One of our great heroes has passed. And so the world has lost one of its most amazing poets. Rest in peace, Amo. Thank you for the armor, the sword, the pen, the hope.
"As if I returned
to what has been
As if I walked
in front of myself
I restore my harmony
between the trial and the verdict
I am the son
of simple words
I am the martyr of the map
the family apricot blossom
O you who grip the edge
of the impossible
From the beginning until Galilee
Return to me my hands
Return to me
My identity"
From Poem of the Land
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
It's back...
Project Runway, that is! I was happy to find out that the show has not moved to Lifetime yet (because, as much as I love the Golden Girls, I don't really want to see clothes designed for them... or do I??). There is no Arab Adonis this season to keep us occupied (bye, Rami), but there IS a woman (Terri) who suspiciously resembles Donna Summer, and therefore I already love her. There's also a woman (Stella) who looks like Cher on a bad day after a makeover from Tommy Lee if she hadn't had all that work done on her face (oops), and though she appears to be a one-trick pony when it comes to her designs (and her first one was totally lame and hideous), she is from Queens so therefore I already like her too. There's also a girl named Korto who I like because she seems like someone I'd totally want to hang out with on a daily basis (and have her design outfits for me!). Otherwise, most of the others are boring hipsters who are strangely indeterminate from one another. Except that weird guy called Suede (?!) who is apparently really desperate to have everyone call him Suede (and not Albert or whatever his real name probably is) judging by the fact that he constantly refers to himself in the third person. And Jerell who is actually really cute but kind of looks like a hobo. And Blayne, who is probably insane (hence the rhyme) and used "girlicious" even more often than Christian Siriano used "fierce" (even more bizarrely, he used it in description of this outfit he created, which is probably the last thing I'd describe with that term, except maybe the thing that Jerry guy who got auf'd created). Maybe there ARE interesting people on this season... it's really all too much... you'll have to see for yourself (bravotv.com/projectrunway). And thanks to the teasers, I am SO looking forward to hearing Tim Gunn tell the designers, "Holla at ya boy." Oh Tim Gunn!
Monday, June 23, 2008
We Heart Summer
Summer is, undoubtedly, the time of year most people can't wait for and when hella fun things happen. With one of us just graduated from college, one of us preparing for her last year (hopefully) of graduate school, and another about to begin law school, we're all geared up for an amazing, wayward summer.
We're also having a really busy summer, which should explain the dearth of postings as of late. The Prince of Kabob and I just returned from a two-week visit to Egypt visiting our dear friend Hector Bouvier, where we dined on the Nile, gazed at objects of classical antiquity, strolled the lovely parks of Cairo and beaches of Alexandria, and sweated a whole damn lot. Thank goodness for San Francisco fog! Soon our very own al-Fallaha will be traveling again as well, this time making her way to rock the Balkans.
Lots of good stuff is happening on our home turf, too. One big thing we're looking forward to this summer is the fabulous, chic, fun Bibi party, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary this Friday. Really, every wayward Middle Easterner and SWANA folk should be there!
Wayward Middle Eastern Girls love summer! Even the foggy San Francisco kind! See you out there... xo
We're also having a really busy summer, which should explain the dearth of postings as of late. The Prince of Kabob and I just returned from a two-week visit to Egypt visiting our dear friend Hector Bouvier, where we dined on the Nile, gazed at objects of classical antiquity, strolled the lovely parks of Cairo and beaches of Alexandria, and sweated a whole damn lot. Thank goodness for San Francisco fog! Soon our very own al-Fallaha will be traveling again as well, this time making her way to rock the Balkans.
Lots of good stuff is happening on our home turf, too. One big thing we're looking forward to this summer is the fabulous, chic, fun Bibi party, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary this Friday. Really, every wayward Middle Easterner and SWANA folk should be there!
Wayward Middle Eastern Girls love summer! Even the foggy San Francisco kind! See you out there... xo
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Victimized? A Fashion Controversy
As if it wasn't bad enough that the keffiyeh has been warranting so much debate thanks to its inappropriate adoption by those who think Urban Outfitters invented the thing, Palestine is again making news in the fashion world due to the production of a this tee shirt (as featured on the Fashionista website) displaying the image of a Palestinian youth holding a gun with the word "Victimized" written below him. While Fashionista appears to dislike the shirt, as well as totally misunderstand its purpose (there's no explanation of "why it was intended to be funny or ironic" because it WASN'T, geniuses), Freshjive-- the company that created it-- has offered an eloquent, intelligent, and perfectly acceptable defense of the shirt and rationale for its production.
While I am very critical of Urban Outfitters (namely because their clothes are way overpriced and often way ugly, plus the keffiyeh issue of course), I am not surprised they sold the shirt, given their apparent habit of wrongly using Palestinian images and culture for capitalist purposes. I am also not surprised they pulled the shirt, as they obviously weren't selling it for political reasons (and clearly have no backbone). So of course, that fact is a source of annoyance. But the reason I have Freshjive's back on this issue is because this is not a matter of simple misappropriation. The company knew exactly what they were doing by making the shirt; it wasn't (only) a money thing. Rather, the shirt was created as a political statement, a part of the company's "The World's Got Problems" line in which true political issues facing the world today are brought into the open. As Rick, the owner of Freshjive, states in his defense, "is it not simply true that some Palestinian kids have become child soldiers due to the ongoing battle between Palestine and Israel?... Is it not simply true that some Palestinians and especially Palestinian children are victims of this terrible conflict?" Can't deny that.
Even more so, I have their back because of the criticism they have received for the shirt-- not just aesthetic (that people think it is ugly or in poor taste because it features an unfortunate truth) but political. People have actually complained that the shirt is, among other things, a "brutal, bloody, Jew-hating tee shirt." I am pretty sure, just by looking at the shirt, that there is no mention of Jews (or people of any religion or ethnicity other than Palestinian) on it, and that it claims no political opinion thereof; it simply states that Palestinian children have often been victimized as a result of the conflict in Palestine, as stated above. There's nothing else to it, and if you have to make that kind of leap to support your case, you don't have much of one-- and if you are so quick to label things as hateful or bigoted when they really aren't, you should probably examine why you need to be that defensive to begin with.
Personally, I like what the shirt is saying and the creator's reason for making it. I think anyone who wears it-- unlike the ubiquitous keffiyeh-usurpers-- knows what it means and knows why they are wearing it, which I support. While I do have to think that it might serve to objectify Palestinians even more so than they already are, I also appreciate the fact that a company is taking these risks to speak their opinions and speak the truth about what goes on in the world-- the things that people don't like to think about or admit.
While I am very critical of Urban Outfitters (namely because their clothes are way overpriced and often way ugly, plus the keffiyeh issue of course), I am not surprised they sold the shirt, given their apparent habit of wrongly using Palestinian images and culture for capitalist purposes. I am also not surprised they pulled the shirt, as they obviously weren't selling it for political reasons (and clearly have no backbone). So of course, that fact is a source of annoyance. But the reason I have Freshjive's back on this issue is because this is not a matter of simple misappropriation. The company knew exactly what they were doing by making the shirt; it wasn't (only) a money thing. Rather, the shirt was created as a political statement, a part of the company's "The World's Got Problems" line in which true political issues facing the world today are brought into the open. As Rick, the owner of Freshjive, states in his defense, "is it not simply true that some Palestinian kids have become child soldiers due to the ongoing battle between Palestine and Israel?... Is it not simply true that some Palestinians and especially Palestinian children are victims of this terrible conflict?" Can't deny that.
Even more so, I have their back because of the criticism they have received for the shirt-- not just aesthetic (that people think it is ugly or in poor taste because it features an unfortunate truth) but political. People have actually complained that the shirt is, among other things, a "brutal, bloody, Jew-hating tee shirt." I am pretty sure, just by looking at the shirt, that there is no mention of Jews (or people of any religion or ethnicity other than Palestinian) on it, and that it claims no political opinion thereof; it simply states that Palestinian children have often been victimized as a result of the conflict in Palestine, as stated above. There's nothing else to it, and if you have to make that kind of leap to support your case, you don't have much of one-- and if you are so quick to label things as hateful or bigoted when they really aren't, you should probably examine why you need to be that defensive to begin with.
Personally, I like what the shirt is saying and the creator's reason for making it. I think anyone who wears it-- unlike the ubiquitous keffiyeh-usurpers-- knows what it means and knows why they are wearing it, which I support. While I do have to think that it might serve to objectify Palestinians even more so than they already are, I also appreciate the fact that a company is taking these risks to speak their opinions and speak the truth about what goes on in the world-- the things that people don't like to think about or admit.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Al-Nakba Event in SF!
Bay Area people (or should I say, beble?), you MUST come to this event on Saturday May 10 in SF, recognizing 60 years of al-Nakba (the Disaster) in Palestine-- the destruction of homes, seizure of land, denial of existence, and, yes, apartheid state, for Palestinians. It is being organized in part by our very own hardworking Miss al-FallaHa, among others, and is going to be excellent. The entertainment features the amazing local soul-funk-hiphop band the Scribe Project, the lovely and talented DJ Emancipacion, NaR, Dam, and other hotness.
