A small student group in Ohio, Students Teaching Against Racism in Society (STARS) took the world by storm this month by launching an internet campaign on Tumblr “We are a culture not a costume.” Where many see their point when it comes to many racial boundaries being crossed and often the limits of bad taste being tested when people portray a racial accent as an accessory, but is this taking Halloween too seriously?
The holiday known for costumes ranging from cute to tasteless, sultry or sensational, everything from costumes Mexicans holding sacks of oranges to rappers decked out in gold chains and gold fronts are being sold. I think as long as children understand these are all exaggerated stereotypes that costumes are built around with there isn’t that much harm. My ex fiance was Native American and horribly offended by most portrayal of ‘indians’ in our culture. Maybe a small child wearing a headdress would get the plight that has effected that culture in the past but I think an adult gets it. Costumes aren’t really making fun of the race, at least not how i see it. I think there is a way to present the Geisha Girl or Eskimo in a way that in not offensive to people of that culture by having the right attitude about it. There is a fine line on the way you are exaggerating the point of the costume. Examples: coming in black face would be a no no but being a Rastafarian not so much.
I think that when you are doing something like a rapper that is a type of character you are expected to do the type of dress and slang that is associated with that persona. And its a persona as most behind the music interviews will tell you that these performers are putting on one act on stage and then living in another manner off stage.
Yeah, being a terrorist or something if its for the sake of making fun of Muslim people is a horrible thing but if its social commentary on world events I can see how people decide to do it. How many people are religious figures each year? My religion is made fun of each year by kids in green face carrying cats and brooms.
We need to embrace our differences but use the holiday to laugh at these silly parodies of ourselves. I don’t think anyone out there is being any of these costumes to offend others. I think its just its been so ingrained in our social upbringing that everyone understands these are parody characters based off of media through the ages. That’s just my opinion. Some might feel differently, but I think when we give something too much and try to let it divide us it gives it power it didn’t have to begin with.