The guy pictured above is Dr. Charles Graham. He’s the Dean of the University of Oklahoma’s College of Architecture, and apparently not aware that we now live in a very politically correct society.
Last week, Dr. Graham arrived to the College of Architecture’s “Back To School” meeting dressed in “authentic” Arabian attire he bought while on a Summer vacation in Dubai. Apparently, it was all part of his plan to educate the college’s staff on Middle Eastern culture, get banned from Oklahoma gun ranges and let David Boren think that he knows where to find oil!
We know about Dr. Graham’s choice in attire thanks to the following now deleted Facebook post:
Naturally, Dr. Graham’s awkward choice in attire pissed off the PC police in attendance at the event. He didn’t do himself any favors when trying to explain the wardrobe to the group. According to a Mole who tipped us off on this story, Sheikh Graham was having difficulty pronouncing the various items of his wardrobe, so he asked an Iranian professor in attendance if he “had it right.” The Iranian professor then awkwardly explained that although he is from Iran, not all Middle Easterners dress alike.
After the meeting, people complained to the President’s office and Dr. Graham sent out the following email:
It is my understanding that a couple of folks here in the College were offended yesterday that I wore the clothing I purchased in Dubai to the back-to-school meeting. Evidently the disdain for what I did was enough to warrant calls to the President’s office. Please know that I had no intention of offending anyone. I apologize if I did.
Although he probably should have probably apologized for committing the sin of “all you people are the same, right?” with his colleague, that’s a solid apology. You made a mistake and forgot we live in overly sensitive politically correct society where some people would view your attire as cultural appropriation. Take the safe approach and apologize, admit you were wrong, and just move along. Whatever you do, don’t fall into the trap and trying to explain or justify your actions. That just makes you look worse…
I asked a number of my Muslim friends around the campus and in Norman to see if my wearing the attire would be offensive in any religious way, and the answers were all resoundingly “no.” They thought it would be a nice gesture of diversity and acceptance of other cultures, something our university is trying to promote and support universally. The attire was not “religious,” but rather just another form of everyday clothing, somewhat like what my Scottish ancestors and family who wear kilts currently do, or my relatives and friends in Texas do when they wear western hats and boots to their jobs. Most of you know me as always striving to be inclusive and considerate of others in every context.
On a positive note, at least he didn’t sum it up by saying he simply likes “beautiful things.” Also, I should probably tell my friends and family who live in Texas to start wearing western hats and boots to their office jobs…
In the past couple of years we have had over 30 students go through Dubai, either to do architectural and construction studies there, or on their way to Zambia to work on our service learning project in that country. We have all learned about the multi-cultural and diverse nature of the people of Dubai, and their friendliness towards Americans.
Again, I apologize that my Dubai attire offended someone here in the college. As most of you know, I also tried to use the time I wore the attire as an educational exercise, even to the point of giving the names of the various components of the attire.
If there is anyone who would like to visit with me in person about this matter, I would be pleased to do so to hear your views.
Sincerely,
Charles W. Graham, Ph.D., AIA, FRICS
Dean and W. E. Bryan, Jr. Endowed Professor
College of Architecture
You know what, I’m kind of on Dr. Graham’s side on this one. The PC police are overreacting. All he did was simply wear Arabic clothing he bought on vacation in Dubai to work as part of an “educational exercise” for a bunch of architects. Whenever I would return to work from a vacation in Mexico, I’d always make sure to wear a giant sombrero, pancho and grow a thick black mustache so my co-workers could learn about Mexican culture! Sometimes I’d even hang a piñata in a the break room. My co-workers loved me!
By the way, before the PC police get on to me for that one, let it be known that I cleared that with Louis, Marisa and my three other Mexican friends, so that means it’s totally fine and not offensive.
If people are offended by this, they will be really offended when Al Eschbach does his show and tell about his vacation to Thailand …
+1
Well at least Graham’s white robe didn’t have a pointy hat.
This is offensive and warrants such action/reaction? Yet the school still has not addressed the reason(s) they are challenging and resisting returning artwork, confirmed to be stolen via the Nazi occupation. Which is it, totally balls out PC or just PC when it gets national news (i.e. SAE issue) and/or doesn’t involve million dollar artwork?
PS. good thing he didn’t go to the Chippendale’s dancers while on vacation or the back to school party might have been a little awkward and/or involve some single dollar bills!
What do you think the percentage of those offended listen to Rush Limbaugh?
Holy micromanagment Batman! Let me get this straight, the culture at OU for “adults” working there is to go to the office of the President when they are “offended” by the attire of one of your co-workers? Then the President has you write an apology letter? Glad to see David Boren is using his time so wisely, as well as the time of his Deans in writing these letters.
Guess none of the passive-aggressive complainers thought about going to the Dean and expressing their concerns or explaining why someone born in Oklahoma was somehow offended by the garb. Before I saw the picture I was expecting a Tootsie like belly dancer outfit or something that might offend a rational person.
Am guessing the letter was probably the form letter apology where you type in what you did and it auto formats the apology like the form emails you get from huge corporations when you complain about something. I think the complainers should have to write some sort of letter explaining why it was offensive, as I am obviously missing something here.
He also should have apologized for trying to make one of those normally horribly dull meetings a little interesting.
Aha! Went to your article on the “headdress”-gate. Substituted Patrick for Hipster-boo-boo, sombrero for headdress, and Mexican for Native American and —————— Nah. Didn’t work; she’s still an insensitive spoiled brat.
Carry on Patrick and a big f%#* you to all the anti-mooosleems and Boren.
That last line was great. Thanks for the LOLs.
I get that satire and hyperbole are a thing and required for obscure blogging, but what he is wearing is closer to a business suit than a poncho.
It isn’t a costume. It’s standard attire for nearly all socioeconomic classes, including news anchors. The Arabian Gary England would be rocking the same getup. Obviously if it’s good enough for Arabian Gary England it should be good enough for OU.
Maybe he could invite Arabian Gary England to the OU kids science fair sponsored by Jesus. They could all wear traditional garb and work out who’s version of the same god packed a bigger meteorological wrath.
His next meeting he should wear a baklava and show still images of ISIS destroying the temples in Palmyra. It’s more related to architecture at least!
Arab Christians wear the same clothing. Yazidis wear thobes and scarves. It is traditional Middle Eastern dress, and it does NOT belong to Muslims.
In light of the extreme ethnic cleansing going on in the Middle East against Yazidis and Christians, maybe Muslims will soon get their way and be the only ones wearing Middle Eastern dress. Shameful!
It was probably the Iranian. I know several people from Iran, although they prefer to be called Persians. They uniformly hate Arabs and refer to them as ‘animals’. The fact that he asked a Persian about something an Arab would wear probably did offend the guy pretty sharply.
I don’t condone the fact that people complained about the guy but I understand why they did.