Rachel Ray: terrorist sympathizer?
Friday, May 30, 2008In another case of racism run amock, Dunkin Donuts pulled an ad because Rachel Ray is wearing a keffiyeh. Far be it from us to enjoy another culture’s fashion without upsetting the neo-cons of this nation.
Ray Is Latest Celeb Accused of Ara-fashion
~ABCNews
Dunkin’ Donuts has dropped an online ad featuring celebrity chef Rachael Ray wearing a scarf that some critics say is symbolic of terrorism. The fringed, black-and-white-checked wrap is being compared to the keffiyeh, a traditional Arab headdress.
another pebble? 
don’t think rachel ray had any clue – she was caught in the middle…but, let’s suppose D&D put a white hood on her? or an arm band with a swastika? would you be outraged then or consider it racism run amok? by the way, what race does the keffiyeh belong to?
do you know the history of this particular item and its prominence? what it stands for symbolically? doesn’t sound like it…ironically it’s sort of a neck scarf favored by people who like to detach the head at the neck…with large knives
here’s some more attire that might more aptly share the ideology with the ‘scarf’
I am cognizant that the keffiyeh has become a controversial symbol of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and of terrorism. However, just because it was used by Arafat and by many terrorists does not imply that it is now unusable for everyone else.
The keffiyeh serves a functional purpose as it protects against the elements in the arid climate. It is widely used in the Middle East as well as in Africa. Let us not forget that even British and American troops wear the keffiyeh to protect against the sun and sand in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It is incredibly offensive to disregard the cultural significance of an item while assigning superficial interpretations such as “all terrorists wear keffiyeh, so keffiyeh are terrorist symbols”. This is a silly and offensive game we play.
As we become an increasingly global community it is imperative that we take into account each other’s stories seeking to understand culturally specific elements and not simply relying on the most “obvious”, easy or convenient interpretation(s) of meaning.
Wearing a keffiyeh is not an endorsement of terrorism nor does it imply solidarity with the PLO.
It is time that we stop falling into the stereotyping trap. Reducing the rich cultural heritage of those around us to simplistic stereotyping is never acceptable and will always lead to righteous criticism.