Playing the Terrorism card - Round one
- By: Qwaider
- On:Wednesday, June 04, 2008 5:32:54 PM
- In:Thoughts
- Viewed: (4270) times
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Right after 9/11, the world changed, the dictionary meaning of the word Terrorism changed. The new dynamics of dialogue changed. People's words are weighed simply by their proximity and affiliations. The closer you are to the Israeli/American side, the farther you are to terrorism.
Cultures, cross pollinate each other with ideas, fashion, vocabulary and just about everything. Just like the Palestinians gave the Israeli's curse words to enrich their dead Hebrew language and revive it to a modern national symbol of pride for the Israeli's. They also gave them, the Hummus, Falafel, Couscous, Palestinian Thob, and Jaffa Oranges.
One thing that the Israeli entity didn't manage to ever assimilate and claim as their own is the Palestinian (and Arabic in general) Kaffiyeh. It became the face of the resistance (or Terrorism for some), Just like the face of Che Guevara and the Red Star became the face of the resistance for some and an icon for leftist ideas for the others.
Throughout the whole Dunkin Donuts madness, it became clear that there are times where people are going to press the Terrorism card, Just like they press the Anti-Semitic card from time to time. Corporations who are quick to respond on the fear of harming their bottom line will be very quick in retracting, apologizing and just submitting under the weight of the massive power of the media.
For anyone who thought that Starbucks doesn't hurt because of the boycott, just see what a company like Dunkin Donuts did on the mere accusation that they "might be" supporting terrorism because a Kaffiyeh showed in one of their ads.
Even subtle incursions by the Arabic culture into the west, are no longer tolerated in this day and age, it stands to show couple of things.
First, the power of the alternate media, blogs, and how they are taking over the whole world.
Second, Hatred is alive and well.
Third, subtle hints are being tracked all over the media. There are pro Israeli watchdogs scrutinizing every piece of media that reaches the American people from any source in the world. They're ready to raise a huge issue and play one of the hardest and heaviest cards on the table, "The terrorism card"
An accusation that is worse than a death sentence these days.
So, I painted this extremely gloomy view of the world, is there a silver lining to this whole story? well, yes, there is...
The Terrorism card is a heavy one, and you can only use it few times before it becomes null and void. Who knows if the same card is going to be used against computer manufacturer Gateway for their black and white logo, or actors like Collin Farrel, Olsen Twins, and sports stars like David Beckham who have all dressed in a Kaffiyeh before.
One thing is certain, the Kaffiyeh, is winning, where thousands of freedom fighters have lost. It made a greater subtle statement that penetrate the 21st century Iron curtain, it's not the dreaded Stallinic curtain this time, it's the American one, lets see how long it will last, and lets see how more and more subtle statements, like the kaffiyeh, are going to penetrate it
Yesterday, I was asked by 3 colleges to get them a Kaffiyeh from Jordan. Today, I'm wearing one to work!
