Saturday, May 31, 2008

Dunkin' Donuts axes 'terror symbol' ad



Michelle wins one:
"Dunkin' Donuts has axed an online advertisement featuring celebrity chef Rachael Ray over a fringed black-and-white scarf that critics said offered symbolic support for Muslim extremism and terrorism. In the ad, Ray wears the scarf around her neck and holds an iced coffee.

US critics, including conservative commentator Michelle Malkin, complained that the scarf looked similar to the black-and-white checkered kaffiyeh, the traditional Palestinian scarf, the Associated Press reported. The kaffiyeh "has come to symbolise murderous Palestinian jihad. Popularised 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," Ms Malkin said.

Dunkin' Donuts said the scarf had a paisley design, and was selected by a stylist for the advertising shoot. "Absolutely no symbolism was intended," the company said.

Source

In an age of sensitivity firms have to be careful. Not good for free speech, though. If enough conservatives struck back like this, it might make the Left less keen in their censorship attempts. Faint hope, I suppose.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, and as much as I admire Michelle Malkin, et al, I just don't see it. It's a SCARF for cryin' out loud.

If she were wearing it as a hajib, and wearing about 20 lbs of explosives around her middle, MAYBE I could see the objections.

Anonymous said...

It doesn't even look like a hajib. The ad agency claims that it's not even checkered but paisley. Such over reaction makes the accusers look silly and irrelevant; if they keep it up they will soon be ignored.

Anonymous said...

What a bunch of goofiness! The only thing it has in common is that it is black and white. Someone has way too much time on their hands.

Anonymous said...

For Christ's sake! This is insane! When is somebody going to stand up and say ENOUGH! In AMERICA, the taboo thing about wearing a white scarf was if you did if after Labor Day - thank you Stacy and Clinton for doing away with that rule. BUT, this is an AMERICA and nobody else would have thought that a stupid scarf would have represented a Muslim symbol, but them. I am so sick and tired of anybody not being able to take a breath without so-called "offending" those sand monkeys. Well, I'm offended that they're offended. Get the hell off our soil and go back to your own shit hole of a country. We are so afraid of "offending" that "peaceful religion" for fear of their bloody retaliations, like flying planes into buildings and rioting in 13+ different countries over a week's period because their false satanic prophet had his picture drawn. When a teacher loses their job because of a name that she picked for a stuffed animal...this has got to stop!

Anonymous said...

Snatchmo - your comment was so helpful. I find ad-hominem attacks are about the 2nd most effective form of intelligent debate, following closely on the heels of non-sequiters.

Thanks for your thoughtful and insightful input!

Anonymous said...

stain b-
you're welcome