An Op-Ed on the Dunkin Donuts/Rachael Ray Keffiyeh Kontroversy, and the Importance of Symbolism in America
E.V.O...OMG. It’s a strange day in America when radiant Rachael Ray, the lowest common denominator in middle-class food entertainment, is accused of having terrorist sympathies.
Dunkin’ Donuts, the self-proclaimed largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world, has reportedly pulled an advertisement because their spokesperson Rachael Ray was wearing what was criticized as “hate couture” by a conservative blogger. Michelle Malkin, a right-wing pundit for Fox News, claimed that the black and white paisley scarf Ray dons in the commercial resembles a keffiyeh, a scarf traditionally worn as a headdress by Arabic men. Malkin believes the scarf not only bears a likeness to a Middle Eastern garment, but also represents radical Islamic terrorism. “The keffiyeh, for the clueless, is the traditional scarf of Arab men that has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad,” Malkin states.
Dunkin’ Donuts denied that the scarf was meant to have any kind of political connotation, but pulled the ad nonetheless to avoid an affront to their customers. In a statement to Boston.com the company stated,‘‘In a recent online ad, Rachael Ray is wearing a black-and-white silk scarf with a paisley design. It was selected by her stylist for the advertising shoot. Absolutely no symbolism was intended. However, given the possibility of misperception, we are no longer using the commercial.’’
But what may be an innocuous paisley scarf to some is the flag of the Jihad to others. Malkin went on to say that the keffiyeh “popularized by Yasser Arafat and a regular adornment of Muslim terrorists appearing in beheading and hostage-taking videos,” has been “mainstreamed by both ignorant (and not so ignorant) fashion designers, celebrities and left-wing icons,” Malkin wrote in her column at RealClearPolitics.com. She goes on to refute the rebuttal that many American keffiyeh owners argue: it’s a piece of cloth. “It's just a scarf, the clueless keffiyeh-wearers scoff. Would they say the same of fashion designers who marketed modified Klan-style hoods in Burberry plaid as the next big thing?”
Indeed, a myriad of celebrities ranging from David Beckham to Kirsten Dunst have been photographed wearing scarves similar to traditional keffiyeh. Even artists like Kanye West or Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails have appeared in music videos wearing the Arabic garb. But the fringe trimmed scarf is far from being a fringe trend; keffiyeh-like scarves are being merchandized in ubiquitous retail stores like Urban Outfitters and H&M. Like the Kabbalah bracelet, which lost some of its initial spiritual or cultural significance with its exceeding popularity outside of the Hebrew religion, keffiyehs have become an American trend.
Contrary to what Malkin may think, the keffiyeh’s appeal extends beyond “left-wing icons.” It should serve as an illustrating point that the niece of the President who launched the “War on Terror” against the “axis of evil,” Lauren Bush, wore a keffiyeh to Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Business News Network launch party, of all places. Gawker made the snarky observation – was the keffiyeh Lauren wore “in solidarity with the Palestinian people” or “in solidarity with Steve McQueen?”
Even Meghan McCain, the 22-year-old daughter of the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, has also been photographed wearing a purple keffiyeh in the presence of her mother, Cindy. John McCain once said that the “transcendent challenge of our time” was to confront “the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.” If his daughter can wear a keffiyeh, then the scarf seems to have about as much political weight as Paris Hilton’s “Vote or Die” t-shirt.
To echo the words of countless boyfriends that waited for their sweethearts in stuffy dressing rooms: they’re just clothes, right? How much symbolism can we glean from a scarf? With the proliferation of the keffiyeh among young hipsters and fashion groupies, the once geographically specific garment seems to be neutralized and normalized like a Che Guevara t-shirt, and stripped of its original meaning and function.
