A promotional commercial featuring TV chef Rachel
Ray was pulled after she was accused of dressing like a terrorist. Critics said
the black-and-white scarf with a paisley floral design offered symbolic support
for Muslim extremism and terrorism.
In the ad, the host of one of the
top-ranked daytime programs on television wears a black T-shirt and a scarf
around her neck. She holds an iced coffee in her hand.
The black-and-white neck wrap worn by
Rachel Ray in the commercial is accused of symbolizing a keffiyeh, a
traditional headdress worn by Arab man.
Fox news columnist Michelle Malkin explains
the garment “has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad. Popularized 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.” Arab men wore the keffiyeh to protect their heads from the heat.
Dunkin’ Donuts told AP the scarf had a
paisley design, and was selected by a stylist for the advertising shoot. The company
eventually pulled the commercial and made the statement, “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,” SFgate.com reported.
In February, several pictures with John
McCain’s daughter Meghan wearing a similar scarf circulated in the media. Her
mother, Cindy said that it “didn’t occur to her that her daughter shouldn’t be
wearing that.”
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