Here's the scoop from the organizers, plus the flyer. Remember, the event is FREE and close to BART and Muni. Yalla, come out!
Here's the scoop from the organizers, plus the flyer. Remember, the event is FREE and close to BART and Muni. Yalla, come out!
The Local Nakba Committee
and the Palestine Right to Return Coalition Present
Nakba-60, Palestine Peace and Solidarity Festival
MAY 10TH 2008, 12-6pm
CIVIC CENTER, SAN FRANCISCO
We invite you to commemorate 60 years of struggle and resistance on the anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, Arabic for "catastrophe" and marks the expulsion, dispossession and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.
Bring the family, and join us for a special day of resistance music, cultural and youth programs, Nakba tent/art, Dabka, local solidarity groups and more! Meet survivors from 1948, and learn about the tragedy, while listening to Palestinian and Native American elders recount their experiences. Childcare assistance will be provided on-site.
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Artists:
Dam, featuring Abeer – see: www.dampalestine.com
Shadia Mansour: http://profile.myspace.com
Fred Wreck
Ras Ceylon
Arab Summit: Narcicyst, Excentrik, Omar Offendum, Ragtop
Scribe Project
Rebel Diaz
Special performances by: Boots Riley, NaR, Mamaz, Kiwi, Polikal Heat, Rithmatik, Patriarch, and DJ Emancipacion - with MC's: Noura Erakat and Maysoon Ziyad.
We need your support!
Please donate what you can! Make your tax-deductible donation payable to 'Palestine Right to Return Coalition' or "PRRC/Palestine Solidarity" and mail to:
Local Nakba Committee (LNC)
PO Box #668
2425 Channing Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
To donate online: go to: www.al-awda.org, and please make sure to include 'Nakba-60, Palestine Solidarity Festival in the notes, or to the Facebook cause titled "Nakba-60, FREE Palestine Peace & Solidarity Festival".
A special thank you to event partners: Al-Awda, Arab Resource & Organizing Center, Middle East Children's Alliance, American Indian Movement, International Jewish Solidarity Network
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Never Forget.
Let us never forget the injustices carried out against those who have done nothing to deserve the terror and displacement and apartheid and genocide enforced upon them. Let us never forget our people, our struggles, and the land from which we came, from which we were banished, to which we will someday rightfully return. Let us not forget that many of us fled our stolen land only to settle in stolen land, and that it is our responsibility to stand in solidarity with others as we stand for our own struggles. Let us not forget the meaning of the word "home" and hold it with us even when it feels we do not have one. Let us never forget, even as many of those who've had the sharpest memories and suffer the deepest wounds leave us. Let us never forget that these things still happen, today, all around the world.
For Armenia. For Palestine. For Sudan. For Iraq. For America. For the world.
For Armenia. For Palestine. For Sudan. For Iraq. For America. For the world.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Look Into My Eyes
Look into my eyes, tell me what you see
You don’t see a damn thing, cuz you can’t relate to me.
You’re blinded by our differences, my life makes no sense to you.
I’m the persecuted one, you’re the red white and blue.
You stay awake in tranquility, a face to cross your eyes.
Each day I wake in gratitude, thanking God he let me rise.
You worry about your education and the bills you have to pay,
I worry about my vulnerable life, and if I’ll survive another day.
Your biggest fear is getting a ticket as you close your cadillac,
My fear is that the tank that has just left will turn around and come back.
Do you know the truth of where your money goes?
Do you let the media deceive your mind?
Is this the truth, that nobody, nobody, nobody knows?
Someone tell me, ooohh
Let’s not cry tonight, I promise you one day is through
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sister, ooohh
Shine a light for every soul that ain’t with us no more,
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sisters.
See, I’ve known terror for quite some time.
57 years so cruel.
Terror breathes the air I breathe
It’s the checkpoint on my way to school.
Terror is the rivalry of my land, and the torture of my mother
The imprisonment of my innocent father, the bullet in my baby brother.
The bulldozers and the tanks
The gasses and the guns
The bombs that fall outside my door, all due to your funds.
You blame me for defending myself against the ways of my enemy,
I’m terrorized in my own land, and I the terrorist.
Do you know the truth of where your money goes?
Do you let the media deceive your mind?
Is this the truth, that nobody, nobody, nobody knows?
Someone tell me, ooohh
Let’s not cry tonight, I promise you one day is through
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sister, ooohh
Shine a light for every soul that ain’t with us no more,
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sisters.
America do you realize that the taxes that you pay
Feed the forces that traumatize my every living day?
So if I won’t be here tomorrow, it’s written in my faith
May the future bring a brighter day, the end of our wait.
Ooohh, let’s not cry tonight, I promise you one day is through
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sister, ooohh
Shine a light for every soul that ain’t with us no more,
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sisters.
Ooohh, let’s not cry tonight, I promise you one day is through
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sister, ooohh
Shine a light for every soul that ain’t with us no more,
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sisters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P12aqVeZkQ
I encourage everyone to listen to this beautiful song. It might just open up your eyes a bit... and maybe make them tear. (And yes, I transcribed it all by myself :)
You don’t see a damn thing, cuz you can’t relate to me.
You’re blinded by our differences, my life makes no sense to you.
I’m the persecuted one, you’re the red white and blue.
You stay awake in tranquility, a face to cross your eyes.
Each day I wake in gratitude, thanking God he let me rise.
You worry about your education and the bills you have to pay,
I worry about my vulnerable life, and if I’ll survive another day.
Your biggest fear is getting a ticket as you close your cadillac,
My fear is that the tank that has just left will turn around and come back.
Do you know the truth of where your money goes?
Do you let the media deceive your mind?
Is this the truth, that nobody, nobody, nobody knows?
Someone tell me, ooohh
Let’s not cry tonight, I promise you one day is through
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sister, ooohh
Shine a light for every soul that ain’t with us no more,
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sisters.
See, I’ve known terror for quite some time.
57 years so cruel.
Terror breathes the air I breathe
It’s the checkpoint on my way to school.
Terror is the rivalry of my land, and the torture of my mother
The imprisonment of my innocent father, the bullet in my baby brother.
The bulldozers and the tanks
The gasses and the guns
The bombs that fall outside my door, all due to your funds.
You blame me for defending myself against the ways of my enemy,
I’m terrorized in my own land, and I the terrorist.
Do you know the truth of where your money goes?
Do you let the media deceive your mind?
Is this the truth, that nobody, nobody, nobody knows?
Someone tell me, ooohh
Let’s not cry tonight, I promise you one day is through
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sister, ooohh
Shine a light for every soul that ain’t with us no more,
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sisters.
America do you realize that the taxes that you pay
Feed the forces that traumatize my every living day?
So if I won’t be here tomorrow, it’s written in my faith
May the future bring a brighter day, the end of our wait.
Ooohh, let’s not cry tonight, I promise you one day is through
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sister, ooohh
Shine a light for every soul that ain’t with us no more,
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sisters.
Ooohh, let’s not cry tonight, I promise you one day is through
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sister, ooohh
Shine a light for every soul that ain’t with us no more,
Ooohh my brothers, ooohh my sisters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P12aqVeZkQ
I encourage everyone to listen to this beautiful song. It might just open up your eyes a bit... and maybe make them tear. (And yes, I transcribed it all by myself :)
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Wayward Hookah Girl
I've been looking for something positive and creative to post about after the exit of Project Rami-- and lord knows those can be hard to find, these days. However, today while performing a Google search for an art project, I stumbled upon the website of Marguerite Dabaie, a Palestinian-American artist and cartoonist based in Brooklyn who was born and raised in S.F. Check out the work on her page, which includes excerpts from her book, Hookah Girl and Other True Stories (which is available for purchase at what I believe is a very reasonable cost). Her work reminds me of Alison Bechdel and Joe Sacco rolled up in kickass wayward Pali girl attitude, addressing (from what I can tell so far) the idea of being Palestinian, American, and female, from childhood through adulthood, through topics such as the annual Palestine Day festival in SF, grandparents and tradition, identity politics, and the keffiyeh as a designer fashion accessory (which you know I have an opinion about!).
Check out her page! And also check out the links on her Hookah Girl site for more Arab-related political and artists' sites. It's always exciting to hear from another wayward ME girl who's doing something different, making art out of life and identity, and making herself heard. Word!
Check out her page! And also check out the links on her Hookah Girl site for more Arab-related political and artists' sites. It's always exciting to hear from another wayward ME girl who's doing something different, making art out of life and identity, and making herself heard. Word!
Homophobes Are Gay
The proof is in the pudding. And by pudding, I mean a study which has proven that "homophobic behaviors are just the schoolyard bully's more obvious version of a hanky code" (Violet Blue). Tell that to the unfunny Jay Leno-- who, honestly, I had no idea was still on TV-- and his apparent bizarre fixation with Ryan Phillippe's long-ago gay soap opera role. Hmm. Violet Blue investigates!
