Poll: Students launch a poster campaign against racist costume

[Puddleknock]

The costumes shown in the campaign are more an issue of taste rather than race. The arab suicide bomber is in pretty poor taste but there is nothing racist about dressing up as an arab. In the past I've used an arab costume, the decision was not inspired by any notion of race, but simply another costume to go with the myriad of other costumes that night. Equally on another night I've been a bee (yeah that was a good night), I wouldn't say by dressing up as a bee I'm trying to mock bees. I'm not beeist (a word I will now use everyday).

 

[Thyunda]

Not one of those costumes was offensive. Except the black one. That one wasn't really 'Halloween'. It didn't make any sense.

And, if you're dressed as a bandito, and a Mexican gets offended and says "This is not who I am", then how the fuck did you know it was supposed to be Mexican, Pedro? I have the misfortune to be associated heavily with English, Scottish and Irish nationality, and as such I'm showered with potato references, kilts and tea. Am I offended? Not at all. I didn't get mad at Braveheart for being such a dramatic Scot. If a guy comes to a Hallowe'en party in a balaclava and tells me he's an IRA member, I'm not going to claim he's stereotyping the Irish as the IRA. And when Americans like to make fun of the English, I'm not concerned.

Also, the first picture, I saw a fat white guy with a towel on his head and some dynamite. At which point did the Middle-Eastern kid see this as a reflection of his own culture?

 

[Sgt. Dante]

Yeah, we know most middle eastern people aren't suicide bombers. Which is why we don't dress up as them. We dress up as SUICIDE BOMBERS. It doesn't matter what your skin color is, as long as you're wearing dynamite.

Seriously. Suicide Bomber protestor guy does not get to complain.

It's not like suicide bomber is something bigots made up to make Mulsims or Arabs look bad, they are a real thing in the world that really do kill people.

And dressing up as one is not implying that all Arabs or all Muslims act like that. Unless you start saying that your costume is "A Muslim".

Actually this is the main reason that I would say that that costume is in bad taste. If they were to just wear the outfit and say that they were an arab or an oil baron or something, then yes, that is a little racist but quite funny. and people get on with it.

It's kinda like dressing up as a SWAT officer and claiming to be a sweedish gunman... That is a real thing that killed real people and is in bad taste.

However as far as racism goes, no, you aren't implying that all arabs are bombers, the same way as dressing like a gangster isn't taking the piss out of americans, it's a goddamn costume. dealwithit.jpg

 

[The Last Nomad]

What about Irish people. We are not leprechauns. Feels to me like they are leaving out some serious cases of costumes that are in the same line as those ones and at the same time including some that are in no way racist. Like the Geisha one, it is not an exaggeration. The costume is actually spot on. It is an accurate representation of a Geisha [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisha], which is in no way representative of all Asians.

 

[Thaluikhain]

I agree with these kids! Proud races are mocked every year by this.. "Halloween"

Spoiler: Just look at how they treat the superior beings of the universe!

I feel that this "Halloween" MUST. BE. ASSIMILATED!!

Borg assimilate things. Daleks exterminate things. Not the same.

[small]Also, those RTD things aren't proper Daleks. Blech...[/small]

 

[Mcupobob]

First World Problems, when your biggest complaint is related to Halloween costumes.

I would actually like that kid to be dumbed into Africa and see if he can get anyone care about his problem.

Well whatever its free speech, let 'em *****. Or if they want they can dress up as honkies and we all can have a laugh at ourselves.

 

[New Vegas Samurai]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2053134/Students-launch-poster-campaign-racist-Halloween-costumes.html
I gotta this have to one of the most pointless and trying to hard to be politically correct things I have seen in a while.
While the Arab suicide bomber costume is offensive and probably shouldn't be worn, everything else is quite tame. The geisha outfit, the Mexican outfit and maybe the ghetto outfit.
Personally, I'm Asian and I went to Halloween as a Viet Cong. So people need to get over and have laugh in life or am I being to racially insentive

Holy crap Kudos to you for going as viet cong!
but yeah, If I were to say something about it, I think that there is still a line between parody and racism. A very well defined line... With razor wire, and sniper towers...

OT: Try looking at "the four Lions" film
If humor can be misconstrued as racism, I'm a little fearful for the fate of comedy.

 

[Goremocker]

*snip*

Borg assimilate things. Daleks exterminate things. Not the same.

[small]Also, those RTD things aren't proper Daleks. Blech...[/small]

CURSES! You saw through my clever ruse... Guess I don't care about those kids after all...

