Dear Dunkin Donuts,
I am outraged at your decision to stop running a commercial based on the possible perception that it contained an Arab kaffiyeh.
Symbols are certainly important in any corporation's advertising and PR, but an item of clothing, that has been used simply as a fashion accessory by a spokesperson, should not be cause for prejudice against an entire people. All Palestinians are not terrorists, and wearing a paisley pattern on a scarf that is popular in all of the Middle East, not just Palestine, is hardly akin to supporting terrorism. One would have imagined that your PR department would be able to respond to Michele Malkin's baseless comments with that kind of integrity and firmness, and taken a stand in the face of such petty attempts at fear mongering.
However, your response has been far from adequate. By removing the ad from your wesbite, you have simply caved in to the narrow-minded beliefs touted by Malkin et al. It's additionally disappointing that a company of the stature of Dunkin Donuts, which, might I add, relies heavily on vast numbers of Muslim (and Palestinian) employees to run their franchises, has succumbed to conservative propaganda perpetuated by close-minded and ill-informed individuals on a cheap soapbox.
Until your company issues an official apology for yielding to anti-Arab racists, I am boycotting all of your products and stores -- and I'm encouraging all my friends and family members to do the same.
Signed with much disappointment and disgust.
To send your own letter of disapproval to Dunkin Donuts, sign this petition.
May 31, 2008
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hear hear! Well said there, Zee.
ReplyDeleteNot too many people are taking to this side of the issue. You could, together with Arab-American associations, e-mail the Chief Brand Officer of DD with this. You could start a conflagration!
You could also share this banana split with me. Spoon?
Thanks Vish. I've already sent in a letter to DD via an online petition, and just added a link to it. If you can show your support via that link too, that would be great. Thanks for sharing the issue with your friends yesterday as well :) *hugz*
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I'm deserving of the banana split personally... so you can have it all by yourself ;)