Makes sense, really. If you're a straight person who brings up the issue of gayness randomly, unnecessarily, and often, or if you're so homophobic that you actually spend your time and effort protesting against gayness-- as with the person mentioned at the end of Violet's column, and numerous others-- or, even more so, dedicate whole chunks of your life and career to homophobia (Jerry Falwell, et. al.), there's got to be something deeper lurking behind the surface, and I don't just mean hot air (though there's lots of that too). Seriously, if you weren't thinking about gayness all the time, you wouldn't be doing that. And thus, you make yourself fodder for the plots of certain genres of adult films...
Makes sense, really. If you're a straight person who brings up the issue of gayness randomly, unnecessarily, and often, or if you're so homophobic that you actually spend your time and effort protesting against gayness-- as with the person mentioned at the end of Violet's column, and numerous others-- or, even more so, dedicate whole chunks of your life and career to homophobia (Jerry Falwell, et. al.), there's got to be something deeper lurking behind the surface, and I don't just mean hot air (though there's lots of that too). Seriously, if you weren't thinking about gayness all the time, you wouldn't be doing that. And thus, you make yourself fodder for the plots of certain genres of adult films...
Monday, March 17, 2008
"Desert Scarves," or, The Misappropriation of Culture
As my cohort the Prince of Kabob introduced in a previous post, one subject that has received much of my ire lately is the recent (though not new) trend of wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh, apparently known to Urban Outfitters (among other retailers) and clueless wearers as a "desert scarf," as a casual clothing accessory. My opinion on the matter began as interested, became conflicted, and eventually has evolved into straight-up anger. When I first began to see people wearing the keffiyeh a couple of years ago-- here and there, not very often-- I would think that it was maybe kind of cool, that maybe they were wearing it as a political statement of being down for the Palestinian cause-- but mostly, I wondered why 21st century San Francisco hipsters were interested in dressing like my deceased great-grandfather and his peers, the keffiyeh being first and foremost just a regular old traditional Arab scarf that farmers and other men used to wear (and still do) to protect their heads from the sun and dirt and sand, which has also evolved into a symbol of Palestinian nationalism and culture. I too have worn the keffiyeh, before this "desert scarf" business came about, both as a symbol of my activism and heritage, and as a means of keeping warm.
Within the past couple of years, though, more and more people-- namely those trend-focused persons whose numerous atrocities in the name of "fashion" I will refrain from detailing at the moment-- have been wearing the keffiyeh, to the point at which it has evolved into a simple, mass-produced, completely inauthentic, trendy piece of clothing that has lost its meaning. I have seen it sold, in many ridiculous colors, by Urban Outfitters (as mentioned before), at army surplus stores, and at shops in trendy neighborhoods.
My issues here are severalfold. First, it makes me laugh that people will pay eighteen dollars (!) for this mass-produced item, when the real thing (which is much more attractive, incidentally) costs much less. Second, it irritates me that people are appropriating this piece of Arab culture without having any idea at all what it represents, or what it means to wear this, or caring to find out, or even knowing its origin-- in essence, being very ignorant about what they choose to put on their bodies. I realize that some non-Arab people do wear this while participating in acts of activism or in support of the cause, and I accept this as long as they educate themselves on the keffiyeh and its meaning and do not fetishize it or the Palestinian/Arab people. If you like the scarf and want to wear it, fine-- just know what it's all about.
Perhaps most of all, it angers me that Arab culture is being commodified and sold by a capitalist and colonialist nation which dares to accuse people of terrorism while unapologetically committing horrible acts of terrorism itself (see previous post for an example). Essentially the commodification of the keffiyeh is an act to discredit the Palestinian cause, making it something to take lightly via the mainstream misappropriation of one of its most recognizable images. That a nation's retailers would promote the production and sale of this imitation item while simultaneously condemning those who have worn it and brought it into the public view as an item of both culture and the cause (Leila Khaled, Arafat, the Palestinian people and most Arabs) is outrageous and hypocritical, but, sadly, not surprising. Why not make a few bucks off the people who we work hard to keep ignorant (Americans) and who we work hard to disenfranchise and destroy (Palestinians, Iraqis, etc...)? It is, after all, the American way!
Yes, I do think it carries much different meaning when an Arab-American wears the scarf as opposed to other types of American. I will bet you that 99 percent of the time, when an Arab wears this scarf, this person will know exactly what it means to do so, whether culturally or as a sign of solidarity, or both. I know that this is not the case with most of those who wear the sweatshop-made, mass-produced imitations in such fun colors as pink and yellow. If somebody likes the appearance of the keffiyeh and chooses to wear it, they are free to do so, but in my opinion should at least be aware of the connotations, and if they do not agree with them, or do not care either way, should not wear the keffiyeh. It troubles me to have my heritage and my people's struggles commodified and trivialized in such a way, and that is exactly what is being done, whether the wearer is aware of it or not.
And for the record, it's not called a freaking "desert scarf."
Within the past couple of years, though, more and more people-- namely those trend-focused persons whose numerous atrocities in the name of "fashion" I will refrain from detailing at the moment-- have been wearing the keffiyeh, to the point at which it has evolved into a simple, mass-produced, completely inauthentic, trendy piece of clothing that has lost its meaning. I have seen it sold, in many ridiculous colors, by Urban Outfitters (as mentioned before), at army surplus stores, and at shops in trendy neighborhoods.
My issues here are severalfold. First, it makes me laugh that people will pay eighteen dollars (!) for this mass-produced item, when the real thing (which is much more attractive, incidentally) costs much less. Second, it irritates me that people are appropriating this piece of Arab culture without having any idea at all what it represents, or what it means to wear this, or caring to find out, or even knowing its origin-- in essence, being very ignorant about what they choose to put on their bodies. I realize that some non-Arab people do wear this while participating in acts of activism or in support of the cause, and I accept this as long as they educate themselves on the keffiyeh and its meaning and do not fetishize it or the Palestinian/Arab people. If you like the scarf and want to wear it, fine-- just know what it's all about.
Perhaps most of all, it angers me that Arab culture is being commodified and sold by a capitalist and colonialist nation which dares to accuse people of terrorism while unapologetically committing horrible acts of terrorism itself (see previous post for an example). Essentially the commodification of the keffiyeh is an act to discredit the Palestinian cause, making it something to take lightly via the mainstream misappropriation of one of its most recognizable images. That a nation's retailers would promote the production and sale of this imitation item while simultaneously condemning those who have worn it and brought it into the public view as an item of both culture and the cause (Leila Khaled, Arafat, the Palestinian people and most Arabs) is outrageous and hypocritical, but, sadly, not surprising. Why not make a few bucks off the people who we work hard to keep ignorant (Americans) and who we work hard to disenfranchise and destroy (Palestinians, Iraqis, etc...)? It is, after all, the American way!
Yes, I do think it carries much different meaning when an Arab-American wears the scarf as opposed to other types of American. I will bet you that 99 percent of the time, when an Arab wears this scarf, this person will know exactly what it means to do so, whether culturally or as a sign of solidarity, or both. I know that this is not the case with most of those who wear the sweatshop-made, mass-produced imitations in such fun colors as pink and yellow. If somebody likes the appearance of the keffiyeh and chooses to wear it, they are free to do so, but in my opinion should at least be aware of the connotations, and if they do not agree with them, or do not care either way, should not wear the keffiyeh. It troubles me to have my heritage and my people's struggles commodified and trivialized in such a way, and that is exactly what is being done, whether the wearer is aware of it or not.
And for the record, it's not called a freaking "desert scarf."
Saturday, March 15, 2008
The Berkeley Hippie and People's Park
It's not like Berkeley and San Francisco are that much different. In both places you have every kind of person out there ... so diverse and so beautiful, yet my friends in San Francisco insist that I am "Sooo Berkeley!" They always reinforce this by calling me a hippie, labeling me "Berkeley", and insisting that I take a shower ... Who needs showers anyway? I take pride in my Berkeley roots, as I'm from here (and Palestine, of course) born, raised, and now as a scholar. They perpetually label me and even introduce me to new people as a Berkeley hippie! Come on guys ... that's so unfair. (I don't really mind this label, but sometimes they take it to extremes!) I don't have dread locks, I'm not sleeping in the trees (though I support the people sleeping there's cause and give them food or beanies, blankets, etc. when I can), and I do make it to the shower every so often. I'm not saying all hippies are what I just described, but that is the common stereotype.
So yesterday at this event I was a part of planning, we had an excess of food left over and didn't know what to do with it. I said load me up, let's give it to homeless people. I'll leave it in People's Park. They, not knowing much of Berkeley, asked me what People's Park was. People's Park is a park built by and for the people and lits of homeless people reside there and the non-homeless of Berkeley always drop off free food there. So, I went to People's Park carrying trays of food. The homeless people I walked by were talking to me, "Good Morning," "How are you," and other things of this sort. Someone asked if that was free food, and I said "YES! Free Food!" As soon as I set the food on the picnic table, I see this flock of socializing homeless people briskly making their way toward me. I smiled and left before I was trapped in a mob of homeless people. I felt bad that some of the food was soggy due to the rain falling on the bed of my truck where I stored the food on the drive back to Berkeley and People's Park. I was happy that at least the food got there right though. They seemed to appreciate it. Besides, you know what they say ... beggars can't be choosers!
