I would like to see someone do a racist costume about us Métis. I wouldnt really think its possible since only Canadian and some Germans know what Métis are. :D
The terrorist costume is bad but the others I have seen on the website are just posters that are ridiculously naggy about these things. Did a Hispanic man give a shit when I wore a poncho and sombrero on Halloween? No! And why are there only costumed white people on the posters? Is it implying that only white people can be racist? I would like to see a black person dress up as a white stereotype. And the dumbest thing I have heard til now was when a friend told me that I cant be racist since I am half native American. Even Native Americans can be racist, but it is rarely the case.

There was also a furor this year about an "Anne Orexia" costume, which was a close-fitting black bodysuit with a skeleton image screen-printed onto it, and last year it was the Illegal Alien (green alien mask with orange prison-style jumpsuit).

People will always be able to find something to be mad at. I personally know a guy that takes offense to the use of the term "ginger" to describe redheads, claiming that it used to be a racial slur against those of Irish descent in the same vein as the N-word towards African-Americans. (I personally don't know if that's true, but I'd rather avoid an argument on this matter.) There was also a story in the news about how a fundamentalist Christian family wouldn't let their kid go to a Halloween party at school due to the holiday's pagan origins.

While I'm all for efforts to reduce the impact that stereotypes have on society, Halloween costumes are a fairly weak argument, in my opinion. Go after the TSA's racial profiling--that's a battle worth fighting.

In Germany All Hallows or Allerheiligen isnt based on pagan beliefs. And the whole Halloween thing came to Germany about 10 years ago.

I think people should stop worrying. I get to hear about a hundred racist remarks a day directed at pretty much everyone. And in a culture like that you quickly realize that if you get offended by every little remark that refers to your particular culture (with me it's Native American and Jewish), you're going to have a pretty hard time.

The best way I found to deal with it is laugh and enjoy the joke for what it is, a joke. Those costumes aren't bad. Few people who wear them truly believe the stereotype. They just find the culture reference funny. If anything, I think Caucasians have the hardest time with this kind of thing. Not that they're the brunt of any racist jokes, but because anything they do, can somehow be interpreted as a racist remark and they have to tread on eggshells for the sake of not offending everyone.

I think if certain groups can't use certain remarks or words or images, no one should be able to. If a white American can't use any of those Halloween costumes, then no one else in America can ever look like that. If they want to be equal it doesn't mean special rights. It means being equal.

Lukisod: Jewish and Native American? Really? Reminds me of that one movie with the Yiddish speaking Native Americans. Its best just to make fun of your own stereotypes, so that people dont take it seriously. Right? That is often the reason for racial comedy (such as Chappelles Show or Russel Peters): Its just there to not take such things serious.

...I found the pic to be amusing. =/

There was a report last week about a law firm being "under fire" for having a party as...homeless people. As expected, people were offended!

Srsly...It's a damn holiday.

Irish Wolf wrote:So my fellow roleplayers, what do you think?

I don't get why people are angry. I mean it's not like the guy above dressed up as a Muslim, he dressed as a Muslim extremist. There's a clear distinction. Anyone who considers the two the same would have done so even without the costume there to beget the thought. It's not like you can really dress as a penny grabbing Jew either, so any association would have been made by the person viewing the costume whether or not it was there. Then again there are limits, such as swatika'ing the shit out of everything. That at the least can be considered mischief which is bad. Strapping red PVC pipe to your chest is just a sure sign of a good time.

How the hell is a Geisha racist? Geishas were respected people in Chinese society, this is just being overly sensitive, now perhaps dressing up as Mao, that make sense, but this is just pushing point to absolute absurdity.

Uh Rulke. Geishas are Japanese and not Chinese. Or do you not know the difference. Look it up.

Aniihya wrote:Uh Rulke. Geishas are Japanese and not Chinese. Or do you not know the difference. Look it up.

Snooty aren't you, it made comes as shock to ya, but my friend who studies ancient China says people often mix up China and Japan. And you totally ignore my point because of simple mistake...

Geisha are known in China as "Yi Ji 艺妓" or "Qinglou Nuzi 青楼女子" . They worked in brothels. However, they differed from other prostitutes in that they do not sell their body. Instead, they are highly talented in terms of art/literature/musical instruments and usually entertained customers with these.

And see your close-mindedness ignored history.

Aniihya and Rulke are both partially correct. Taken from the pen of someone who actually lives in Japan:

Chou Toshio wrote:While stigmatized by the connection to prostitution, a Geisha is better considered as a type of traditional, cultured artist. While in bygone centuries the Geisha were indeed connected to the Japanese pleasure industry, it was only as the greatest of elites. Geisha did not stay in mere pleasure quarters, and had the dignity to choose her bedmates—for a Geisha was the refined talent of a multitude of art forms in dancing, music, and of course, conversation. A true Geisha was coy, disciplined, and extremely intelligent. While in the present, the prostitute may be gone, the artist remains, and even today many girls train to become this perfect figure of feminine charm and grace. With the passing of time, many Japanese traditions have died, and arts have disappeared, but for many such arts, the Geisha have survived as the greatest and sole persevering practitioners. One could call them cultural custodians and treasures of Japan.

Rulke, Geishas and Yu Ji have similar traditions but Geisha are from Japan and you cannot say they are the same. Geisha werent prostitutes but entertainers while Yu Ji are courtesans. That Japanese equal to Yu Ji are Oiran. Geisha do not sell for sex. I have been to Japan very often and have a friend who worked as a maiko for two years.

You know what? I'm going to wear a Kimono, or a poncho, or a catsuit, or a giant bloody axe in my head for Halloween and I don't give a cr@p what other people think(whatever color/race/creed they are). I am not a racist person, but I'm tired of being labeled as one for being white.

And as for other cultures being racists-- I'll believe they aren't when I don't get called whitey, gringo, cauckey, American Pie, lightening loser, or paleface.

solidmatterdrive25 wrote:

PoevsPoe wrote:I am not a racist person, but I'm tired of being labeled as one for being white.

And as for other cultures being racists-- I'll believe they aren't when I don't get called whitey, gringo, cauckey, American Pie, lightening loser, or paleface.

You poor, poor white person. I'm sure the constant discrimination against you must be incredibly heartbreaking. The only things worse would be if you were straight and male.

Anyways, I don't really see a problem with the costumes, but maybe that's because I'm a straight white male.

It's ignorant people like you that give us white people a bad name. Just because the stereotypical white person in this country has money and power, and lacks the history of oppression that other cultures do, doesn't mean that there isn't racism on our part as well.

You don't know me, you don't know where I came from, and you have no right to judge. I am speaking out against all the hate and names and physical abuse I suffered in school growing up from the "ethnic" kids at my school. Every individual is different, and it is perfectly possible that a white person can be discriminated against because they are white.

It happens in business too. I got denied a job at Radio Shack because I don't speak Spanish. I feel that is discrimination. But maybe it isn't to someone else who hasn't experienced the kind of frustration I have.

Okay, let's get back on topic and avoid the personal jabs and arguments, please. Thank you.

Jag wrote:Okay, let's get back on topic and avoid the personal jabs and arguments, please. Thank you.

This year I'm going for Halloween as a Hobbit, so all you Hobbits out there can come and get me and take my picture and make a sad poster out of it!