I am reading an interview with a smell guru working with a company with the name Scent Air, a company that develops smells for big companies Not the kind you sell, but rather the kind the company pumps through their system to communicate their message to your nose. Some retailers even use the trick to get potential buyers to feel happy. This is about branding and making the customer feel something. I have heard about this before, but when he spoke about one of his clients, I had special interest: He was asked about his clients whom have also included entertainment and the military. What are some examples?
For training our troops, the government would ask for smells of things like dead bodies, burnt bodies, feces, raw sewage, gunpowder, cordite. They’d use these to in a way desensitize the troops, so if they walk into a war zone and they see these things, the training helped them to be better soldiers. We've also developed scents for flight simulators. Depending on the smell, the pilot knows it’s burning wires, or fuel. “Oh, I smell fuel: I have to do these things to keep myself alive.”
I think this is an interesting take on scents, using them to train people for combat, and unpleasant surrounding Surprises suck and no one likes them, I am glad someone had the foresight to develop such stench. I think the use for pilots and the burning wires is something no one wants to live through.
After the news broke of the mass shooting in a school in Connecticut, it seems it has become in style to attack gun owners and advocate of American's right to carry firearms. Adam Lanza did a horrible thing and he had clear mental issues, those close to him should have seen it coming. The innocent who have been murdered are not the first and I hope they would be the last. Many Americans do not ask for much, they know however, that the second amendment is on of the rights they cherish the most.
I tend to find myself a purist when it comes to the US constitution, it's a sacred document for many and has worked and been working for a long time. My concern is if you start getting into intentions behind the law and what the founders had on mind, you start getting into muddy water.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
Freedom of speech could be on the line. Those who want guns will get them--the Oregon Mall shooter stole his, the guy in Norway bough his online from America. I think the issue is mental state of Americans. I understand the fear of guns, but people living in the cities do not understand the value in rural America where hunters live and making a living. They have the right to feel protected, and by owning a firearm, they are saving tax payers money. There is a reason why America works, too many laws that mock the US constitution are no needed.
Look no further, than Israel. People there have so many guns, but you do not see many of them engaging in mass shooting--the do that in Gaza and the West Bank. But in their cities, they do not have many incidents like the ones we do in America. I also think that most Americans are not violent by nature, many American homes where loving families dwell own firearms. I know those people are not heartless, and they feel for the victims of mass shootings. The solution is not in arming everyone and certainly not in disarming everyone.
I hope they would not make any dumb laws that would infringe on the American right to bear arms, and I see eye to eye with justice Scalia "I take that to be any weapon you can carry." I hope American politicians won't instate knee jerk solutions for a problem that would only cure the symptoms but not the real disease--mental illness.
And for conservatives, do not cut any more funding for metal illness programs--otherwise, you would have to deal with people like Adam, Holmes, and Virginia Tech massacre guy.
On my trip to Raleigh, I visited the downtown area and spotted a neon sign for a restaurant called Mecca. I was cool, this looks like an interesting establishment to visit. My first thought this is some Arabic food place, that serves Halal meat or something of that nature.
We walked around and then looked for a place to grab some food, we were back close to the restaurant and there we go, their menu is at the door. I looked and then came the surprise. This was no Halal place, not even close. This is a 1930 establishment that is still standing till now.
It's a diner where they actually serve tons of wines and beers. I was confused and not sure how the name came about It might not be an insult for Islam's holy city, but I do not know why Mecca came to be a place for a drinking. I am aware that in the pre-Islam era, alcohol was the cool thing to do in that Mecca. But Mecca is neither known for its food nor for its drinks. This is like having an accounting/auditing firm with the name Washington, DC in the title. It does not really add up.
I spend my thanksgiving in Raleigh North Carolina, and I loved it. For Thanksgiving, the downtown area was a zombie town--no one as much as walking down the streets. I guess people down there take family values seriously.
But I was invited to a nice home for a retired Palestinian American doctor (they live in Durham) where they were two dozens of people mostly Palestinian Americans. What was interesting the family had the turkey and had hummus too. They had rice and salad too. But when it came to desert they went all American with Pumpkin pie and cheese cake. What I learned.
Despite embracing American life to the fullest, most Arab immigrants I know, resent pumpkin pie. They we were surprised I loved it so much--I had plenty o it. I mean the boys in the room were watching the Dallas Cowboys vs. The Washington Red Skins, but still no love for this traditional treat.
