Don’t Confuse Fashion With the Realities of Our Time

Daniel Hernandez’s article “‘Terrorist Chic’ and Beyond” (Men’s Fashion Issue, April 9) is a mishmash of misinformation and bogus analysis. Who exactly is a “terrorist”? And what do “terrorists” look like? Do they only wear kaffiyehs or can they also wear business suits?

In one sentence, Hernandez lumps together Abu Ghraib and the Zapatistas in Chiapas. Prison torture and indigenous resistance are not fashion fads but the result of ongoing U.S. military policy and the negation of indigenous rights throughout the Americas--not about hipster artists wearing a kaffiyeh or hooded sweatshirt. Conflating fashion and the struggles of real people trivializes reality.

Alexandra Halkin

Chicago