Fadi: الله يرحمها و يجعل مثواها بعليين و يجمعك معها بالجنة بعد عمر طويل
بلوجر بالعربي: looks very good
Noura: Different home, but same longing and nostalgia .. it seems we are chasing a mirage , Beirut of my dreams does not exist nor the people i miss .. i don't know if my gains were worth the losses ? I 
price waves repeat: The other day, while I was at work, my sister stole my iphone and tested to see if it can survive a 25 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now broken 
Sara: You can say that again!God Bless🕊
ياسمين حميد: كما هي طبيعتنا نحن العرب، عند الانتقال بين منصة وأخرى لا نحتفظ بالأولى بل نتركها ونهجرها. الأمور عندنا خاضعة ل
Qwaider: These possessions are meaningless as you said, but it's still painful to let go :( May Allah grant you all you wish for and unite you with your loved ones
Nicolas: The rapid increase in intelligence within this generation is responsible for completely unforeseen phenomena that academicians are not prepared for.Some of these classic TV shows remained 
KJ-
ياسمين حميد-
MD-
Adoosh-
aya-
Hani Obaid-
Lost Within-
Mohd Shaltaf-
Naryat-
mab3oos-
Maioush-
Mohanned-
nobody-
سوزان-
za3tar-
Fadi:الله يرحمها و يجعل مثواها بعليين و يجمعك معها بالجنة بعد عم%
بلوجر بالعربي:looks very good
Noura:Different home, but same longing and nostalgia .. it seems we are chasing a mirage , Beirut of my dreams does not exist nor the people i miss .. i don't know if my gains were worth the losses ? I
price waves repeat:The other day, while I was at work, my sister stole my iphone and tested to see if it can survive a 25 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now broken
Sara:You can say that again!God Bless🕊
ياسمين حميد:كما هي طبيعتنا نحن العرب، عند الانتقال بين منصة وأخرى لا نحت%
Qwaider:These possessions are meaningless as you said, but it's still painful to let go :( May Allah grant you all you wish for and unite you with your loved ones
Session=
Memories....
Just a quick addition ... the Kuffeyeh is not exclusively a symbol for resistance. It used by many as a symbol of identity and belonging. It is also a symbol of simplicity.
As Princeton professor Daoud Kuttab recently mentioned: the kuffeyeh came to be adorned by many Arabs as an expression of resistance to the rich landlords in many Ottoman cities who wore tarabeesh (fez), and the kuffeyeh was traditionally worn by farmers and bedouin.
Not to mention, Kuffeyahs are also a nice decorative piece of clothing that has also been adopted previously in the west.. so it is still utterly stupid to see the reaction that Dunkin Donuts took to one Fox Contributor and her alliance of ignorant right-wing bloggers.
You are absolutely right, those who think boycotting does nothing .. let them look at what the mere threat of such act did to one major corporation.
oh .. i see that my link tag has been stripped out from the words "recently mentioned" .... anyway ... here is Daoud's article ... it is also a very great article to read:
http://www.daoudkuttab.com/?p=481
Your point of view is kind of different than i thought it will be...
Well, no one can denie we (Arabs) are no white hearts to jews... but yet it's war... media war...
When a similar issue happened here in a mirror reflected perspective the same reaction happened here, yet roles were exchanged...
Let me explain...
Remember when ART once was showing a match in Netherlands, and the audience of the dutch team (who have a jewishmajority by theway) were cheering for their players and at acertain goal the raised the Israeli flag... And the shot was shown in the live coverage ontheART screen... The following day articles objecting on the event poured from every where in the Middle eastern press, and ART issued a formal apology to the Arab audience every where, and it was published in many famous newspapers, and was forwarded among youth... and the match was edited and the shot of Israeli flag was removed... Although ART is a world wide recognised bouquet of sport channels... But as the majority of it's audience is Arab, they risked pessing off a few jews in the world for the sake of the Arab Audience pleasure...
The same!!
As they recognise the (Kaffeyeh) as a symbol of terrorism, we recognise there flag as a symbole of hatred!!! As ART was keen to please the Arab Majority of it's audience, Dunin Donuts was keen to please the jewish and right-winged majority of it's audience!!
I see it normal!!!
It's war friends, it's media war :-)
From the way it looks from this side of the world, the average American Joe doesn't bother with issues outside the bubble he's in and will consider anything labeled by the source of trust (the governments and media) as a threat, then it is a threat, with no real effort fro the Joe to research and look into the different points of view.
The bandwagon effect is the easiest way to go because going with the flow gives a sense of security for the individual.
The effects will eventually wear out... just like when we tell our extremists "shu kel shi sayer 7aram?" they will wake up to this brainwashing.
In other news, I am a proud owner of two Kuffeyehs (as well as the Syrian red one), and I wore them both while I was in college. Lots of Syrian villagers and farmers wear it! Unless harvesting is called terrorism these days :D