And students who go to Duke, talk about it as if it was some religion. Which is pretty cool if you go or work in that great institution. We met a Yemeni and Egyptian girls who go there, and boy they were talking up that school more than they were talking about their families.
The malls down there were a lot of fun, people are naturally all about serving, smiling and getting since they were born so customer service feels great. Why people take time to talk to you and go above and beyond to be helpful. I like that.
I have been studying up on my history and found myself studying a book about the Muslims states and the history of Islam and governance. We all now see Islamic law leaning politicians winning elections and preparing themselves to rule over countries for the first time.
I have came to a conclusion about the three different phases a Muslim State goes through
The Inception Stage; we love
everyone, everybody is welcome and they can worship as they wish.
Fasting with the Jews of Arabia on Yom Kippur. This is the good
phase where we see a hug fist and tolerances high. This is when people wanted
to join the religion based on their heart not some calculation.
The Muslims were learning the principles of the religion--they were weak
and poor but had a lot of faith in what to come.
The Vulnerable Stage, the Muslims
had to live in this one after they were defeated in the battle of Ohod. They
lost really bad during this war after the other army lured the
archers to collect the spoil of war before the war has ended.
In the aftermath, revenge was the normal. Anyone who has mocked
Muslim state or disrespect had his head cut off. They really had to
scare off people so that they can buy time tell they make a comeback. At this stage many of the common rules do not apply as people are emotional than logical. Think Afghanistan, Yemen, Pakistan
The Mighty State:
Islam prevailed, people have submitted and joined
the religion, no need for violence or senseless murder, people
know you are in charge. This phase started as the Muslims walked into Mecca and
told their enemies, stay in your home and you will not be fought, you are safe
and so is your property and money. It's in this
stage where forgiveness and the real civilization took
hold. Universities and education were made a priority. The States would
defend itself and fight back those who fight them. It was at this stage, when Arabs started translating the literature work of the rest of the world to learn from them. Think Turkey, Indonesia
This is not unique to Muslims, you do not see much violence and senseless murder in a strong and well developed country. But then, if you dare to cross one of those mighty countries of today's world, you will hear the answer withing minutes. I know the States know this very well, the moment something about the mishandling for the Koran or an inappropriate quote about Islam comes out--they try to make it right in a bid not to come across as someone who belittles the religion of Islam or its figures.
While I have tremendous disagreement with some of the Salafi groups, I happen to agree with them on few things. For example, I have read that in Tunisia they have tore down a number of shrines where some Muslims go to worship by the graveside of some righteous person. Many got upset, but not me....God does not need a middle man to answer your prayer, he hears you. No need to go visit the grave of some guy to ask him to pray on your behald, this is bullshit. By the same token I disagree with those who forget that there are no sainthood in Islam.
"For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted."
The Book Of Mormon (Mormon 8:37)
A few days I ago I was halfway through writing a post on the Romney family's generosity and the positive role they play at Brigham Young University, my alma mater. But then Presidential candidate Mitt Romney went to the Middle East, and in front of wealthy donors at a cozy fundraiser went on to bash my culture in his bid to impress few donors. His statements suggested Israeli culture helped explain the country's economic success. In an effort to butter up to wealthy Jewish donors, he felt compelled to tarnish my heritage. I wasn't aware that Mr. Romney was an anthropologist capable of making such bogus claims. From Yemen to Morocco the Arab press covered and criticized his racist remarks. Romney further attributed Israeli supremacy to its culture and of course the "divine hand of providence."
For more than 60 years my family in Gaza, relatives in the West Bank and college buddies in East Jerusalem have being living under Israeli occupation. Violent airstrikes, murder, assassinations and land grabs do not allow for any economy to survive let alone thrive. Yes, Mitt Romney forgot about that little buzzkill known as the occupation. He wants the Palestinians to create an economy out of nothing while living within a militarized prions of walls, checkpoints fences and uniformed 19-year olds armed and ready to shoot.
Palestinians cannot tend to their farms without first getting permission from the Israeli government to do so. Fishermen cannot get into the water without Israel allowing access to the sea. And if that's not enough, the occupation gets a say in what college students can chose to attend. They have vetoed thousands of students college choices and even banned them from seeking higher education in academic institutions that are not within their own towns.
Yet the Palestinian can do attitude, resilience and life loving nature continues to make the most of a God awful scenario. That's why people like me make their way to places like the United States for further education. Romney's remarks are racist as they have been rightfully dubbed by the mainstream. Those comments illustrate that the candidate has ill feeling toward poor people. If you are rich you have a superior culture. If you are poor, well, sucks to be you.
