Is Your Halloween Costume Racist?

[Ralkovia]

We should just ban Halloween. Chances are someone gets offended over nearly everything.

And then that gets called "stomping out Paganism".

And then you offend a Priest, a Rabbi, and a Imam, who say "Paganism offends us."

[Cetacea]

The issue is the portrayal of another persons ethnicity as caricature by dressing in supposed 'cultural dress' for no other reason than social recreation. In other situations it might be justifiable but Halloween is not that situation.

If a person chooses to caricature there own culture (including historic antecedents) then this is less of a problem. So yes white people should feel free to dress as cow girls, cheerleaders, Victorian dandies, football players, surfer dudes or princess. Even the black dress and conical hat is fine since is not related to real wiccans only witch caricatures.

and yes white people DO HAVE CULTURE, Torcularis to deny that you have culture is itself a racist statement as it implies that what you perceive as normal in your life is objective normal for everyone rather than culturally informed -which it isn't

[Gauthier]

Wow. Honestly I thought NSG was more open-minded than this. I guess you all don't care about the way minorities feel when you play dress up with their culture. I'm sorry I tried to have a civil discussion. I greatly apologize.

Tell me this, would you find me dressing like this: offensive?

If I was in a militia I'd find it an offensive call to arms.

[Dyakovo]

Wow. Honestly I thought NSG was more open-minded than this. I guess you all don't care about the way minorities feel when you play dress up with their culture. I'm sorry I tried to have a civil discussion. I greatly apologize.

It's not our fault you've gotten your panties in a bunch over nothing. Maybe for Halloween you should dress up as someone who isn't quite so thin-skinned?

[The Ottoman Imperial Union]

If somebody dresses that way, I highly doubt they're attempting to be offensive; they're just dressing up as something they see as fun. People dress as cowbows; an American icon that makes us all seem like uncultured hicks. People dress as lumberjacks; an American and Canadian icon that also implies uncultured hicks, ect. Heck, people dress as Pirates and Pastafaraianists could call that an insult to their religious figures. If we say "you shouldn't do anything that could possibly be interpreted as racist", then you essentially remove a lot of options for people who really aren't meaning anything bad.

If anything, I'd say people need to be a little more casual on the subject of their race. If you'd like, feel free to dress up as something insulting to whites; unless you deliberately overplay it (And I mean full-blown overplaying), then I'll just accept it.

I'm not going to go out of my way to be insulting, but if I say "Hey, I kinda want to dress up as Mongolian Horseman this year." I shouldn't have the local Mongol-Americans in an uproar.

[Torcularis Septentrionalis]

Wow. Honestly I thought NSG was more open-minded than this. I guess you all don't care about the way minorities feel when you play dress up with their culture. I'm sorry I tried to have a civil discussion. I greatly apologize.

Nobody agrees with me. I guess that means you're all uncivilized, backwards barbarians. Have fun in your caves while I advance civilization.

Fixed for you.

Looik I've already had a fucking shitty day. That's not what I fucking meant so please lay the fuck off. I really just wanted to have a civil fucking discussion and try to show you guys that it's fucking hurtful to do that to someone's culture. But if you want to be childish and change my words, you go right the fuck on.

[Ralkovia]

Tell me this, would you find me dressing like this: offensive?

If I was in a militia I'd find it an offensive call to arms.

OH YEAH. WELL I FIND IT OFFENSIVE THAT YOU WERE OFFENDED!

You can see how offended I am, because it was in caps locks.

[Germanic Templars]

Not really, I mean I am using a blind contact lens, an eye patch, a lab coat, and some face paint and putty. Add it all up and you know what i'll look like.

Unless however a one eyed scientist with a half burnt face from a HCl spill is racist.

[Treko]

Fixed for you.

Looik I've already had a fucking shitty day. That's not what I fucking meant so please lay the fuck off. I really just wanted to have a civil fucking discussion and try to show you guys that it's fucking hurtful to do that to someone's culture. But if you want to be childish and change my words, you go right the fuck on.

Ohhh, kitty got claws.

