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...