As a graduate student at Brigham Young University I was part of the 50 to 60 students admitted each year to the The Romney Institute of Public Management. An accredited program that grants a Master's degree in Public Administration. Certainly I wasn't the first Palestinian admitted to the program. The great majority of alumni of the program tend to gravitate toward public service and the not for profit sector. The program offered by the The Romney Institute of Public Management is unique in that they prepare generations of people who want to make the world a better place. For example, the institute has a social venture center where people learn to create new outlets to improve lives around the globe. I am now beginning to wonder if Romney believes or fully understands the consequences of his most recent remarks on the subject of poverty. Romney has brought shame on his good family's name.
While at my alma mater, I met countless Mormon students who studied abroad at the university's satellite campus in the old city of Jerusalem. After experiencing life under occupation, the great majority of those students came back with overwhelming support for the Palestinian cause. Something that disturbed some administrators. The students did not come back back philosophizing about God and culture, they saw fellow humans in distress and sympathized with them.
While I think some extremist elements in Israel might be pleased with Romney's racist remarks, I happen to think that the mainstream Israelis would not agree with him. As a Palestinian and alumni of Brigham Young University I find such remarks reprehensible . I'm deeply disappointed in his characterization of the poor and his insensitivity to the plight of people living under occupation.
In pretty much all countries mechanics are almost exclusive trade saved for men. Even in developed countries female car mechanics are considered a novelty. Not too many females grow up thinking they want to be grease monkeys, but guys do not seem to mind it.
But in the United Arab Emirates, there has been a recorded case of a female who is very capable of fixing one's car. As you know, most mechanics tend to take advantage of female drivers where they bring their ar in for service.
She is a mother and wanted a job to bring home the bread. She applied to some trade school and they trained her well. She confesses it was not easy at he start. Her kids protested at first, but then the came around to it. I like how she closes the interview by saying that I want to show them that women can do pretty much anything.
In the UAE
مريم درويش: أوَّل إماراتيَّة تعمل في تصليح السيَّارات
If you want to take a look at Arabic Music news at the moment, make sure to read my latest interview with the National. This is a quick read if you want few words here and there about the state of Arab pop at the moment. Thanks.
For people completely new to Arab music, what three musicians shouldn't be missed?
For pop, tune in to Haifa Wehbe. If you want real music from a singer with rock-star swagger, it's Mohamed Mounir. Indie bands: Cairokee and Black Theama. For something really different, listen to [the Syrian traditional singer] Sabah Fakhri.
I have been indulging in a bit of caffeine lately, due to some work obligations and entertaining guests which leaves me little time to sleep. I have started noticing that my eye all of sudden twitch few times a day. It first freaked me out. I was not sure what to do, as it kept coming back, I considered calling my eye doctor.
But then it was not a big deal, I have gotten used to it, so consulting the internet oracle, I have come to learn there are few reasons why my eye has been break dancing.
-Stress
-
-Lack of sleep, check
-Fatigue
-Prolonged staring or eye strain
-Caffeine, check.
It turn out that my new found habit might be contributing in the eye of my trouble. I long to a good night sleep where my eye lid will rest up and not lead me to consume some caffeine. The good news, this is temporary and goes away by itself without any treatment so I do not need to worry about a muscle spasm
In DC, the Arab and the Muslim scene in terms of organizations are either or. You are either white or black, you are either cool hip and down or traditionalist and secluded. What I am trying to get at here is the following, in DC there are two Arab groups or Muslim ones, the one that does drink, party and wear really short dresses. And there are those who are conservative, and thus identify with either conservative groups.
I find myself somewhere in the middle, I do not drink, but I do not like to be identified solely on my religion. Thus, an official Arab organization here in DC might have a dinner, and serve wine and other alcoholic drinks. I do not feel this is me. On the other hand, there are those who band together based on religious identity, those are usually fine if it wasn't for two reasons that tend to keep me away from them.
They are heavily monitored and they tend to be under surveillance more so than any other groups, who needs to feel like a celerity surrounded by government paid paparazzi.
One ideology seems to rule that group and you are assumed to be part of such ideology. Meaning, there's some older person who thinks they can make your decisions for you or judge if your head cover is too bright. Not always, but this has happened in the past.
I am sure, members of other groups face similar challenge as they are in the middle road. I tend to call myself and others who feel the same way, cynically observant. To me, it means I believe, strongly in what I practice, but I am unwilling to get up in people's faces about what I believe. Further, this means I accept that there might be other people out there who have it right too.
