Last week, Dunkin Donuts pulled out a commercial featuring their latest spokeswoman, the Food Channel’s Rachel Ray, wearing a black and white scarf similar to that worn by many Middle Eastern men, according to the Chronicle . Dunkin Donuts pulled the ad after complaints that she was dressing like a terrorist.

True, her scarf does resemble the scarf common amongst Arab men, but associating a common Middle Eastern fashion with terrorists is ignorant. First off, Ray’s scarf is of a paisley design. I find it hard to believe that terrorist wear paisley styled scarves.

According to the article, the black and white scarf ” ...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.”

From my personal experience, the traditional style scarf isn’t just limited to grace the shoulders of terrorists. When I went the pilgrimage 2 years ago in Saudi Arabia, I would say 80% of the men wear starched white robes with this similarly styled scarf draped around their shoulders. And of course the terrorist want to keep up with the latest fashion, so they dress the same. I guess we could call these Arab terrorists trend-setters, but I’m pretty sure that’s not the case.

It just a common fashion. I mean, why don’t we ban Indian accessories with designs of the swastika on them, because who knows if their conspiring to bring out another Holocaust. Or, as someone commented on the SFGATE article, ban ads with people wearing the cross on their neck, because they could be promoting the KKK.

I’m disappointed to know that Dunkin Donuts, who has braches in Saudi Arabia, showed such cowardice after a few complaints. It’s a good thing I already go to Krispy Kremes. —Maahum Chaudhry