So yesterday at this event I was a part of planning, we had an excess of food left over and didn't know what to do with it. I said load me up, let's give it to homeless people. I'll leave it in People's Park. They, not knowing much of Berkeley, asked me what People's Park was. People's Park is a park built by and for the people and lits of homeless people reside there and the non-homeless of Berkeley always drop off free food there. So, I went to People's Park carrying trays of food. The homeless people I walked by were talking to me, "Good Morning," "How are you," and other things of this sort. Someone asked if that was free food, and I said "YES! Free Food!" As soon as I set the food on the picnic table, I see this flock of socializing homeless people briskly making their way toward me. I smiled and left before I was trapped in a mob of homeless people. I felt bad that some of the food was soggy due to the rain falling on the bed of my truck where I stored the food on the drive back to Berkeley and People's Park. I was happy that at least the food got there right though. They seemed to appreciate it. Besides, you know what they say ... beggars can't be choosers!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Project Rami! FINALE
This week we saw the finale of Project Runway, season 4, and thus the end of our weekly television-based dose of one of our favorite wayward Middle Eastern boys, Rami Kashou...
We'll be brief. As you may know by now, Rami came in second this season, following the young and sassy Christian Siriano. There's a lot we could say about this situation: how Rami's collection was actually the most beautiful and diverse and didn't look like Shakespeare on crack, how a woman whose idea of a good accessory is grapefruits implanted under her skin is probably not the best choice for a guest judge, how Michael and Nina-- as experienced and talented as they are-- are still kind of boring, and, ultimately, how this is just television and probably had as much to do with months of producers' planning as it did with the actual designs and designers... but, you know. What we will say is that Christian was not a horrible one to win if Rami couldn't-- his designs have been consistently well-made and innovative, and he exudes potential, and already has a fashion-industry attitude-- and, frankly, seeing him a bit vulnerable and emotional at the end was actually rather nice. (We felt this way about Jeffrey Sebelia last season, too, which made it a little better that he won instead of our fave, Mychael Knight... except his final collection actually was better than Mychael's, but whatever.) Nevertheless, coming in second in a show full of lots of talent is nothing to scoff at, and Rami will still be getting plenty of publicity and attention and hopefully financial support, which is really all he'll need because he is amazingly talented and has already been very successful. And, bottom line, we are so proud that another ambitious young Palestinian man has transcended circumstance and done so well-- and will continue to. That's true reality right there.
We'd like to direct you to Project Runway's "Rate the Runway" page for this last episode, in which you can view, and rate, the looks from each final designer's collection, including Rami's, which was positively gorgeous. And here, you can watch Rami's (highly edited) exit interview, in which he exhibits a lot of poise, class, and graciousness. We'd especially like to ask all those who have been hating on him all season-- and we know there are a lot of you out there-- to watch, because you get a better idea of who Rami really is.
Bottom line, this is television. Even reality shows are not reality. We'll miss watching the show (and Rami) every week, but we also got plenty else to do. Like save the world! We hope you'll join us.
(P.S. Rami, if you ever decide to make anything in our size and price range, give us a call.)
xoxo,
WMEG
We'll be brief. As you may know by now, Rami came in second this season, following the young and sassy Christian Siriano. There's a lot we could say about this situation: how Rami's collection was actually the most beautiful and diverse and didn't look like Shakespeare on crack, how a woman whose idea of a good accessory is grapefruits implanted under her skin is probably not the best choice for a guest judge, how Michael and Nina-- as experienced and talented as they are-- are still kind of boring, and, ultimately, how this is just television and probably had as much to do with months of producers' planning as it did with the actual designs and designers... but, you know. What we will say is that Christian was not a horrible one to win if Rami couldn't-- his designs have been consistently well-made and innovative, and he exudes potential, and already has a fashion-industry attitude-- and, frankly, seeing him a bit vulnerable and emotional at the end was actually rather nice. (We felt this way about Jeffrey Sebelia last season, too, which made it a little better that he won instead of our fave, Mychael Knight... except his final collection actually was better than Mychael's, but whatever.) Nevertheless, coming in second in a show full of lots of talent is nothing to scoff at, and Rami will still be getting plenty of publicity and attention and hopefully financial support, which is really all he'll need because he is amazingly talented and has already been very successful. And, bottom line, we are so proud that another ambitious young Palestinian man has transcended circumstance and done so well-- and will continue to. That's true reality right there.
We'd like to direct you to Project Runway's "Rate the Runway" page for this last episode, in which you can view, and rate, the looks from each final designer's collection, including Rami's, which was positively gorgeous. And here, you can watch Rami's (highly edited) exit interview, in which he exhibits a lot of poise, class, and graciousness. We'd especially like to ask all those who have been hating on him all season-- and we know there are a lot of you out there-- to watch, because you get a better idea of who Rami really is.
Bottom line, this is television. Even reality shows are not reality. We'll miss watching the show (and Rami) every week, but we also got plenty else to do. Like save the world! We hope you'll join us.
(P.S. Rami, if you ever decide to make anything in our size and price range, give us a call.)
xoxo,
WMEG
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Project Rami! Week... um... semifinals
Rami! Rami! Rami! We can't express how excited we are for you right now! And very proud. You have withstood the lustful/envious gaze of Michael Kors, the overly critical gaze of Ninagaahceea (as Heidi calls her), and the, frankly, quite frightening gaze of Heidi Klum, all to make it to the pinnacle of the Project Runway Experience: Bryant Park! Bravo! (Ha, ha.)
Of course, we're not too surprised Rami made it, but we had our doubts for a little while-- namely, when he created yet ANOTHER, however immaculate and gorgeous, draped evening dress (right) for the final regular challenge, inspired by the artwork found in the Met. And really, when we saw him looking so intently at the Grecian statues in the classics room, we practically saw the show's producers licking their chops, and we wanted to scream at him not to take the bait. And he did, and the judges called him out for draping again, but it all worked out because they (very wisely) decided to give him AND Chris another chance. But, unlike last season, only one of them would progress to the finale-- after, of course, creating an entire collection and showing their best three looks to the judges. Sneaky, sneaky!
Cut past the rather uneventful reunion special to this week's episode, in which Tim Gunn visited each of the final four to check on their progress, as he does every season. Nutshell: Christian works out of a closet, essentially (no pun intended) and appears to have a rather lonely private life; Jillian still makes us feel tired and her entire family is more interesting than her; Rami's house is just as tasteful as his designs and his life story was, of course, heartbreaking (though we wish he would have mentioned Palestine...); and Chris remains wacky and fun and sweet and has friends who appear to be just the same (what was UP with that guy's apartment?). Focus now on Rami and Chris' designs: Rami's have been inspired by Joan of Arc and appear quite intriguing, except such oddities as a mustard-colored coat that Tim identified as very heavy, and Chris' heavily made use of-- yes-- human hair as trim. WTF? Suffice it to say, Tim was weirded out, and so were we. And although the designs he ended up showing the judges were actually quite nice, we couldn't get over the hair part (I don't think they could, either-- their expressions were priceless) and did, for the first time, agree that they were actually quite costumey. Thankfully, we won't have to hear the judges utter that word again, because poor Chris got auf'd in favor of our boy Rami, whose three looks didn't really offer too much to criticize save for the overdone-ness of the teal coat, which was still very well-made. See the three looks Rami offered up below:
(Credit to this third one goes to ProjectRunGay, with our thanks, because Bravo's image of the dress really sucked. And, coincidentially, it was our favorite look out of the three.) Best of all, Rami LISTENED to the judges, and although we often suspect they've been smoking hashish, it really paid off this time.We can't let Chris go, though, without saying how good of a job we think he did and how much we have really come to like him over the season-- even more so than his designs, which we never actually thought were as questionable as the judges seemed to. Chris has a bright future ahead of him, whether he chooses to spend it desgining costumes or clothing.
And so, we look forward to next week, in which we will get to watch the runway show (and Posh's grapefruit-like boobs popping out of whatever she wears-- best guest judge EVER), and find out who the winner will be. Truly, we think Rami has an excellent chance, based on what we've seen of the collections so far and on the fact that he is a true talent. Good luck, Rami!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Vay...