I have been recording my voice for a film about Syria. The editor wanted my help as he does not speak Arabic, so he asks me to voice some of the lines interviewee say. This helps him in the editing process. Too many takes and too many times, I had to listen to my own voice, and to be totally honest, I freaking hate it.
It really can drive you mad sometimes. This might be a ruthless way to torture people--I mean if we must torture anyone to begin with. No one ever likes to hear their own voice, not even seasoned singers. It's painful as you hear yourself utter words, you start telling yourself thing like:
Gosh, do I sound like that?
Who is this efer? And why does he sound like me--only weirder
Is this is how many soul sound?
I have finally understood why artists are paid a large sum for their work, no one should be made listen or watch themselves recorded. So, here's a tip for people who are in the torturing business, have people record their own voice, and play it over and over, then will lose their cool and ultimately lose their mind.
Some Lebanese lady (lady is loosely defined here) recorded a song to the beat of Katy Perry ET. While the original song was a celebrated one, this one belongs to the shitter. Make Me Feel Cheap, is the title of choice for this song.
The story behind this song is as bizarre as the song itself. Moe, some guy in Lebanon wrote the lyrics for this song and Shonda, is the girl you hear her voice on the track. She is asking for S and M sex with this guy, she is asking to be humiliated. Now, this is even weird for America's standards.
This is a bizarre song that allegedly was recorded in some college's bathroom. Puritan Muslims are inflamed, it only takes one distrusted individuals to get these guys up in arms. Now singer is asking to be abused, tortured and beat. In some minds, this is freedom. But when she receives those things, then human rights groups would have something to report on. حسسني اني رخيصة
P.S. The pictures is for a Lebanese singer called Haya, Haya did a song titled "Ya Allah Shu Sexy", a crass way to say someone looks sexy.
I was walking by downtown St. Louis and there was a hooters with their world famous wing and wing sauces and then at the door of that restaurant is little sticker that reads "Free WiFi". Not joke, the first thought in my head was Really? Who goes to Hooters for their WiFi?
I can imagine some guy telling his better half, "Honey, I am chatting with you via G chat using the internet at Hooters" Maybe this is all just another excuse for guys to take a trip to Hooters and not having to deal with the frowning faces. I mean, they all say they good for the wings. What they do not say is that the moon is also made out of cheese.
Can you imagine some guy going to Hooters after work with his laptop working on his TBS report with a side order of zesty wings? C'mon, I suppose you will tell me next that people go to hooters for their big screens.
Needless to say this particular restaurant is about 5 blocks away from the Budweiser stadium. Where there is also a Starbucks in proximity with free WiFi.
Do I sound like a grumpy old man now? I don't hate hooters or people who work there, it's just a company trying to make money and servers who are trying to make a living. But I think WiFi ruins the whole hooters experience.
I was at the Washington Hospital the other day, here in Washington DC, and I have been going there often lately to visit a friend who is recovering from a stroke. Hospital is a place where people go to get better, a place where people who offer us health advise also work. A place where health should be put before profit. Here's something that confused me...
In many corners of this campus, there are many vending machines selling water and pop soda. None that offers fresh fruits or anything of nutritional value.
They have a full functioning cafeteria, selling deep fried chicken and other fatty foods and sugary beverages, I kid you not
As you enter the main Rehab building, you are greeted by a full functioning cafe where fresh cookies are baked every morning along with tall coffees. The aroma from the cookies are hard to resist
When you enter the hospital from bus depot, you can pick a dozen of flyers from various pizzeria who will deliver pizzas right to the hospital door--do not forget the extra cheese.
Sure, you can tell me the staff gets hungry and would like to grab some food. Again, people are grownups, they can make up their own choices about what to consume and what to abstain from. Maybe it,s that no fruit stand or healthy food vendor is interested in setting up shop in the hospital. Maybe the hospital wants you to get sick sooner and come back for a visit for which they would gladly bill your insurance or some government program.
I just think we are all a bunch of hypocrites who do not practice what they preach. I know that America is about choice and about creating value, but I still think it's outlandish to make such foods available in a hospital.
During the Friday Prayer, as we line up to pray. We are supposed to be all on one line straight line. So the guy to your right and to your left should be shoulder to shoulder. That means your feet also need to be standing straight next to the person next to you.
Now, I have always wondered, why is the line where I stand to my left the line is one level and to my right side, the line is on another level, making the line crooked. I try to fix it by putting my feet on one level, and the other on another to make it look like the line is straight. I thought it was always weird that I someone end up in this crooked line every time.
