Tuesday, November 12, 2013





California High School Pressed to Drop Its ‘Arab’ Mascot

Hot on the heels of the Washington Redskins name controversy, an Arab-American advocacy group wants a California high school to abandon its decades-old sports mascot and associated imagery on the grounds it offensively stereotypes Arabs.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is unhappy with the Coachella Valley High School’s “Arab” mascot – the name, the logo, half-time shows that feature an “Arab” figure and a belly dancer, as well as Arabian Nights-styled wall murals including one depicting an Arab man and woman using a book as a flying carpet.

“ADC is appalled at the use of a caricature depicted to be an ‘Arab’ as the official mascot of the high school,” ADC legal and policy director Abed Ayoub wrote in a Nov. 4 letter to Coachella Valley Unified School District superintendent Darryl Adams.

He observed that the mascot logo “depicts a man with a large nose, heavy beard, and wearing a kaffiay [keffiyeh], or traditional Arab head covering.”

“ADC understands the context in which the nickname was initially selected,” Ayoub wrote – apparently a reference to the valley’s history as a prime date-growing region, dating back to the early years of the 20th century.

“However, in the 21st century, such justifications for these actions are no longer tolerable.”

Source

Arab slime should think it an honor that a U.S. team is named after them

6 comments:

Stan B said...

The truth is that the "angry Arab" stereotype is much more flattering than the "suicide bomber" or "taliban beheader" character that would more appropriately represent the current feelings about "arabs" in America.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it would be a better image for Arabs and Arab culture to play on classic images as from "1001 Nights", etc.

Brian from Virgina said...

Okay then, change it to the Patriots.

Anonymous said...

"Arab slime" seems a bit harsh. The only things you'll be able to choose as mascots soon will be things that can't protest or have no-one getting outraged on their behalf.

TheOldMan said...

I agree with @6:47. "Arab slime" is a slur against slime which has no choice but to be slime. Arabs on the other hand could have been productive members of society but chose not to be.

Anonymous said...

how about "the terrible terrorists"