Dear readers (all three of you), we apologize for the dearth of posts lately. While this blog is extremely important to us, we have been crazy busy doing thousands of other things, including but not limited to working, dancing, drinking coffee/tea/vodka and plotting the revolution, reading, planning adventures in Middle Eastern travel, and studying (sort of). All while looking fab. So you see, this blog has fallen to the wayside a bit amidst the craziness-- we haven't even had time to watch Project Runway. Insane, we know. Good thing it was just the reunion (our guess: Heidi laughed like a crazy, Ricky cried as usual, Rami defended the draping, Christian was a droll bitch, and Jillian and VictorYA rolled their eyes a whole lot, while Tim Gunn was very tactful though silently wishing he could tap his ruby Prada slippers together and be transported back to his apartment with a cup of Constant Comment and the latest issue of the New Yorker). Anyway, no worries, because the wheels of thought have still been turning, and we should be posting again soon. We love you!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
The Bush-Capades
I am finally posting my long-awaited review of the day in Palestine when ...
On Thursday, January 10th, 2008, George W.B., along with 1700 US Soldiers, took their 1st trip to the WB, the West Bank, Palestine, the place over 4 million refugees and expatriates, including myself, call home. Not only did Bush bring 1700 US personnel along, but all the employed Palestinian police, army, and security forces were on duty that day. It was like a national holiday. All shops in downtown Ramallah (Al Manara) were required to close. The forces roaming Ramallah were doing everything at all costs to stop opposition to the President we all hate, not just in Ramallah, but in all the West Bank.
Those living in the streets surrounding the Muqat'a, the Palestinian President's headquarters, were forbidden to leave their homes or even look out the window. They were warned that they would be shot at if they did so. All the nearby streets were closed. Oh, yes, and schools were closed as well for this ... day.
As I woke up late and began walking toward the center of town with my laptop bag, sans laptop, I was stopped by a jeep full of Palestinian army men. They asked if they could talk to me for a minute and then the man in the passenger seat got out and asked if I had anything in my bag. I said yes. (I don't normally carry big bags without anything in them, I was thinking.) He asked me what was in it. I said notebooks (telling the complete truth), want to see? I opened my bag, looked at him dumbfounded, and then he appologized and returned to his seat. I set off walking, a bit frazzled, as they drove away. (At this time I was unaware of the security measures I described above).
As I walked on, I realized, a bit slow on hte uptake as usual, that my big bag had suspect written all over it and that I could have possibly been plotting to kill Bush or something. I guess it's a good idea I didn't plot ahead of time, as much as it sounds like a great idea looking back. I've never been that close to Bush! I arrive uptown disappointed ...
Not only was there no protest, which I later found out the reason for, but the only people who were there silently holding up signs were foreigners. Obviously non-Palestinian, native speakers of English, German, etc., and they were holding up signs about peace, "Bush = Terrorist," and one that completely irritated me which said, "Our Freedom Is NOT For Sale." A great message, yes, I agree, but shouldn't that message be coming from Palestinians who actually own the land that should not be for sale and not foreign activists? I was PISSED! Where were the PALESTINIANS??
I later found out where they were. The Palestinian protesters were stopped before they could even start. Two of my friends were planning to just pump up hundreds of black balloons to release upon Bush's arrival around 11am, but they were stopped in the place that was pumping them up, were physically searched, and had their hawiyyas (or ID cards) taken; all this dome by Palestinian police. (How did they know where they would be pumping?? Talk about secret service ...) All of the protests throughout the West Bank were instantly smothered, Gaza being the only region to take a stand against Bush's visit. Could this be a divide and conquer tactic? I am uncertain, but now I will pose more questions for you to ponder.:
On Thursday, January 10th, 2008, George W.B., along with 1700 US Soldiers, took their 1st trip to the WB, the West Bank, Palestine, the place over 4 million refugees and expatriates, including myself, call home. Not only did Bush bring 1700 US personnel along, but all the employed Palestinian police, army, and security forces were on duty that day. It was like a national holiday. All shops in downtown Ramallah (Al Manara) were required to close. The forces roaming Ramallah were doing everything at all costs to stop opposition to the President we all hate, not just in Ramallah, but in all the West Bank.
Those living in the streets surrounding the Muqat'a, the Palestinian President's headquarters, were forbidden to leave their homes or even look out the window. They were warned that they would be shot at if they did so. All the nearby streets were closed. Oh, yes, and schools were closed as well for this ... day.
As I woke up late and began walking toward the center of town with my laptop bag, sans laptop, I was stopped by a jeep full of Palestinian army men. They asked if they could talk to me for a minute and then the man in the passenger seat got out and asked if I had anything in my bag. I said yes. (I don't normally carry big bags without anything in them, I was thinking.) He asked me what was in it. I said notebooks (telling the complete truth), want to see? I opened my bag, looked at him dumbfounded, and then he appologized and returned to his seat. I set off walking, a bit frazzled, as they drove away. (At this time I was unaware of the security measures I described above).
As I walked on, I realized, a bit slow on hte uptake as usual, that my big bag had suspect written all over it and that I could have possibly been plotting to kill Bush or something. I guess it's a good idea I didn't plot ahead of time, as much as it sounds like a great idea looking back. I've never been that close to Bush! I arrive uptown disappointed ...
Not only was there no protest, which I later found out the reason for, but the only people who were there silently holding up signs were foreigners. Obviously non-Palestinian, native speakers of English, German, etc., and they were holding up signs about peace, "Bush = Terrorist," and one that completely irritated me which said, "Our Freedom Is NOT For Sale." A great message, yes, I agree, but shouldn't that message be coming from Palestinians who actually own the land that should not be for sale and not foreign activists? I was PISSED! Where were the PALESTINIANS??
I later found out where they were. The Palestinian protesters were stopped before they could even start. Two of my friends were planning to just pump up hundreds of black balloons to release upon Bush's arrival around 11am, but they were stopped in the place that was pumping them up, were physically searched, and had their hawiyyas (or ID cards) taken; all this dome by Palestinian police. (How did they know where they would be pumping?? Talk about secret service ...) All of the protests throughout the West Bank were instantly smothered, Gaza being the only region to take a stand against Bush's visit. Could this be a divide and conquer tactic? I am uncertain, but now I will pose more questions for you to ponder.:
- Why can foreigners speak on behalf of Palestinians, but Palestinians can't speak on behalf of Palestinians?
- If the Palestinian President, or anyone in the world for that matter, came to DC to speak with the US President, would work close? School close? Would people be threatened of leaving their homes or looking out windows? Would protests be stifled? (Shu? Bafakruna klab? - What? They think we're dogs?)
- Why does the US worship Israel when their government allowed and didn't stop protests against Bush's meetings with Palestine and Israel? Why were Israelis allowed to work and go to school?
- Why did Bush go out of his way to pay a visit to the graves of Israelis but refused to visit Yaser Arafat's grave when he was only 15 meters away? (It was literally 15 meters, for I was in the headquarters with a Presidential guard member just days after his arrival where he showed me how everything happened.)
- After Ramallah Bush went to Bethlehem. Actually, he went to the Church of the Nativity. When asked cordially but the Minister of Tourism on Palestine multiple times to walk around Bethlehem, take a look at the wall, and get a better feel for what Palestinians live like, he REFUSED! Not that I'm optimistic in any way, but how much can Bush help the Palestinian people if he doesn't even care to know their conditions?
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Project Rami! Weeks 9 and 10
Hello, dear readers, and welcome again to Project Rami!
Various busy events in our lives, including the dispatch of our dear friend Hector Bouvier to al-Misr (that's Egypt for you gringos), and the return of our own lovely al-FallaHa from the homeland, have prohibited us from reporting recently on the adventures of our Rami. Nevertheless, we only have two weeks with which to update you, as last week aired, unfortunately, a repeat of the previous week's episode.
Now on to the previous new episode. The ladies and, uh, "ladies" were taken on a fi
eld trip, which had them shaking in their Prada shoes. Fortunately they were not taken to a garbage dump (as you may remember took place in a season long ago and far away-- last year) but to a warehouse full of Levi's jeans, in which they were instructed to grab as many denim items as possible in order to design an iconic yet fashion-forward look. Our clever boy ran around grabbing as many pairs of dark denim as possible, knowing it would help him convey the sophisticated look he loves. And it paid off! Rami's design (at right) was gorgeous, and certainly the one we'd most like to wear. And we'd rock it! (This is the royal we, of course, as our Prince of Kabob wouldn't be caught dead in anything resembling a skirt.) The zippered detail is gorgeous and unique (I'm surprised nobody else thought of that, but that's one reason why Rami is so good, I guess!) and the buttons give a very subtle pseudo-nautical touch that is light enough to remain classic. Also, the consistency in the color and texture makes it look classy and quite high-end. We think our boy should have won, but instead the judges picked... Ricky?! This wasn't completely out of left field as his strapless tube dress, with button detailing down the center and a generous r
uffle at the bottom, was indeed very cute and could be considered iconic. But I don't know, as far as fashion goes, Rami's just stood out more. Though I do give Ricky props for nearly giving Christian an aneurysm with his surprise win! The auf went to Victorya, no surprise, for her embarrassment of a "coat" (really, I could sew some scraps of denim onto a jean jacket too, girl). We're gonna show it here on the left because it's really just too bad... needless to say, we're not too upset to break up the Sullen Sisters, though now Jillian has to frown and furrow her brow all alone...
