Campaign against 'racist' Halloween costumes sparks debate

Toronto Sun ^ | October 27, 2011 | Sherry Noik

[Keltik]

Is it OK to dress as an Arab terrorist on Halloween? How about sporting blackface and going as a Jamaican?

A student group in Ohio says no and their campaign has re-ignited the discussion about racism and cultural stereotyping that seems to surface every year when people don costumes for the holiday.

The "We're a culture, not a costume" campaign, by Ohio University's Students Teaching About Racism in Society (STARS), features posters showing students of various ethnicities holding up photos of people dressed as corresponding stereotypical characters like a Geisha girl and a donkey-riding Mexican. The posters read: "This is not who I am, and this is not OK."

"During Halloween, we see offensive costumes. We don't like it, we don't appreciate it. We wanted to do a campaign about it saying, 'Hey, think about this. It's offensive,'" Sarah Williams, president of STARS, told CNN.

[Beowulf9]

is it ‘okay’ ? What we need permission to dress up for Halloween, now?

[the invisib1e hand]

toronto makes nyc look like Texas.

[EEGator]

[Trillian]

They are currently creating a government costume panel that requires approval of your costume before going out in public ;)

[Tzimisce]

No white guy holding up a picture of a cowboy?

Oh right - stereotypes only hurt/effect minorities.

[Jonty30]

Tell you what, I’ll dress like an Arab and the Atabs can dresss like Canadians.

We’ll celebrate Hallowe’en together.

[DaveyB]

I was going to go a a witch but I might offend the wiccans.
I was going to dress up as a skeleton, but I might offend anorexics.
I was going to dress up as a policeman eating doughnuts, but that might be a crime of impersonation.
I was going to dress up as a fireman, but that could offend fireman.
I was thinking of wearing a mummy custom, but that might offend those Chicago voters who are life impaired.
I was thinking of dressing like a bitter clinger with a gun in one hand and Bible in the other - wait that's how I always dress.

[blam]

"I was thinking of dressing like a bitter clinger with a gun in one hand and Bible in the other - wait that's how I always dress."

Clinging To Their Guns: Firearm Ownership Soars To Multi-Decade Highs

[blam]

"They are currently creating a government costume panel that requires approval of your costume before going out in public ;)"

Lead by a costume czar who will make $275,000 a year...paid for by you.

[LukeL]

Is dressing as Frankenstein offensive to Jewish people?

[DaveyB]

Is dressing as Frankenstein offensive to Jewish people?

It is offensive to Jewish people, those in the parts industry and to John Kerry.

[Lauren BaRecall]

I’m dressing up as the guy on the Kahlua bottle.

[Keltik]

[RightGeek]

Nah - this is a John Kerry costume:

[blam]

Prince Charles Says He’s Related to Dracula

[newzjunkey]

Well, Sarah Williams, I find you and STARS to be offensive.

You're all so unserious about real life, so lacking perspective, *this* is "the issue" you waste your time on. Not poverty, not civil rights, not abuses of government, not elder care, not health, not conservation, not crime prevention ... for you it's Halloween costumes!

I don't even like Halloween hype, never did a Halloween party as an adult and haven't donned a Halloween costume since about 6 yrs old. but even I realize it's just Halloween.

[Stormdog]

I’m thinking of going out dressed up as Sarah Williams, president of STARS, but I’m having a bit of a problem putting together a flaming a**hole costume.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Zombie Emerges from World's Largest Pumpkin

[crazyhorse691]

Ah, to be 21 again and know everything. And todays 21 yr old knows more about everything than us old people born before texting...try talking to them about Morse code.