But then it hit me all of sudden today, I should line myself with the line from my right and not take my cue from the left line. I figured that causes the problem, I should always do what the right does becasue the left side will take their cues form me. They would think I am following the right side, when in fact I am doing what they are doing. So finally I realized the problem, it's not my luck it was me all along who does not choose the right.
Few months ago, I wrote about a new song by the King of Arabic pop Amr Diab, a song in which he tells a young gal that he wishes she was a bit older --two years older so that he can approach her--maybe marry her or something of that nature. When I heard the sneak peak of the song, I was hoping the king of Arab pop wouldn't include it in his album, but he did. Read more about the song here
Well, it's becoming taboo to marry a person younger than 18 even in the Arab world, even here in the States some states allow those of the tender age of 16 to marry. But in all fairness, 16 year olds do get married sometimes, but in my own family, no one has gotten married younger than the age of 18 but one sister of mine. It's all about being busy and having something that keeps you busy. If one is in school or working full time, they can defer as much as they like to.
Now here's what moved me to write this blog, a relative of mine who married a young gal at the tender age of 16 is now having some domestic disturbance--four years later. What I am hearing is this, that wife whose now 21 has upset her husband because supposedly she has been talking to some of his make friends on the phone and for him that was the end of the line.
If this is true, this is sad. Sure she is at fault for doing that, but we really don't know the circumstance of those alleged phone calls. Now here,s what upsets me: if you are marrying someone at a young age, you should expect them to do things wrong. You cannot be sane in your mind and expect them to act like grownups do.
The main reason people marring younger souls quote is that they want to shape the person they are marrying. Even though, I disagree with that mentality of course, but if their purpose is to mold the their spouses personalities, then they have not done a good job shaping the characters of those they are marrying. That's all.
There's a candidate running for mayor in the city of San Francisco, he is openly gay. But that's why he is in the news. He is making the news becasue his ad for the mayor featured the candidate and his child having fun on the San Fransisco public transpiration.
I care not to comment on this, until I read the highlighted part where I am really genuinely confused about this whole ordeal. A gay man with a child is not the problem here:
The candidate is Bevan Dufty, one of 16 candidates running for Mayor of San Fransisco next month. If he wins, he’ll be the first openly-gay mayor of the city known for being an important home to the LGBT community and those who advocate for its civil rights.
The child is Sidney, Dufty’s daughter and a source of controversy even in the highly tolerant Bay Area. When Dufty — then a member of the board of supervisors — decided to have her with a lesbian friend with whom he had no romantic attachment back in 2006, a local reporter balked, sparking controversy.
Gay parenting, once a highly controversial subject (it still is in some parts) has seen a rise in support in public polling, just as same-sex marriage has. Even though it’s San Francisco, where strides in LGBT acceptance are somewhat dog bites man, the ad could be the first of what may become a common occurrence on the political stage: A gay candidate running openly as a family man.
The source of my confusion is this, he is gay and this gay man has a baby with a lesbian woman. So in essence, a gay can have sex with a woman is the purpose is child bearing. I like the part where it says they are not romantically attached. This does not mean anything, really many straight couples are not romantically attached but yet they have babies together.
For all those loud advocates who argue that being gay is natural, comes this guy and undermines the whole argument. He makes being gay as a choice or perhaps he makes child bearing a choice. Again I respect Dufty for wanting children and bringing one to this world, but that doesn't mean I am not confused.
Having said that, it's his every right to have a family and I have no doubt he makes a great father.
Author: Hanitizer
| Posted at: 9:05 AM |
Filed Under: fun sites,
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One of the downsides of not living in a place like California where a significant Asian population lives is not really knowing much about this accomplished and highly educated community.
As I lived here in the States particularity in DC, I found myself dealing with all sorts of people who come from all corners of the earth. The one group of people that I am having trouble dealing with is the Asian community business owners. I do not mean this to be a cheap shot, it's a real dilemma for me.
For most cases, I have found the business owners who have Asian background (Chinese and Koreans namely) have a different mindset about customers. While most business owners cater to your need and treat you like you will be coming again, I have concluded that Asian business owners treat you as a one time deal. They sort of write you off as a returning customer.
At times, I have been yelled at for no reason, those business owners make me feel like a deaf person. I have been treated like I do not speak English--they think I am Hispanic. Arabs and Hispanics might be hard to tell party for many Asian in America. Not sure if this is some Eastern culture where the business owner is God's designated person on his earth.