Regarding this week's episode, we'd like to convey this message to Rami: draping is not for spandex, and draping is definitely not for wrestling! Yes, friends, wrestling. The challenge this week was to create a look for a professional female wrestler to wear in the ring based on her personal taste-- and, um, the fact that pro wrestling is incredibly tacky. Chris almost cried tears of joy, as to him, this was the next best thing to dressing a drag queen (which they initially suspected the challenge would be about). Our BFF Tim Gunn, meanwhile, good-naturedly called himself "grandpa" while attempting to climb into the ring in his impeccible suit. What a sweetie!
Poor Rami was a little frustrated with this challenge, as someone who is accustomed to designing high-end outfits and sophisticated eveningwear might be. And we really felt for him, and didn't mind his choice of hot pink spandex, either-- the girl looked like a Barbie doll, so what else would be more appropriate? But when we saw him starting to drape that
fabric over the shoulder of the dress form, we wanted to scream-- and would have, if our mouths hadn't been full of brownie at the moment (oops). Rami, please! No more draping, at least until you get to do an evening look again. We don't want to see you go!
Fortunately, our boy did not go, as his look turned out all right after all (at right) and other designers appeared to fare even worse. Sweet P, although she dramatically rescued her outfit at the last minute, managed to create something more suited for the boudoir than the ring. And Ricky, last week's unexpected winner, decided to make a bathing suit for Jennifer Lopez. Granted, his model, Layla, worked it to no end (girl has a head of hair we envy!) but unfortunately, could not conceal the fact that it was, um, not a wrestling outfit. And so, poor Ricky, we say auf to you. Now your tears can flow freely and in peace! The winner for this week was Chris, we are glad to report. Each week makes us more fond of him, and it is only fitting that someone who designs outrageous looks for drag queens and stage shows should win this tacky challenge. Plus, who didn't love it when he said his ideal superhero would "crush men between her enormous breasts"? Oh Chris!
And with that, friends, we conclude this week's Project Rami, looking forward to another week with our boy who has remained in the game thanks to his talent and tact (and, we'd like to think, maybe a little of Michael Kors' drooling over his muscular physique). Next week looks like it should be a good one, too, so don't miss it!
xoxo,
WMEG
Various busy events in our lives, including the dispatch of our dear friend Hector Bouvier to al-Misr (that's Egypt for you gringos), and the return of our own lovely al-FallaHa from the homeland, have prohibited us from reporting recently on the adventures of our Rami. Nevertheless, we only have two weeks with which to update you, as last week aired, unfortunately, a repeat of the previous week's episode.
Now on to the previous new episode. The ladies and, uh, "ladies" were taken on a fi
eld trip, which had them shaking in their Prada shoes. Fortunately they were not taken to a garbage dump (as you may remember took place in a season long ago and far away-- last year) but to a warehouse full of Levi's jeans, in which they were instructed to grab as many denim items as possible in order to design an iconic yet fashion-forward look. Our clever boy ran around grabbing as many pairs of dark denim as possible, knowing it would help him convey the sophisticated look he loves. And it paid off! Rami's design (at right) was gorgeous, and certainly the one we'd most like to wear. And we'd rock it! (This is the royal we, of course, as our Prince of Kabob wouldn't be caught dead in anything resembling a skirt.) The zippered detail is gorgeous and unique (I'm surprised nobody else thought of that, but that's one reason why Rami is so good, I guess!) and the buttons give a very subtle pseudo-nautical touch that is light enough to remain classic. Also, the consistency in the color and texture makes it look classy and quite high-end. We think our boy should have won, but instead the judges picked... Ricky?! This wasn't completely out of left field as his strapless tube dress, with button detailing down the center and a generous r
uffle at the bottom, was indeed very cute and could be considered iconic. But I don't know, as far as fashion goes, Rami's just stood out more. Though I do give Ricky props for nearly giving Christian an aneurysm with his surprise win! The auf went to Victorya, no surprise, for her embarrassment of a "coat" (really, I could sew some scraps of denim onto a jean jacket too, girl). We're gonna show it here on the left because it's really just too bad... needless to say, we're not too upset to break up the Sullen Sisters, though now Jillian has to frown and furrow her brow all alone...Regarding this week's episode, we'd like to convey this message to Rami: draping is not for spandex, and draping is definitely not for wrestling! Yes, friends, wrestling. The challenge this week was to create a look for a professional female wrestler to wear in the ring based on her personal taste-- and, um, the fact that pro wrestling is incredibly tacky. Chris almost cried tears of joy, as to him, this was the next best thing to dressing a drag queen (which they initially suspected the challenge would be about). Our BFF Tim Gunn, meanwhile, good-naturedly called himself "grandpa" while attempting to climb into the ring in his impeccible suit. What a sweetie!
Poor Rami was a little frustrated with this challenge, as someone who is accustomed to designing high-end outfits and sophisticated eveningwear might be. And we really felt for him, and didn't mind his choice of hot pink spandex, either-- the girl looked like a Barbie doll, so what else would be more appropriate? But when we saw him starting to drape that
fabric over the shoulder of the dress form, we wanted to scream-- and would have, if our mouths hadn't been full of brownie at the moment (oops). Rami, please! No more draping, at least until you get to do an evening look again. We don't want to see you go!Fortunately, our boy did not go, as his look turned out all right after all (at right) and other designers appeared to fare even worse. Sweet P, although she dramatically rescued her outfit at the last minute, managed to create something more suited for the boudoir than the ring. And Ricky, last week's unexpected winner, decided to make a bathing suit for Jennifer Lopez. Granted, his model, Layla, worked it to no end (girl has a head of hair we envy!) but unfortunately, could not conceal the fact that it was, um, not a wrestling outfit. And so, poor Ricky, we say auf to you. Now your tears can flow freely and in peace! The winner for this week was Chris, we are glad to report. Each week makes us more fond of him, and it is only fitting that someone who designs outrageous looks for drag queens and stage shows should win this tacky challenge. Plus, who didn't love it when he said his ideal superhero would "crush men between her enormous breasts"? Oh Chris!
And with that, friends, we conclude this week's Project Rami, looking forward to another week with our boy who has remained in the game thanks to his talent and tact (and, we'd like to think, maybe a little of Michael Kors' drooling over his muscular physique). Next week looks like it should be a good one, too, so don't miss it!
xoxo,
WMEG
Monday, February 4, 2008
Thoughts regarding the Democratic primary...
Like many people, WMEG has been closely following the primary elections this year. Like anyone else, we are extremely concerned with the state of this country-- not to mention the world-- and we know that whoever is elected our next President will have a significant effect on what happens with Iraq, immigration, civil rights, and more. Obviously, we WMEGs are left-leaning ladies and ladysirs, and look to this season's Democratic primaries for our next presidential hopeful (since, unfortunately, any candidate from a more liberal party or-- gasp!-- no party affiliation at all, has no chance). Essentially, then, for us it has come down to two candidates, really-- Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Now, perhaps we should let it be known that WMEG "endorses" Barack Obama in this election-- based on his political history, his ideas, and the change he stands for, which really should be the reason anyone votes for whoever they do. But regardless of our choice-- which isn't really what this post is about anyway-- we are truly excited that the candidates to choose from are a woman and a person of color, and not the same old white men we have had to put up with every four years since Native Americans were the number one target of choice for their oppression (not that much has changed since then except expansion of their range). But, of course, we can't have this kind of election without the fact that the candidates will be thought of as representatives of these particular groups-- women and black people/people of color-- rather than as individuals who should be regarded as such. I do recognize that it is natural for this to occur, since this lineup is the first of its kind (sadly), and as with other new and unfamiliar things, people are quick to stereotype and compartmentalize. Also, it is very cool (and about time) that the two top contenders for a major party's nomination are a woman and a black man, and in some ways it should be recognized and celebrated. But really, we can't realistically think about this situation without considering the inherent discrimination involved.
This election has made me wonder if many will vote based on who they have fewer qualms about-- or against whom they discriminate less. Can they better stand the idea of a woman in charge of the United States, or a black man? Both would inherently challenge the status quo, at least representationally, and aesthetically. No doubt that the perspective of a non-white/non-man would be at least a little different than that of a white man-- unless you are Condoleezza Rice, and therefore insane. Of course, many people welcome this change in perspective, and truly will vote based on the candidates' ideas and past actions. But I do feel there is this pervading sense of identity politics that is more or less present but not addressed (not that it would be, since this would mean treading into some mighty deep and murky waters). Though I have reasons for not making Hillary Clinton my choice, her being a woman doesn't have much to do with it. When people talk smack about her for crying, I get really frustrated because they act like it's because she's a woman and therefore prone to insane emotional fluctuations, which means she can't be President because she's a human being and not a robot, as candidates are apparently expected to be. I personally think this means she is just more likely to act with compassion, which is something that we desperately need. And when people act skeptical of Barack Obama because they say he is "inexperienced," I can't help but think that they actually mean "black." Maybe they think he can't be taken seriously because they don't see many black people in politics; it's outside their realm of thinking. He doesn't fit the stereotype they have-- he's successful, but not a hip-hop artist or basketball player, so maybe this confuses them. Nobody would admit these things, but they exist. They're inherent. Different is uncomfortable to many people. But at this time in our history, different is exactly what we need. I just hope this means people vote with their heads and their hearts, and not with their eyes-- or their blindness.
