The stereotypes that run along with Halloween are beyond racist.
Just recently a new costume trend has come out mocking the very sensitive case of Treyvon Martin. The controversial incident involving Treyvon Martin and George Zimmerman is not something to make light of.
It is obvious that people haven’t learned, even in this day and age, that wearing a black face on Halloween is not acceptable.
Sure, dressing up is part of some twisted cultural norm, but boundaries need to be set.
Being part of and advocating costumes on Halloween is something many teens participate in, but why should this one day be an acceptable one to support stereotypes. Dressing up as a nun and mocking religion, or dressing up as a terrorist and creating a general image for what one looks like isn’t right.
It shouldn’t be accepted so easily, because what puts this one day away from the others? What makes Oct. 31 so special that all the stereotypes that have been deemed racist all year are all of a sudden acceptable?
Nothing should.
Dressing up as something clever instead of advocating stereotypes is far more beneficial. Yes, there is the idea of being something/someone you can’t be on regular day but why not be something that intellectually challenges others? Everyone knows what the president or a rapper looks like, why not try going to the origins of Halloween.
Halloween originated from the Druids tradition of scaring off spirits. The only scary part of wearing a racist costumes is how openly ignorant people can be. Tracing Halloween back to tradition is the key to avoiding stereotypes.
Nathan Kinsey • Dec 7, 2013 at 11:02 pm
That is quite a disturbing photo.
I disagree with the inference that dressing up as the president or a rapper is detrimental to the spirit of Halloween, but that photo certainly is. That is such an insensitive thing to do, let alone post it publicly.