Business should not be some mold, and business owners should improvise. So next me if you are at the mall, think twice before going into one of those oriental gifts stores, news stands, dry cleaners, nails saloons, you better use some earplugs. In conclusion, I find it ironic that many American customer service centers are relocating to Asian countries.
If you don't know that the extreme right wing conservative have been obsessing over Shaira Law in America, then you don't watch the news.
See some voices in America are now making themselves relevant again by making garbage up and manufacturing issues that have no relevance to the country. See, these people who are terror cheerleaders and get their paychecks from vilifying Islam need something that can keep their paychecks coming--they milked the terrorism cry for all it's worth. Along came this Sharia law stories, they have been telling.
Someone needs to get those think tans working again, so here comes their new manufactured "we are under attack" tag.
Sharia is Islamic law, and those people think we Muslims want to bring it here to America. But in all honesty, this is just a pile of unadulterated shi#! Why would Muslims bring Sharia to America when the same concept is not applied at Muslim countries themselves? They only time we hear Sharia is in civil court and divorce. And food diet. There are virtually no one else using sharia to go beyond labeling food and marrying and divorcing people.
So when those empty suits come and use loaded terms that has no meaning to most people, they are just telling you, "I know, I have done the research", some idiot unhappy about his/her job pick it up and makes a banner about it. While Islamic law was the base for many of your common laws here in the States (US common law taken form the British ones who back then borrowed from Islamic laws) But few of these people know that.
If those Muslims wanted to bring Sharia so bad to America, why don't they just go someplace else where those very laws are observed in the first place. What I know is this, the US constitution is a well regarded book among the great majority of Muslims, they are happy with it and it protect them and protects those gun waving few. We don't even implement Sharia laws in our own country.
The majority of Arab immigrants in America are Christians, and you know those ones won't be calling for Sharia and so does the Muslims themselves. Take for example, Sharia permits polygamy under certain conditions, but yet no other Muslim living in America subscribes to that principle. Instead they do what most decent Americans do, have an affair.
Plus these people who are introducing local laws in their states to ban any foreign laws are not reading their constitutions.
Article VI reads in part:
This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding. [Emphasis added.]
I have always thought that Whole Foods was elitist, but shopped there anyway. It’s very convenient and they offer a variety of brands and goods. Sure, I’m not down with the whole culture of whole food, but when I’m in Silver Spring Maryland, I stop by there and check their cheese collection and baked goods. There’s also a new store opening up in the Foggy Bottom area, in walking distance from my work, I am hoping to find some goods that cater to my every needs.
Now, comes the controversy of Whole Foods and its Halal in time for Ramadan. To read more click here. One of their stores in Texas saw some negative online comments from bloggers and conservatives who accused the company of promoting Ramadan and with it, Islam. So the company sent an internal email, now leaked, that reads:
“It is probably best that we don’t specifically call out or ‘promote’ Ramadan … We should not highlight Ramadan in signage in our stores as that could be considered ‘Celebrating or promoting’ Ramadan.”
I don’t blame them, the company doesn’t want to be distracted by a fight with people who have issues with reason and common sense. I’m mature enough to know that companies are about creating value and making customers happy. I don’t think a given store necessarily endorses a holiday when it promotes certain items that go with that holiday. But the folks complaining about Muslim diet in the Texas store are only giving Texas a bad name.
Whole Foods celebrates Christmas, Easter, Passover, and Hanukkah and I never found anything wrong with that. In fact, I am grateful they do it, it sort of makes me aware of how diverse America is. Such extreme right wing groups have been picking fights with Muslim Americans through every possible outlet. You would think a store like Whole Foods would be a safe from such delusional attacks.
Whole Foods should not have put itself in this position in the first place. People will always be upset. You do the right thing and stick to your decision. Caving in is your first mistake. I do however, give them credit for introducing a Halal food line.
This vocal and angry minority protesting the Ramadan line is pathetic. What’s next? Whole Foods logo is green, Hamas’ flag is green, it must be a conspiracy! How would they feel if an atheist group protested Whole Foods promotion of Christmas goods? While those few anonymous commentators hoped they would steal the spirit of Ramadan, I think they have failed. To get their Halal food, Muslim Americans will do what they have always done, spend their money at their locally owned grocery store that sells Halal food and observes Ramadan. Keeping the money in the community.
Once again Whole Foods’ actions put the crazies in the driver’s seat. Such a hateful bunch won’t live long. Their unbound hatred will damage their mental and physical wellness and none of the fine Whole Foods’ goods will help extend their lives.
