A Culture, Not a Costume



Halloween is a time for silly costumes, and some use it as an excuse to drag out every racial and cultural stereotype they can think of for a silly costume. That's not cool. Students Teaching Against Racism (STARS) is an organization at Ohio University that put out a series of posters to "educate and create dialog" and to ask people to think before they select an insensitive Halloween costume. See the rest of the posters at Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Link -via I Am Bored

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Hmm, so should all white people be offended when someone dresses up as a redneck? Or as Col. Sanders?

Honestly. Why are these people so weak as individuals that they are personally offended by people dressing up as their version of rednecks? If they are offended, then they have implied that everyone of their "race" should be associated with those elements that DO exist. There ARE such things as inner city thugs. Donkeys ARE used in Mexico by peasants, who once looked and dressed like that. Geishas ARE real, as are terrorists. What could possibly be wrong with dressing up as any of them?

By the same logic, Eastern Europeans should get offended by Dracula costumes, as he is Eastern European. It just makes no sense. These kids need to grow beyond their "race". Until they do, they will never advance beyond the borders they have set for themselves.
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I don't associate with non-whites any more because I'm not sure what I will do that might brand me as a racist and ruin my life. I mean, do I fist bump back or will that be offensive? Too many variables to keep up with and everyone gets so easily upset. I hope I don't have to hire any non-white applicants because I'm afraid something might happen where I'll get sued. Geez, this world is a scary place.
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@MA, I think there's definitely a difference in dressing up as an iconic figure who happens to be of a different race than you, but going as a "insert race here" is a lot different. The dude in the poncho and hat isn't going as Juan Valdez, he is going as "Mexican person" and that's pretty fucked.
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While I can see some stereotypical costumes as offensive, I don't think people dressing up as iconic figures can be considered racist. Is it racist if an Indian girl wants to dress up as Wonder Woman? Is it racist if a Korean girl wants to dress up as Storm? What about an English girl that wants to dress up as Tiger Lily? Should a person really be barred from dressing up as an iconic person simply because the colour of their skin doesn't match the character's/person's? Isn't that an act of racism?
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