Pissed off with this "Guardian's" gem?

[PeskyBaboon]

Arwa Mahdawi got royally irritated by the WSJ piece titled " HERE'S WHY I'LL BE KEEPING MY SHOES ON IN YOUR SHOELESS HOME". The piece, designed to be light-hearted, was "light-hearted in a deliberately irritating way" (sic!). Now she's properly, self-righteously peeved as the piece is way more than she could handle. Namely, it's "imperialist", borders on "hate crime" as "an overwhelming number of people suggested that ONLY A WHITE-PRESENTING PERSON could have written" such a thing. Being a paragon of cleanliness and godliness herself, with an immaculate sense of personal hygiene and social probity, Arwa's taken up the challenge and relieved herself publicly expressing her disgust in the following: "DEAR WHITE PEOPLE READING THIS, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS AS DELICATELY AS POSSIBLE BUT I'M AFRAID YOU HAVE SOMETHING OF A REPUTATION WHEN IT COMES TO CLEANLINESS." Then, she less subtly goes on with the bang of: "When you are a non-white person who has to deal with stereotypes about 'dirty foreigners' it can be irritating, to say the least, TO SEE PRIVILEDGED WHITE PEOPLE REVEL IN BEING DISGUSTING. Still "irritated", see? And still talking HYGIENE, naturally. These white, disgusting barbarians not taking their shoes off and tossing their filthy suitcases on beds. And then the fascists REVEL in it. So utterly revolting it makes our poor Arwa gag, no less. White shoes, white feet and white suitcases ad nauseam. But fear NOT, all you "dear white people", all's not lost here, there's still hope. She ends up with this gloriously uplifting finale: "BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT GOING INTO THE RACIALISED ASPECTS OF HYGIENE DISCOURSE HERE". Oh, well. You just did. In case, anyone's still in doubt on this one, Arwa's ready to help and clarify: "IF WHITE PEOPLE WANT TO BE GOOD ALLIES, IT'S TIME TO TAKE A STAND! BUT NOT IN YOUR DIRTY SHOES, OBVIOUSLY."
I won't be knocking on Arwa's door anytime soon, mind you. Neither to take my shoes off nor to be her "good ally" and "take a stand". She clearly doesn't need "allies". She manages on her own beautifully by the looks of it. Primarily, by NOT GOING into THE RACIALISED ASPECTS OF ANYTHING she's currently pissed off with.
On a more serious note: I just find this article both really depressing and utterly stupid. Or maybe there's something profoundly wrong with me now? Please, do not hesitate to have a go. I'm Polish, I can take it...

Really though, who cares?

Wall of text hurts me.

What is your actual issue? In a few, clear words.

Which bits are you and which bits are quotation?

You should get more pissed off by the Guardian as you get older, if you don't it shows you have a very warped view of the world. People start off with high ideals but eventually reality wears them down.

@MrsTerryPratchett

Wall of text hurts me.

What is your actual issue? In a few, clear words.

x2

...and please spare us the CAPS

To ALL confused here, my point is simple: we start talking about completely trivial, innocent stuff (hygiene, shoes, etc.) we end up talking about race, hate crime, imperialism throwing invectives at other people. For what? How does that help us resolve anything? And why use the pretext of "let's talk about the house hygiene" when what the author really wants to talk about is racism/hate crime/racist article in the WSJ? It'd have a much more positive effect if she was honest about it. Call me a white barbarian revelling in being disgusting, by all means. But tell me then - coherently & reasonably - why? What's your, shall we say, justification for that? Except what you read on Twitter? That is my point. Simple. Clear.

You talk in riddles. Are you drunk?

Eh?

Still none the wiser lol

I assume it's about thud article. Which is as inoffensive as can be.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/16/im-putting-my-foot-down-only-barbarians-wear-shoes-inside

• this!

Although thud seems quite apt here.

@vodkaredbullgirl

Still none the wiser lol

You mean: “STILL none the wiser LOL” 😂

I had to go and read her article. I think you are being deliberately provocative and disingenuous to boot. You have taken comments made by others that she quoted and attributed them to her in your OP. That’s sneaky and not a good basis for starting sensible debate.

My autistic brain cannot make head nor tail of what you wrote.
Actually feel a bit dizzy trying.

I just felt it was a really poor article. I read it and thought what a waste of words. It lacked impact, structure and was just ? I don’t know.

I really wish I could read the original Wall Street Journal piece without paying for it.

we start talking about completely trivial, innocent stuff (hygiene, shoes, etc.) we end up talking about race, hate crime, imperialism throwing invectives at other people.

We do. Because sometimes it is about those things.

I work in housing. When I get a complaint about 'disgusting food smells' it's invariably a white person complaining about an Asian person. And the contempt and ugliness dripping from their words shows it for what it is. I don't think I've ever had an Asian person complain about the same.

There are some 'trivial' issues which are definitely covert prejudice. Or ignorance.

Yanbu of course. Racial stereotyping is not acceptable and seeing this nonissue in a white/non-white binary makes me think that the author's life experience must be very limited perfect for the Guardian then.

I come from a white-majority country where it's customary to keep shoes on indoors. In fact showing your feet or socks to others is considered rude and unhygienic. I have lived most of my life in other white-majority countries where the opposite is true - shoes off as soon as you walk in etc. Both attitudes probably reflect the local climate. I can't say I am bothered either way, maybe I am an accommodating guest? Or I deal with only particularly gracious hosts?

Hur dur

@Bellalastrasse

I just felt it was a really poor article. I read it and thought what a waste of words. It lacked impact, structure and was just ? I don’t know.

Bit like the OP

I think the OP has that effect on most brains…

What?

I think you spectacularly mis-interpreted her article. The word “Barbarian” in the Title pretty much gives a big ole honking clue that the article is going to discuss race. The article is a bit tongue-in-cheek or ironic.

It was the semantic equivalent of someone jabbing you repeatedly with their index finger while going “jokejokejokejokejoke” and hoping for a reaction. And it certainly achieved that.

And some people still aren't getting it! (Looking at you Mythical )