i mean, if they find it offensive, fine.

but like you, i liken A-rab to Eye-talian, just using the long vowel at the start of the word, instead of the conventional pronunciation. most definitely, both are country pronunciations, and therefore someone might associate usage of the term w/ignorance and/or prejudice. but to me, if anything, it would be akin to an old white person calling me a "colored man." bizarre, and incorrect, but not really offensive. A-rab isn't a term that has ever been used by an oppressor group to dehumanize middle eastern folks, so i don't get what baggage is attached to it.