Boycott US Doughnut Chain For Halting Scarf Ad, Activists Urge

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US activists have called for a worldwide boycott of doughnuts-and-coffee chain Dunkin Donuts after it pulled an online ad that a conservative commentator said promoted jihad.

"Dunkin Donuts has capitulated and withdrawn an advertisement for its products following the allegation ... that the spokeswoman in the ad was wearing a kaffiyeh, a scarf which is a staple of clothing traditionally worn by Palestinian men," the ANSWER Coalition said in a statement.

ANSWER, which groups hundreds of anti-war and anti-racism organizations around the United States, called for a "worldwide boycott of Dunkin Donuts ... to send a powerful message to corporations that engage in racism or pander to anti-Arab and anti-Muslim racists."

The activists also urged backers to send an online letter to Dunkin Donuts expressing outrage at the company's decision to drop the ad "based on the possible perception that it contained an Arab kaffiyeh" and calling for "an official apology for yielding to anti-Arab racists."

More than 7,300 letters had been sent to Dunkin Donuts in the 24 hours since ANSWER posted its boycott call on its website, Ben Becker, a spokesman for the coalition, told AFP.

A furore blew up earlier this month over a Dunkin Donuts online ad featuring celebrity chef Rachael Ray wearing a black-and-white scarf around her neck and holding an ice coffee.

Conservative columnist and commentator Michelle Malkin complained on her blog last week that Ray was sporting a "jihadi chic kaffiyeh" in the ad.

"I'm hoping her 'hate' couture choice was spurred more by ignorance than ideology," Malkin wrote.

In another blog post, Malkin wrote: "Anti-American fashion designers abroad and at home have mainstreamed and adapted the scarves as generic pro-Palestinian jihad or anti-war statements.

"Many folks out there remain completely oblivious to the apparel's violent symbolism and anti-Israel overtones," she wrote.

MORE: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5guVJbKUTPgaKr7VHwW_9u8EOCPMw

But am sending BEAMS to any that can do this.

:evilgrin:

Sid

Look or two!

I've never returned!

over a month ago. First time I had anything from them in over ten years

:P

(and they got free EMS and Police)

DD deserves to lose a lot of money over this, and the irony will be particularly delicious. (No pun intended. ;) )

if we all went in wearing black and white scarves and ordered Ice Coffee only.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/061126/4equity.b.htm

The Carlyle Group's Sweet Deal
A neglected Dunkin' Donuts gets the touchy-feely treatment
By Rick Newman
Posted 11/26/06

Dan D'Aniello was all ears in 2005 when Jon Luther, CEO of Dunkin' Brands, called and said he was looking for somebody to buy his company. The parent company of Dunkin' Donuts had long been part of the British conglomerate Allied Domecq, which had just been purchased by French spirits company Pernod Ricard. The new beverage titan planned to focus strictly on its core business, and coffee and doughnuts didn't fit.

D'Aniello, a cofounder of Washington, D.C.'s Carlyle Group, had known Luther for years. Both had been rising stars at Marriott in the 1980s. Luther had earned plaudits for turning around the Popeyes fried-chicken chain in the late '90s. D'Aniello jumped into action.

He called principals at two other private-equity firms, Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital, who agreed to invest equally with Carlyle and share the risk. The consortium tried to make a fast deal with Pernod but was told it would have to participate in a formal auction. Several other bidders emerged, and the Carlyle team raised its offer at least once. Finally, last December, the Carlyle consortium won its prize, for $2.4 billion.


They should have stood by Rachael Ray. Although I would never buy donuts from those pirates.

I started the book last night and he details how David Rubenstein, who started the Carlyle Group, was a Democrat who worked as an aide to President Carter. He started Carlyle after Carter lost the White House and now considers himself a capitalist instead of a Dem or Repub.

Frank Carlucci, former defense secretary for Reagan, was his first big investor catch. After Carlucci came on board he was able to pull in big guns like the Mellon family, GHW Bush, James Baker and John Major.

Carlyle also owns Hertz and Baskin Robbins.

until shortly after 9/11.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9400E5DD1031F935A15753C1A9679C8B63

"Bin Laden Family Liquidates Holdings With Carlyle Group"

You learn something new every day around here. Thanks! :hi:

:hi:

There was also a lot of speculation around here that the reason Tony Blair was such a poodle for B*sh was that he was going to follow Major from Downing St. to the Carlyle board.

Each chapter is about another mover, shaker and deal maker in D.C.

You have got to be freaking kidding me. She said Rachel Ray's scarf was jihad chic? Are you "series"?

What is the matter with this cretin Michelle Malkin? Wait, I just answered my own question.

I freaking cannot believe that anyone seriously believed that what sounds like an unfortunate fashion choice showed support for jihad, especially when worn by someone like Rachel Ray and that Dunkin Donuts actually reacted to it. I freaking cannot believe it.

The Republicans have actually gone over the edge if this story is true. We must now spend all our energies RIDICULING these idiots! The only way to fight ignorance and stupidity is to point it out whenever it appears. Boycott, yes, but make giant fun of them, as well.


Michelle Malkin and Dunkin Donuts think a scarf shows support of terrorism! Bwahahahaha! What a bunch of doofuses! (Dufi?)

They quit selling them. Urban Outfitters' CEO also supplied some of the
power behind the Malkin attack

After all, she has one of her own!




(Not to mention Dunkin Donuts brews its coffee from the most radical jihadi arabica beans)

Sid

I can't stand doughnuts (yuck!) and their coffee sucks. :P

I've never seen one in California and always assumed it was just a generic name for a dive joint that sold crappy donuts. I visualized a coffee shop with a smoky haze and yesterday's newspapers; the last refuge for society's scoundrels.

Not in CA, but on the east coast.

Your smoky haze comment was spot on -- at least before smoking bans went into effect. People would come in early, grab a cuppa coffee, sit down and proceed to smoke a whole pack of cigarettes on one match. So, I tended to avoid them for that reason.

I never liked them because I found their coffee not to my liking and everything else they sold tasted the alike. If someone blindfolded you, you couldn't tell the bagel from the cream donut.

However, they were immensely popular and they are, at least in the northeast, a license to print money. Open one up and before you get the door open, there will be a line around the block.

I once taught an evening course for adults. Every single student showed up with a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee. They noticed I didn't have one and offered to bring one to class for me. I politely declined.

Given their popularity, I think a boycott is useless. There are more productive ways to spend your time.

Dunkin' Donuts Consumer Care
130 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
Tel: 800-859-5339

I grew up on Dunkin' Donuts, and will continue to patronize them.

Much ado about nothing.

Funny though how both sides want a boycott; 'Them' for running the
ad, and 'Us' for their caving to 'Them'.

I am for the boycott. Fuck Dunkin' Donuts.

'Much ado about nothing.'

they are big republican supporters

just to be in their face with the ridiculousness. I have one and may wear it next time I want a doughnut :P

oooh, beware, i'm wearing... *gasp* a fabric pattern!

their donuts are for shit. I haven't been there in this century, had no plans to go any time soon.

mark

to write home about.

...and a photo shoot assistant gave Ray a scarf.

Idiots made the ad controversial, and the discussion about the ad had nothing to do with selling iced coffee, so DD pulled the ad.

Now another bunch of idiots wants to "punish" DD for pulling the ad?

Gawd no wonder this country has problems that never get solved.

I'm all for a fashion/political statement on THAT! :bounce:

Are screwed.

Damn! Double whammy, fascist-serving servers of fried sugar dough. God, who needs it?

DD as well? Guess I could use a few less donuts anyway...