Now, perhaps we should let it be known that WMEG "endorses" Barack Obama in this election-- based on his political history, his ideas, and the change he stands for, which really should be the reason anyone votes for whoever they do. But regardless of our choice-- which isn't really what this post is about anyway-- we are truly excited that the candidates to choose from are a woman and a person of color, and not the same old white men we have had to put up with every four years since Native Americans were the number one target of choice for their oppression (not that much has changed since then except expansion of their range). But, of course, we can't have this kind of election without the fact that the candidates will be thought of as representatives of these particular groups-- women and black people/people of color-- rather than as individuals who should be regarded as such. I do recognize that it is natural for this to occur, since this lineup is the first of its kind (sadly), and as with other new and unfamiliar things, people are quick to stereotype and compartmentalize. Also, it is very cool (and about time) that the two top contenders for a major party's nomination are a woman and a black man, and in some ways it should be recognized and celebrated. But really, we can't realistically think about this situation without considering the inherent discrimination involved.
This election has made me wonder if many will vote based on who they have fewer qualms about-- or against whom they discriminate less. Can they better stand the idea of a woman in charge of the United States, or a black man? Both would inherently challenge the status quo, at least representationally, and aesthetically. No doubt that the perspective of a non-white/non-man would be at least a little different than that of a white man-- unless you are Condoleezza Rice, and therefore insane. Of course, many people welcome this change in perspective, and truly will vote based on the candidates' ideas and past actions. But I do feel there is this pervading sense of identity politics that is more or less present but not addressed (not that it would be, since this would mean treading into some mighty deep and murky waters). Though I have reasons for not making Hillary Clinton my choice, her being a woman doesn't have much to do with it. When people talk smack about her for crying, I get really frustrated because they act like it's because she's a woman and therefore prone to insane emotional fluctuations, which means she can't be President because she's a human being and not a robot, as candidates are apparently expected to be. I personally think this means she is just more likely to act with compassion, which is something that we desperately need. And when people act skeptical of Barack Obama because they say he is "inexperienced," I can't help but think that they actually mean "black." Maybe they think he can't be taken seriously because they don't see many black people in politics; it's outside their realm of thinking. He doesn't fit the stereotype they have-- he's successful, but not a hip-hop artist or basketball player, so maybe this confuses them. Nobody would admit these things, but they exist. They're inherent. Different is uncomfortable to many people. But at this time in our history, different is exactly what we need. I just hope this means people vote with their heads and their hearts, and not with their eyes-- or their blindness.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Al-FallaHa
Ok, so I picked my alias, my blogger name, after long term contemplations. I will now be referred to as Al-FallaHa. One of my dearest friends from the Holy Land constantly refers to me as Al-FallaHa and addresses me as "Ya FallaHa" as we speak to each other of the qari'a (village) while fully emphasizing every "chaa" instead of "kaaf" and every "kaaf" instead of the medani hamza (or dropping of the "qaaf" sound all together). I am thoroughly cconvinced that this name is the most fitting as I recall stories of the blad (not blaaaaaad, dear cousin) where my family would work in the fields and spend cold winters in a stone hut, the stone hut Sedi, my grandfather, was born in, as they produced the best tasting olives and olive oil in all the world. Bianco Jan (prince of kabob), I know you're not fond of olives, but I know you will appreciate the roots in which my name is derived because the only other fitting name for me would be Al-Nawariyya, which has been assumed, and rightfully so, by my notorious, curl-rocking cousin. So I hope WMEG will accept Al-FallaHa as a frequenting blogger on their mission to take over the world!
Monday, January 28, 2008
"Fear lulls our minds to sleep"
WMEG went to see Persepolis last week. We loved it! If for some strange reason you have yet to see this film, do yourself a favor, and get your butt in the theatre.
While the film is almost exclusively in black-and-white, you won't even notice. Satrapi's narrative infuses the film with all the color and vibrancy necessary. It's accessible enough to a wide range of audiences so that just about everybody can derive the right mix of laughter, knowledge, and analysis from the story (and is that not the point of film itself?). Fun fact side facts: Anoush (Marjane's radical uncle) is an Armenian name. And with that not-entirely-vital bit of Armenian pride, we have now officially become either our Armenia-radical grandmother or the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Everything is Armenian (or Greek, or Arab, or whatever you like). Just look harder. And put some Windex. Anyway!
Even though WMEG saw this film at San Francisco's Embarcadero Landmark Theatre, allegedly a prime choice for educated city folk (read: white liberal people who donate to Greenpeace and HRC), we could still discern faint head-scratching among our fellow theatre-goers. The mental wheel-turning surfaced: "Oh! Those Iranians didn't all like the shah?" "The British tried to meddle in Iran? And the Iranians didn't like that either?" "There were communists in Iran?!" "People in Iran listen to Iron Maiden and do aerobics?!!!!" Hah! We hope that this film reaches as many people as possible in the "West." It is exactly this type of humanizing, via a fairly universal and popular medium, which can derail Orientalism.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Project Rami! Week 8
Welcome to this week's installment of Project Rami, in which we analyze the latest episode of Project Runway with a focus on Rami Kashou, hunky and talented Palestinian designer with a fondness for draping...
Rami, Rami, Rami. What can we say? He's a great designer, but we fear he may have a bit of the Midde Eastern Male Syndrome. Now, here's a disclaimer: we love many of our Middle Eastern brothers, and fathers and grandfathers and cousins and uncles and other numerous relatives and friends, but our experience in this area-- and we have a lot-- backs us up on the following claim. Have you, fellow wayward Middle Easterners, ever been in a situation in which you are a part of a household which has been invited somewhere, and there is a male family member involved-- particularly, at the helm? Well, then you are familiar with this syndrome, in which the male figure begins exclaiming about thirty minutes before it is actually necessary to leave the house, "Yalla , we're going to be late!" Now, some of us WMEGs of the lady-gendered variety have many things to do before presenting ourselves to others (and especially to other Middle Easterners), including hairstyle, impeccible outfitting, perfect eyeliner, and removal of all excess body hair. As you know, this takes time-- you may know it as being on Arab/Persian/Armenian/etc. Time. Thus, it is never possible to leave for an event any earlier than ten minutes after the scheduled time of departure -- all the while being verbally hassled by the aforementioned male(s) regarding tardiness, leading to his eventual exasperation and decision to wait in the car while muttering to himself and anyone within earshot, listening to Abdel Halim on full blast, and frantically manipulating his worry beads. That, my friends, is a symptom of Middle Eastern Male Syndrome, and while it is generally harmless (as many of our lovely men are), it is there. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!
Anyway, we're thinking that perhaps Rami showed a little of that this week. The challenge: work in teams of two to create an avant-garde look based on the model's hairstyle (and later, to create a ready-to-wear look that echoes the previous in sensibility). Now, we know working in teams can be the kiss of death even for the most talented on this show, and while Rami runs circles around Sweet P as a designer (though we have been known to be fond of her, with the tattoos and the biker past and the baffling name), we thought perhaps he was a bit heavy-handed with the leadership. His ideas were great, as always, but we couldn't help but think that, hey, some of Sweet P's were good too: we personally LOVED the bustle idea! There are never enough bustles on the runway! That would have made for something a little more edgy. And the ready-to-wear dress she made (below) was really quite lovely. Perhaps if Rami sat down, listened to some Fairuz, and played with his worry beads, he would have seen the situation with a little more clarity and realized that, even though she is a crazy ol' wh
ite lady (and we say this fondly), maybe she just needed to do things on Crazy Ol' White Lady Time, and things would have been cool. Like when your carful of family members gets to your host's house and you realize you aren't really that late because there is ALWAYS some other family who suffers even worse from time issues and gets there like two hours late. You know?
Well in this week's challenge that was Kit and Ricky. We'll be damned if Ricky isn't the luckiest hambal on this show. We're not sure how he ends up surviving each week, with the crying and complaining and the not-very-interesting designs, but he does. He's like a cockroach! Anyway, we were very sad to see Kit go, because she has consistently been our next favorite after Rami, and she's done some beautiful stuff. We would have loved to see her compete in the finale. Unfortunately this week's design was not one of her best pieces, though the idea sounded really cool. The winning Team Fierce-- Chris and Christian-- totally deserved it, if nothing but for the total outrageousness of the piece, and the ready-to-wear was very cute. Although that coat made by the Sullen Sisters (Victorya and Jillian) was, admittedly, quite ferocious... check it all out for yourselves here.