 

[Al-Bundy-da-G]

This is stupidity on the grandest of scales. If you're that offended by a Halloween costume, please get your head out of your ass.
I have no idea why this got me so worked up.

I wonder why no Indians ever call racism on anything be it costumes, sports teams or even tv stereotypes.

 

[Pat8u]

Racism-


1.The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races


2.Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief


are these halloween costumes really racist?

[sub][sub]Dam this dictionary is useful[/sub][/sub]

OT NO I don't agree with their campaign since nowhere does that guys costume say hes a muslim, people who think that themselves are racists(Kind of)

captcha: 1879-1924 must google

 

[beniki]

*sigh* And the sad thing is they're all dressed in Western clothing. Are you still your culture?

 

[Red Bomb]

...It's the Daily Fail. What else do you expect to come from them? (apart from bigoted racist articles screaming about how England is going down the pan thanks to immigrants, black gang/knife crime and benefit frauds?)

So in a word, No. This campaign is a joke.

 

[L-J-F]

"Racism:

1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races."

Nope, by definition those costumes are not racist.

Also, I don't understand why anyone would get worked up in the first place, if someone wanted to dress up in a knight/medieval warrior costume and speak in an English accent I wouldn't be offended ... oh wait ... nope, not offended.

 

[Petromir]

There is a line somewhere, but its fuzzy until you've crossed it, once you've crossed it it becomes very clear indeed.

One of the hardest things with jokes and comedy is deciding where that line is, and if you are singling something out for extra mocking unfairly. Some cultures and the stereotypes about them provide more fertile grounds for jokes because so-incindentally the stereotype is close to something else funny. This cna lead to them being over mocked as its just easier to make the jokes up, conversely if theres less material sometimes to do it you have to delve into potentially mroe offensive areas.


I've often seen people say 'Allo 'Allo is racist against the French and Germans, an argument that works right up until you discuss the British charecters.

If someones not getting the joke then you have to find out why, and determine how reasonable someones reasons for it are, and indeed visa versa. If a topic cannot be joked over then theres a sign that somethings wrong, humor is an important coping mechanism amongst other things, those who work in occupations such as the military or hospitals often have quite shoking jokes, and where this is craked down on mental health of the workers has a tendancy to nose dive.

 

[CoL0sS]

As somebody said in posts above, if you're offended by this then you obviously have too much free time, and not enough real problems to worry about. Also you kinda missed the point of Halloween. To dress up, pretend, be someone you can never be or openly mock something you consider stupid or pointless. I can somewhat understand if they protested against racial stereotypes in movies or music, but this just makes them such downers. Party poopers

Besides, I like my racial/national stereotypes to be voiced openly. Being Croatian I was often considered incapable narrow-minded communist with vodka-breath and shit smeared on my face by my first world country peers. It's always amusing to see surprise on their faces when they realize you actually understand insults they're throwing at you. Priceless.

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

so suicide bombing is thier culture?
then they certainly dont deserve any support

as for being dressed as a suicide bomber being recist? not really, unless the campaigners are trying to say all muslims are suicide bombers? which i myself think as a statement is far more racist

 

[Mozza444]

- http://www.acefancydress.co.uk/18th-century-englishman-costume/products_id/7582/
- http://www.allfancydress.com/Fancy-Dress-Costume/888032/Rabbi-Costume.aspx
- http://www.allfancydress.com/Fancy-Dress-Costume/15411/Leprechaun-Costume.aspx
- http://www.allfancydress.com/Fancy-Dress-Costume/889738/Scots-Kilt-and-Hat.aspx
- http://www.allfancydress.com/Fancy-Dress-Costume/10959/French-Man-set.aspx

There you go, you missed a few.. do these count?
Oh wait no.. i'm sure they don't i mean... its only white people that can be racist right?

 

[Batou667]

I know the stupidity of other people shouldn't annoy me, but gosh darn it, it does. This hyper-sensitive politically correct poster crap almost reads like parody.

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

This is just pathetic.

"Ooh, these Halloween costumes are stereotyping a race, let's be offended. We'll make posters to protest it" and wah wah wah.

The only thing that shows how little you care about something than a poster campaign is a Facebook status. What makes this worse is that the posters are basically Facebook statuses.

Who gives a flying fuck if you're offended. Grow up and sit down.

 

[Trippy Turtle]

I am impressed tht they went through with it and they done it well but the whole campaign is a bad idea. If people can't have a bit of fun without others taking offense then something is wrong. I mean I'm Irish and I wouldn't care if someone dressed up in green and carried a beer keg around because I think my racial stereotype is hilarious. Although there is a difference between having a bit of fun and going up and saying "Go away you drunk Irish bastard".