mass boycott business comes first. Making such a big deal out of it is exactly what happens when people are so close minded and they don’t make the time to learn about other cultures.
So if the Keffiyeh was worn my Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, its a symbol of Jihad… that is just sad. I wonder what would’ve happened when she was wearing this:
Source
Rachael Ray’s Doughnut Ad Dunked Over Keffiyeh Kerfuffle
Dunkin’ Donuts pulls Rachael Ray ad
Join the Conversation
To the best of my knowledge, no Israelis have flown planes into buildings in NYC. No Israelis have been strapping bombs to women and children and sending them into crowded marketplaces. No Israelis have said that their goal is to exterminate all infidels. It should therefore be no surprise that the reaction would be different if Rachel Ray had worn something that was distinctively Jewish.
Michelle Malkin is a retard. She belongs to a brothel in Manila or Bangkok, silly self-hating Asian pundit that she is.
Not in NYC, but they obviously do that in Palestine and Lebanon.
Racism and bigotry is not exactly exclusive to Palestinians. Ever heard of Obadiah Shoher? A right-wing Israeli claims that Arabs are “insects” who should be killed. I don’t see you raising an eyebrow over that.
So yes, Muneeb is quite right here. This fiasco is due to bigotry and the abusive censorship that is oh so common both within the mainstream media and unfortunately within the blogosphere as well. (I should mention that we got hacked last summer by a few Israelis who disagreed with some comments, and this happens in a forum where Israelis are present and where some of them are referred to as “self-loathing” Jews merely for having different opinions.) This abuse is rarely condemned.
This video is pretty funny, and shows how Malkin is a sad character for stooping to such levels.
There’s also a growing Facebook group about this.
Saudis did this… Americans favorite Arab pawn in the Middle East… why not invade them?
Why would they do this? They have gunships, artilaries, F-16s etc to do this.
You might wona step out of the cave you live in.
Hmm… country that was built by uprooting and massacring the local population really shouldn’t say this. Israelis don’t need to say it, they do it every day to the Palestinians.
The definition of irony: I remember – in the 70-80es – lefties like myself would wear the black-and-white keffiyeh (which we called the “partisan-scarf”). We would show our solidarity with the oppressed, in this case the Palestinians. And – may I add – it was practical against Scandinavian climate. And it looked cool.
Those were the days…..US/Israel were evil, Palestinians were victims, the PLO or atleast the PFLP were lefties, and the world was black/white.
Today,it’s so much more complicated: now, we have actual Palestinians in Denmark, and generally they’re giving the PA cause a bad name. And the sole wearing of the keffiyeh can cause such controversy.Give me back th’good old days.
BTW; Danial: so, now you characterized Michelle Malkin’s intelligence and her job-opportunities and her self-esteem, what about her arguments ? Try kicking the ball, not the player.
Others have done that in my absence. There’s no use wasting my time with slimeballs like Malkin.
She resembles a hooker from 60′s-era Saigon.
“ooh sucky sucky beacoup me love you very much fo five dolla, oooh me soo horny”
What the…? ITS A DONUT SHOP AD PEOPLE! What, things are so quiet these days that someone’s scarf is a controversey? The real reson she’s wearing it is because about 10 years ago some businesman in Hong Kong saw a picture of it and said, “hey, that’s kind of funky, I think I’ll produce about a freakin BILLION of them!” I see the things all the time at yard sales, discount bins and the like. The wife has two in her closet, and as far as I know her political views extend to “Are you on that computer again?”.
I think it was just a scarf, and in no way exhibits support for the Palestinian cause. Besides, Dunkin Donuts are false confectioners! Only Tim Hortons is the true path to sugary caffeine bliss!
I thought it was hilarious when the guy from Young Turks video (posted in my previous comment) complained that something must be wrong with America if people think Rachel Ray is the face of terrorism.
It is heartbreaking to see so many people being threatened into censorship because of extreme fear-mongering and abusive bigotry of the right-wing Islamophobic thick-heads.
Quite ironic you say that Esra’a because they are often crying and whining about censorship by Muslims lol
Hey Muneeb,
Amid all the keffiyeh hysteria I just thought I’d point out the small but important fact that the keffiyeh is not so much a “traditional Muslim headdress” as it is a traditional Arab headdress.
Southeast Asian Muslims don’t generally identify with the keffiyeh. And my Christian Palestinian friend used to walk around with one all the time. He saw it as an intrinsic part of his culture and heritage.
One word: oy. On so many levels.
J.D. Baker you are a retard. MANY Israelis have said the only good Arab is a dead Arab and MANY Israelis are venomous zionists who despise Muslims, Christians, and any other non-Jews living in what they claim is a Jewish land for them only, so get a clue. You forget that Israelis dont need to resort to suicide bombings when all their mighty military hardware is bought and paid for with US tax dollars; if the roles were reversed the Palestinians wouldve been waging a conventional war while the zionist pigs would be pulling masadas and killing themselves en masse like they did when they fought the Romans. Learn about history
Pingback: Clothing the “Terrifying Muslim:” Q&A with Junaid Rana « threadbared