Keffiyeh Kerfuffle Enters Comic Book Land
Hot on the heels of Rachael Ray, comes the latest “celebrity” to succumb to jihad chic: comic book character Kiden of the Marvel comic NYX
Israellycool reader Dan noticed the keffiyeh after picking up a recent issue of NYX, and emailed the artist of the comic with his concerns:
Hello Kalman,
I just picked up the latest issue of NYX, in which you were the artist, and was a little concerned to see Kiden wearing a keffiyah, a show of solidarity with Palestinian terrorism. Was this your intention or is this a misunderstanding? I look forward to hearing back from you
- Dan
Artist Kalman Andrasofszky responds:
Hey Dan,
Thanks for picking up the book, and for writing.
There is absolutely no political agenda at work here. Whatever the keffiyah may mean to Palestinians, or to you, or to israelis etc. It’s undeniable that here in North America it has become a ubiquitous fashion item among urban teen hipsters. I’m not really able to speak for said hipsters, but I’m certain 99% of them are against terrorism of any kind, Palestinian or otherwise. As am I, for the record.
My decision to dress Kiden in this scarf, simply boils down to the fact that she is an urban teen hipster, and I made her fashion choices reflect her time and her subculture. It’s pretty safe to say that if asked, Kiden would have no sympathy for terrorism in any form. Furthermore, she, like most urban teen hipsters would probably be unaware and unconcerned with the issues of the Middle East, and be equally unaware of the origins of, what to her and her peers, is an apolitical fashion accessory.
All the best,
-Kalman
I believe Kalman Andrasofszky when he says he chose the keffiyeh to reflect Kiden’s fashion choice as “an urban teen hipster.” However, he could not be more wrong when he says “I’m not really able to speak for said hipsters, but I’m certain 99% of them are against terrorism of any kind, Palestinian or otherwise.”
I guess he’s never been to a US college campus or ISM meeting.
About the Author
An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.Filed Under: General
Perhaps we should encourage the widespread wearing of this thing and thus make it so ubiquitous that it loses its meaning as a political statement. Yes, this strategy could backfire, but if all of us Zionists and pro Israelis started wearing it, the others would cry foul and claim that we stole this from them too.
I would dearly love to see it pointed out where, in the Quran, Muslims are commanded to wear a garment with fringes around and tassels in the corner.
A few months ago, over at the Point of No Return blogspot (Jewish refugees from Arab lands), a story about Yemen’s tiny Jewish remnant featured a picture of one of its rabbis with what might easily be mistaken for a fashionista’s keffiyah around his neck. I don’t believe it was worn as the obligation of a dhimmi or to identify with an oppressed people — at least not Palestinians.
Kalman is, to say the least, showing an enormous amount of naivite if he thinks the wearing of the kefiyah is only a fashion statement and not to show support for a political movement that has always used violence to attain its goals. It’s being worn in the streets of Toronto on extremely hot days this summer and assume that that is the case in other trendy urban areas in Europe and North America, so it’s not just a fashion accessory.
I have to agree with Kalman. I know a lot of kids who wear these things, they don’t know what it means, most of them don’t even watch the news or could point out Israel on a map.
They are simply following fashion trends.
I don’t know who started the trend so I don’t know what their original intention was but I know that most these kids don’t give a damn about Palestinians and accusing them of supporting something is the wrong course of action and will only drive them away from our viewpoint.
Support can’t be found round some ones neck, it’s in the heart and soul of a being that is what matters.
Furthermore, when did they hijack the Keffiyeh for themselves? It’s a practical garment that has been worn for thousands of years and as has been pointed out is of Jewish origin anyway.
We shouldn’t be mad about it, we should be manufacturing them.
The fact that kids wear the thing without knowing what it means, doesn’t mean that it is meaningless. And I’m not so convinced they don’t know. What they tell adults is not always the truth.
if thug clothes are cool because of what they represent, why wouldn’t a terrorist uniform not also be cool because of what it represents?
And let me guess, all the Che shirts I hear about is just a photo of some random guy no one knows about?
I can’t say I agree or disagree that the author does or doesn’t know what the scarf means. So I’ll keep a neutral view of him since not everyone is plugged in. But I strongly disagree when it comes to hypocritical hipsters.
Another thing to remember:
The term “hip” doesn’t just mean “fashionable,” and “hipsters” are not just people who wear fashionable clothing and use up-to-date slang. As an aging baby-boomer I can tell you that being “hip” meant being “in the know,” and “hipsters” considered themselves better informed and more intelligent than anyone else. Teenagers being what they are, I doubt that this has changed.
The so-called hipsters may not have any real understanding of what they’re promoting, but believe me, they do know what it is.
Reading a message into an ambiguous article of clothing is wrong though , especially when you are using it to vilify people- to predict their beliefs.
It’s like saying a guy with a moustache must support Stalin or Hitler- it’s that nonsensical.
It’s different from a Che shirt because it doesn’t deify a person or their belief system would a Keffiyeh sell at all if it had a picture of Arafat on it?
And even then- how many of the kids wearing Che shirts know anything about him or that he ordered 2000 people to death in Cuban jails. Do you think that they would wear those shirts if they knew that? Do you believe our youths are so twisted that they would support that act through a T-Shirt?
Don’t accuse these kids of lying either just because it would fit your opinion. It’s the wrong course of action, if you feel that strongly about it then educate but don’t dictate and don’t talk about them like they are all evil minions of the palestinian regime.
I don’t think anybody uses the term ‘hipsters’- not since the 60s so I’m not exactly how in touch with these kids you could possibly be. No offence meant. The amount of people you are talking about is so small that they are not worth worrying about.
The fact remains though, it’s a piece of clothing with no meaning except that which is read into it by it’s detractors and the thin strand of lunatics who want it to use it a symbol of solidarity- but yet again incredible minority.
The major issue here is that certain people want to accuse everyone who’s ever worn one of being a pali sympathiser.
My girlfriend has worn one in the past but the only she knows about my countries fight with the palestinians is what I have told her. She is definitely not a sympathiser and nor are our friends.
You guys are smart enough that I don’t have to tell you not to judge a book by it’s cover.
But until you see people walking down the streets in Hizbullah T-shirts and burning Israeli flags then it might be better to reserve judgement until you have met them.