Dude, go to this link…“Rachael Ray Tried to Blow Me Up, Says Michelle Malkin.”
Now, I’m so embarrassed for the people who got the Dunkin’ Donuts ad shelved, I barely even want to explain this. I’ll let Michelle Malkin do it for me:
“Anti-American fashion designers abroad and at home have mainstreamed and
adapted the scarves as generic pro-Palestinian jihad or anti-war
statements. Yet many folks out there remain completely oblivious to the
apparel’s violent symbolism and anti-Israel overtones. Left-wing
bloggers responded with complete scorn, deliberate mischaracterizations
of the debate, and then outrage when Dunkin’ Donuts commendably showed
sensitivity to the concerns and pulled the ad. The Boston Globe accused
me of “yowling.” If you actually read my post and the column below, you’ll see no such thing.”
Michelle, the fact that you think that a scarf could in any way be anti-Israel automatically qualifies as yowling. So, let me get this straight…some fashion designers, hoping to capitalize on anti-war sentiment, adopted a popular Palestinian accessory for the Western market? Don’t you know that we in America pave over any meaning in our products the instant they become popular? For evidence of this, I submit to you: Christmas, Kwanzaa, gold crosses, “mom” tattoos, the n-word, and Che Guevara shirts. The scarves mean nothing. You know how I know that? Because Rachael Ray is wearing them in Dunkin’ Donuts ads, that’s how. The paving over of the scarf is complete. Sorry, anti-war people. You’re going to have to find a new accessory to beat us down with.
So, Ms. Malkin’s protests have actually had the opposite of her intended effect; she gave the powerless symbol some of its power back. If only she read this blog post, where a brilliant man once said,
“Fashion: Clothing is not a means of personal expression.”
Remember kids, it’s always possible to justify outrage, no matter how meaningless and insignificant the issue might seem.
And all this talk about Islam has obscured the real issue: Those scarves are uggggg-leeee! Yuck!
Time to make the donuts…
May 30th, 2008 at 1:21 am
While I agree this is ridiculous because her scarf looks simply like a scarf, I’d like to play the devil’s advocate. We must remember symbols have always represented an important part of all cultures throughout time. Had Rachel Ray worn a swastika arm band or white hood the world would have been appalled. I am amazed that certain forms of dress have become en vogue. As an expatriate from the U.S. it disturbs me that we can be so insensitive especially after 911 and I can only attribute this to ignorance. For many of us living elsewhere in the world, we see up close what these symbols represent. These organizations and governments actively support the suppression of women, the banning of freedom of religion and speech, and the tacit acceptance of violence against innocent human beings all in the name of a cause or belief. Have we become so P.C. that we refuse to tell the truth or are we somehow hoping that our own human/democratic values are also shared by all? Read, listen and observe. Actions always speak louder than words. Remember, symbols are powerful messages!
May 30th, 2008 at 8:02 am
So, in one comment you’re calling for sensitivity AND saying we’re too pc? Or should we only be sensitive to one side? Or is this just me being an ignorant American?
These things have a way of filtering around to us late, anyway. There aren’t very many Palestinians here, and none of us have heard of this whole death scarf thing. Give us some time — most of us have our own crap going on. It’s not like we sit around all day bathing in golden fountains.
And there is a difference between a scarf and a swastika. Just because some people use a certain scarf to symbolize something doesn’t mean we have to let them.