I just got a shudder when I put Michelle Malkin into the same sentence with the word "winner".
Today the "Great Big American Threat Brought To You By the Right-Wing" isn't gays, feminists, atheists, liberals, or even Michael Moore.
The threat is....Rachel Ray and her scarf.
Believe it or not these fanatical right-wingers attacked Rachel Ray for wearing in a scarf that seems to resemble a traditional scarf worn by male Arabs.
Dunkin’ Donuts pulled an Internet ad for iced coffee featuring celebrity chef Rachael Ray, after conservative bloggers complained that Ray’s scarf offered symbolic support for Islamic terrorists. The black and white fringed scarf, they said, looks like an Arab keffiyeh, famously worn by former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Malkin said the keffiyeh is "the traditional scarf of Arab men that has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad.”
It is my understanding that millions of Arabs wear these, as well as non-Arabs in order to keep cool from the sun and to protect them from sand. Shouldn't we consider the crucifix a "terrorist" symbol due to radicals bombing abortion clinics. What about associating the cross with pedophilia because of pedophiles priests? According to Malkin's logic, we'd be doing just that.
Here is a picture of Ray in the alleged keffiyeh.
And here is Yassir Arafat wearing an actual keffiyeh.
There is no similarity whatsoever. You don't have to be trained in fashion to tell that these are two very different accessories.
It is absolutely shameful that Dunkin' Donuts would cave to the callings of an obtuse blogger such as Malkin. I am sick and tired of these fear-mongers and their thinly veiled racism.
I guess anything relating to Arabic culture is sympathetic to the terrorists. Next we will prevent school kids from reading Ali Baba since it comes from The Book of 1001 Nights. We all know that it is the book of choice terrorists use to read their kids bedtime stories from.
Malkin and the other ignorant bloggers that made this happen should be proud. They made America safer. Thanks to you, Michelle Malkin, America will not have to worry about terrorists using donuts to brainwash and attack our citizens. I salute you!
That's How I See It.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7427206.stm
9 comments:
JediMaster,
I disagree that you say that Ms. Maklin should be part of the Utterly Stupid Catergory winner. I think that distinction should go entirely to Dunkin' Doughnuts alone. Maklin after all is just doing what she is paid to do. Making outragous statements to excite the right wing base.
Dunkin' Doughnuts on the other hand is in the business of selling doughnuts and Ms Ray is being paid to be their spokeswoman. It truly is a shame that a huge company like they are will kowtow to an outrages statement by someone who probably doesn't even believe what she has said. The doughnut company should show a little more backbone. And Ms. Ray should thank them for the money they have given her so far and tell them to keep the rest if this is how they are going to stick up for her.
I do agree with your Indy movie rankings however. I don't know if you like the Marvel comic movies, but if you do I would encourage you to see Iron Man. They have redeemed themselves after some of their bombs.
I want to commend you on your blog. I am a long time friend of Gort's and I am impressed by your ability to debate by what you have poted on his blog. You back your positions with facts and arguments and don't fall back on name calling. Keep it up young man.
billa0224 aka Rain Man signing off.
For as much as I can care less about this debate Michelle has a point. The way it was being worn I believe it to be exactly what she said.
If she was wearing it on her head in the desert, I would say Michelle is nuts. However looking at the picture, she looks like she's in mild temperature, birds singing, slight breeze and she wearing it around her neck. Protecting her neck from, bug bites ???
The below link explains it all better than I, but it looks to me like this is some sort of symbolism.
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/05/28/the-keffiyeh-kerfuffle/
"You back your positions with, as Bill says "facts" , and arguments and don't fall back on name calling."
This is one reason why I'm here "young man". You will debate without name calling. A extreme "right winger" such as myself can appreciate that.
Having said that, again...Michelle is just pointing this out and many people seem to agree with her, including myself. However, is this news ? It happens everyday, whether it's Olberman or Malkin. It's called freedom of speech and we as consumers appreciate the heads up on possible Anti-Western symbolism. I applaud D&D for recognizing the sensitivity of this issue. AND again, since she's wearing some pretty skimpy clothing I doubt she was wearing it for protection from the desert sun.
NEPA,
I am debating without name calling. I'm calling out the right-wingers just as you call out liberals on your blog. I'm not insulting anyone unless they don't want to be associated with the term "right wing". That being said, I've noticed some name calling on your blog NEPAlibWatch. And I do back up my arguments or at least my news stories with facts provided by real news providers.It's a scarf and it is clearly not a keffiyeh. Even if it was, I would like to make the point that it shouldn't matter. Just because some terrorists wear them doesn't make it a symbol of terrorism. If we want to debate its symbolism, it is symbolic towards Arab culture and being offended by it is borderline racism. It would be entirely different if a keffiyeh was SOLELY made for us by terrorists, but it is not.
I know a lot of women who like to wear scarves all year round.
Bill,
I do entirely see your point about the sole winner being Dunkin' Donuts. And yeah I did see Iron Man and I thought it was one of the best Marvel movies. I've been disappointed by some of them, but they really redeemed themselves with Iron Man. Did you happen to see the little scene after the credits? It's a pretty awesome cameo/set up.
I only resort to name calling when appropriate and sometimes it is.
DUDE ! She's drinking an ICED LATTE...enough said. It's possible.
Maybe next shoot she can be a wear a bomb vest as a fashion statement. (That was a joke)
NEPA,
Just out of curiosity since we're talking about whether or not a keffiyeh symbolizes terrorism I do wonder about you're stance on the Confederate Flag. Is it ok to fly it on government property even though some see it as a racist symbol?
BTW Bill thanks for the compliments on the blog.
The Confederate Flag should not be flown in any governmental area, we kicked their asses years ago. The way I see it this country only has 1 flag.
As far as a symbol of racism...It can be, I don't really have an opinion on it. Are you trying to bait me into agreeing with you on the scarf ?
I think there may be a disconnect between the flag and racism, and there may be a disconnect between the scarf and terror.
But both questions I believe can be answered by asking what was the intention of the party displaying the flag/scarf. Do we know if RR was dressed by a Palestinian fashion designer ?
I like Malkin, she's hot.
NEPA,
I actually can't find anything regarding who the person was that picked her wardrobe. Who knows what that means.
Jedi,
Disagree with your politics, like your writing, and as much as I like Michelle Malkin, I disagree with her on Rachel Ray.
IT'S A SCARF! Women (my wife included) have been wearing them for years! Doesn't matter what the weather is, they feel the need to accessorize! The thing is paisley, not checked, and worn around her neck, not her head...a regular "tempest in a coffee pot".
There is so much "real" stuff out there, I don't see any need to try to stir up something where there isn't anything.
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