Oh, Rami. We are very, very glad you didn't leave this week, because it would have been completely unfair, and we know you have a whole lot of gorgeousness in store for us-- a look at your website promises that. But maybe a little compromise isn't always so bad, aiwa? At least next time, consider the bustle! And, um, less draping. We love you, bro.
Peace out, readers. xo
Rami, Rami, Rami. What can we say? He's a great designer, but we fear he may have a bit of the Midde Eastern Male Syndrome. Now, here's a disclaimer: we love many of our Middle Eastern brothers, and fathers and grandfathers and cousins and uncles and other numerous relatives and friends, but our experience in this area-- and we have a lot-- backs us up on the following claim. Have you, fellow wayward Middle Easterners, ever been in a situation in which you are a part of a household which has been invited somewhere, and there is a male family member involved-- particularly, at the helm? Well, then you are familiar with this syndrome, in which the male figure begins exclaiming about thirty minutes before it is actually necessary to leave the house, "Yalla , we're going to be late!" Now, some of us WMEGs of the lady-gendered variety have many things to do before presenting ourselves to others (and especially to other Middle Easterners), including hairstyle, impeccible outfitting, perfect eyeliner, and removal of all excess body hair. As you know, this takes time-- you may know it as being on Arab/Persian/Armenian/etc. Time. Thus, it is never possible to leave for an event any earlier than ten minutes after the scheduled time of departure -- all the while being verbally hassled by the aforementioned male(s) regarding tardiness, leading to his eventual exasperation and decision to wait in the car while muttering to himself and anyone within earshot, listening to Abdel Halim on full blast, and frantically manipulating his worry beads. That, my friends, is a symptom of Middle Eastern Male Syndrome, and while it is generally harmless (as many of our lovely men are), it is there. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!
Anyway, we're thinking that perhaps Rami showed a little of that this week. The challenge: work in teams of two to create an avant-garde look based on the model's hairstyle (and later, to create a ready-to-wear look that echoes the previous in sensibility). Now, we know working in teams can be the kiss of death even for the most talented on this show, and while Rami runs circles around Sweet P as a designer (though we have been known to be fond of her, with the tattoos and the biker past and the baffling name), we thought perhaps he was a bit heavy-handed with the leadership. His ideas were great, as always, but we couldn't help but think that, hey, some of Sweet P's were good too: we personally LOVED the bustle idea! There are never enough bustles on the runway! That would have made for something a little more edgy. And the ready-to-wear dress she made (below) was really quite lovely. Perhaps if Rami sat down, listened to some Fairuz, and played with his worry beads, he would have seen the situation with a little more clarity and realized that, even though she is a crazy ol' wh
ite lady (and we say this fondly), maybe she just needed to do things on Crazy Ol' White Lady Time, and things would have been cool. Like when your carful of family members gets to your host's house and you realize you aren't really that late because there is ALWAYS some other family who suffers even worse from time issues and gets there like two hours late. You know?Well in this week's challenge that was Kit and Ricky. We'll be damned if Ricky isn't the luckiest hambal on this show. We're not sure how he ends up surviving each week, with the crying and complaining and the not-very-interesting designs, but he does. He's like a cockroach! Anyway, we were very sad to see Kit go, because she has consistently been our next favorite after Rami, and she's done some beautiful stuff. We would have loved to see her compete in the finale. Unfortunately this week's design was not one of her best pieces, though the idea sounded really cool. The winning Team Fierce-- Chris and Christian-- totally deserved it, if nothing but for the total outrageousness of the piece, and the ready-to-wear was very cute. Although that coat made by the Sullen Sisters (Victorya and Jillian) was, admittedly, quite ferocious... check it all out for yourselves here.
Oh, Rami. We are very, very glad you didn't leave this week, because it would have been completely unfair, and we know you have a whole lot of gorgeousness in store for us-- a look at your website promises that. But maybe a little compromise isn't always so bad, aiwa? At least next time, consider the bustle! And, um, less draping. We love you, bro.
Peace out, readers. xo
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Project Rami! Weeks 6 and 7
This is a little late in the game, we know-- but we ARE on Middle Eastern time, after all...
Welcome to Project Rami, a weekly feature in which we discuss every wayward Middle Eastern girl's favorite Project Runway designer and Pali boy wonder, Rami Kashou.
Aside from being gorgeous, amicable, and an incredibly talented designer (he's done red carpet fashions, y'all), Rami openly discusses being Palestinian and from Ramallah/Jerusalem, stating "Ramallah, Palestine" as his hometown on his MySpace page. We love how he proudly represents. Plus, he apparently got his start designing for his mom and the other ultra-fashionable ladies of Ramallah-- that's how it do! Check out Bravo's profile of Rami here and his website here.
On to recent events in Project Runway-land... last week, Rami won the judges (and us) over with his flashy-fab future-forward response to the challenge of making an outfit out of items found at the giant Hershey's store (yes, candy) in Times Square. While we initially were really skeptical of the challenge, the designers came out with some cute, fun, and inspiring looks, led by our boy who won the challenge (and immunity for this week) with the sweetness seen at left.
This week Rami didn't fare as well by the judges' often boring and arbitrary standards. The challenge: to create a prom dress for a New Jersey teenager. While there weren't any
Aqua-Netted 'do's and three-inch acrylic nails in sight like we'd hoped (really), the contestants came up with some pretty good stuff. While Rami's drapey green modern-goddess dress (seen at right) didn't wow the judges (and actually had him placed among their least favorites), we thought it was glam and unique while still being totally appropriate. We did kinda wish it were a more vibrant green, though, and with a shorter skirt, only because his client is young and fun and can totally get away with it. But we're not complaining! Rami is still our number one. In other news, Sweet P totally should have kicked Victorya's ass (her dress did, at least), and Kit really should have won the entire challenge, but that's another story...
Check back next week for the next installment of Project Rami!
Welcome to Project Rami, a weekly feature in which we discuss every wayward Middle Eastern girl's favorite Project Runway designer and Pali boy wonder, Rami Kashou.
Aside from being gorgeous, amicable, and an incredibly talented designer (he's done red carpet fashions, y'all), Rami openly discusses being Palestinian and from Ramallah/Jerusalem, stating "Ramallah, Palestine" as his hometown on his MySpace page. We love how he proudly represents. Plus, he apparently got his start designing for his mom and the other ultra-fashionable ladies of Ramallah-- that's how it do! Check out Bravo's profile of Rami here and his website here.
On to recent events in Project Runway-land... last week, Rami won the judges (and us) over with his flashy-fab future-forward response to the challenge of making an outfit out of items found at the giant Hershey's store (yes, candy) in Times Square. While we initially were really skeptical of the challenge, the designers came out with some cute, fun, and inspiring looks, led by our boy who won the challenge (and immunity for this week) with the sweetness seen at left.This week Rami didn't fare as well by the judges' often boring and arbitrary standards. The challenge: to create a prom dress for a New Jersey teenager. While there weren't any
Aqua-Netted 'do's and three-inch acrylic nails in sight like we'd hoped (really), the contestants came up with some pretty good stuff. While Rami's drapey green modern-goddess dress (seen at right) didn't wow the judges (and actually had him placed among their least favorites), we thought it was glam and unique while still being totally appropriate. We did kinda wish it were a more vibrant green, though, and with a shorter skirt, only because his client is young and fun and can totally get away with it. But we're not complaining! Rami is still our number one. In other news, Sweet P totally should have kicked Victorya's ass (her dress did, at least), and Kit really should have won the entire challenge, but that's another story...Check back next week for the next installment of Project Rami!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
"Queer" as a Tool of Colonial Oppression
This ZNet article by a highly intelligent librarian of Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies, Blair Kuntz, discusses Israel's claim that lack of queer rights is just one more reason that Palestinians require suppression (and oppression), while themselves taking a hypocritical anti-queer stance in policies and attitudes-- oh, and the whole blackmailing and exploitation of gay Palestinians thing.
There are definitely issues with queer acceptance in Palestine, but clearly Palestinians have other more immediate concerns on their mind-- survival, for example? Using the queer card to further decry a people when you don't have the means to back it up is ludicrous, and in doing so, you insult queers as well. Haven't Palestinians been mistreated enough?
Read the article!
There are definitely issues with queer acceptance in Palestine, but clearly Palestinians have other more immediate concerns on their mind-- survival, for example? Using the queer card to further decry a people when you don't have the means to back it up is ludicrous, and in doing so, you insult queers as well. Haven't Palestinians been mistreated enough?
Read the article!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
introduction
Welcome to the WMEG blog! Some of you may have seen our illustrious MySpace profile (check our links if not). Because we are bookish, scholarly, and creative ladies and ladysirs with delightfully useless degrees in literature, we are expanding our internet terrorism to the blogsphere.
In honor of our colonizers, the British, I thought it appropriate to cite the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of wayward:
In honor of our colonizers, the British, I thought it appropriate to cite the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of wayward:
wayward
• adjective self-willed and unpredictable; perverse.
Sounds about right, OED!
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