I was walking down a busy street the other day, through an inner city college campus just as classes were dismissed, and I was struck by the quantity of this black and white checker design. To me, a long-time advocate for Israel, it was obvious that the motif was borrowed from the Palestinian Keffiyeh. But seeing the design on scarves, purses, and even rain-boots, as if it had become the latest fad to replace or join the ranks of the Burberry plaid, is cause for a question: how many other people are aware of the motifÌ¢âÂã¢s political affiliation? Is this checkered pattern an entry point to discussion? Or a conveniently colored item to match with the rest of an outfit?
I was walking down a busy street the other day, through an inner city college campus just as classes were dismissed, and I was struck by the quantity of this black and white checker design. To me, a long-time advocate for Israel, it was obvious that the motif was borrowed from the Palestinian Keffiyeh. But seeing the design on scarves, purses, and even rain-boots, as if it had become the latest fad to replace or join the ranks of the Burberry plaid, is cause for a question: how many other people are aware of the motifÌ¢âÂã¢s political affiliation? Is this checkered pattern an entry point to discussion? Or a conveniently colored item to match with the rest of an outfit?