Carey Heymann, a 21-year-old student at the University of Virginia, says she’s seen “countless girls” wear keffiyeh even as far away as New South Wales, Australia, where she is studying abroad for the semester. “It’s just a hot trend right now. I think it's pretty ridiculous to cancel the ad simply because Ray is wearing a scarf that is similar to scarves worn by Middle Easterners.” Heymann is a Jewish American, but thinks reading political symbolism into fashion trends shows “hypersensitivity…it’s along the lines of calling French Fries ‘Freedom Fries.’ I’m sure plenty of people who wear keffiyehs aren’t terrorists.”
But some Americans take patriotic symbolism more seriously than others. A Gallup poll taken in June of 2006 found that 56% of Americans would support a constitutional amendment that would prohibit burning or desecration of the American flag. In this presidential primary season alone, a candidate’s decision to acknowledge or ignore American symbols can affect public perception of his or her patriotism. When Barack Obama decided to forgo wearing the American flag lapel pin last October, it garnered the attention of many in the media. Obama defended his decision by downplaying the importance of symbols. "I'm less concerned with what you're wearing on your lapel than what is in your heart,” Obama responded. “You show your patriotism by how you treat your fellow Americans, especially those who serve. And you show your patriotism by being true to your values and ideals. And that's what we have to lead with, our values and ideals.”But the importance of symbolism was present again when conservative bloggers questioned Obama’s decision to wear the pin yet again this April.
But perhaps the most important question isn’t whether we should impart symbolism into scarves, but why would it be offensive to wear traditional Arabic garments in the first place? Is the keffiyeh a symbol of insurgent violence in the Middle East, or simply a generic article of clothing commonly worn by Middle Easterners of all walks of life? According to Merriam-Webster Online, a Kaffiyeh is defined as “an Arab headdress consisting of a square of cloth folded to form a triangle and held on by a cord.” According to this generic definition, the keffiyeh is simply an Arabic headdress, not a symbol of radical terrorism.
However, the keffiyeh’s association with former Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has rendered the keffiyeh a symbol of Palestinian solidarity – and given the garment a much more negative connotation. According to anthropology Professor Ted Swedenburg in an interview with the New York Times, the keffiyeh was originally the garb of Palestinian peasants, but was adopted by nationalists after the insurrection against the British occupation in the 1930s. The keffiyeh was again revived as a symbol of Palestinian nationalism after Yasser Arafat began to wear the black-and-white spider web patterned keffiyeh in the 1960s – identifying the scarf with the Palestinian resistance movement against Israel.
Many in the Jewish community think that the keffiyeh is an unwelcome reminder of violence – and should not be taken lightly as a fashion accessory. But Jay Geiger, a 23-year-old computer engineer and a Jewish American, thinks that we should focus on the intention of the wearer. Geiger said he would take offense to what he would see as a legitimate endorsement of Palestinian terrorism – but thinks dwelling on the symbolism of the scarf in the Dunkin' Donuts commercial is a waste of energy. “This seems like a ridiculous overreaction to an outfit [Rachael Ray] deemed fashionable. If she was using the ad to sell scarves and send the money to extremists then by all means pull the ad and create this firestorm. However, creating something out of nothing hurts Rachael Ray's career while doing nothing to better the situation in the Middle East.”
After Dunkin’ Donuts decided to ax the Rachael Ray commercial, Malkin celebrated her moral victory on her blog. “It’s refreshing to see an American company show sensitivity to the concerns of Americans opposed to Islamic jihad and its apologists. Too many of them bend over backward in the direction of anti-American political correctness.” However, Malkin acknowledged that some Americans may not be happy with the company’s decision. “Naturally, liberal commentators on the Internet are now up in arms over Dunkin' Donuts' decision to yank the ad and mock anyone who expresses concern over the keffiyeh's symbolism.” For a state like Delaware with over a third more registered Democrats than Republicans and over 50 Dunkin’ Donuts locations statewide – Dunkin’ Donuts’ decision to pull the commercial may result in lower sales for the chain – or maybe not. In any case, let’s hope Martha Stewart leaves her khaki gardening cap at home for the next Macy’s commercial – we wouldn’t want anyone to confuse her with Fidel Castro.
- Stephanie Woods