[Saruhan]

Tell me this, would you find me dressing like this: offensive?

If I was in a militia I'd find it an offensive call to arms.

Well, good thing I live in Kanada, far away from you stinking rebs!

[Coherent Imbeciles]

Fixed for you.

Looik I've already had a fucking shitty day. That's not what I fucking meant so please lay the fuck off. I really just wanted to have a civil fucking discussion and try to show you guys that it's fucking hurtful to do that to someone's culture. But if you want to be childish and change my words, you go right the fuck on.

And you decide to make your day better by posting something that you obviously have strong feelings about and that you know will stir up some controversy?

I think what you meant to say was, "I wanted everybody to agree with me, and you guys are assholes because you aren't doing so."

[Dyakovo]

Wow. Honestly I thought NSG was more open-minded than this. I guess you all don't care about the way minorities feel when you play dress up with their culture. I'm sorry I tried to have a civil discussion. I greatly apologize.

Tell me this, would you find me dressing like this: offensive?

Yes.
You're only allowed to dress in this costume:

*nods*

[Vadia]

This is bothering me quite a bit, do you seriously think this is okay? Like say if they dressed up in say..."white trash"? Perhaps the numerous other issues we have, the thousands of racist white consumes no one wants to wear?

[Coherent Imbeciles]

Not really, I mean I am using a blind contact lens, an eye patch, a lab coat, and some face paint and putty. Add it all up and you know what i'll look like.

Unless however a one eyed scientist with a half burnt face from a HCl spill is racist.

Eyepatches insult the visually impaired and pirates. Check your privilege.

[Anacasppia]

Wow. Honestly I thought NSG was more open-minded than this. I guess you all don't care about the way minorities feel when you play dress up with their culture. I'm sorry I tried to have a civil discussion. I greatly apologize.

Nobody agrees with me. I guess that means you're all uncivilized, backwards barbarians. Have fun in your caves while I advance civilization.

Fixed for you.

This.

[Sebastia-Zachistan]

Fixed for you.

Looik I've already had a fucking shitty day. That's not what I fucking meant so please lay the fuck off. I really just wanted to have a civil fucking discussion and try to show you guys that it's fucking hurtful to do that to someone's culture. But if you want to be childish and change my words, you go right the fuck on.

The first mistake you made was assuming you would find a "civil conversation" on NSG.

The second mistake you made was assuming that, because no one agrees with you, there is no civil conversation. Regardless of what you may think or say, you got a (NSG equivalent of a) civil conversation. No one made very much fun of you at all (save perhaps one, and then I when you decided to ragequit the conversation), and they made reasonable counters to your argument. If that isn't a civil conversation, then what, if you would enlighten me, is?

[Saruhan]

Tell me this, would you find me dressing like this: offensive?

Yes.
You're only allowed to dress in this costume:

*nods*

Well, it's not like I could get more conspicuous...

[Qazox]

Wow. Honestly I thought NSG was more open-minded than this. I guess you all don't care about the way minorities feel when you play dress up with their culture. I'm sorry I tried to have a civil discussion. I greatly apologize.

We generally (no pun intended) are. But you're making a mountain out of a molehill here. Yes there are "racist" costumes, and guess what? 99.99% of the population at Halloween doesn't give a shit about it. Too bad we have to pander to the 0.01% who either can't allow themselves one day/night of 365.24 to join the rest of us in socially acceptable joke or can't pull their heads out of their ass enough.

I've seen African-americans, asian-americans, hispanic-americans wear some really racist costumes last year (one of the African-americans dressed up as a KKK member..), and guess what... NO ONE CARED.

Sorry that the majority of people responding to you on this topic don't agree with you, but it don't mean we all approve of racism. Just that we think "racist costumes" on the racist things to get pissed off about is somewhere between White Rappers and Black Country Music stars.

[Ralkovia]

This is bothering me quite a bit, do you seriously think this is okay? Like say if they dressed up in say..."white trash"? Perhaps the numerous other issues we have, the thousands of racist white consumes no one wants to wear?

What do you mean?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_c-ev0rhc_Nc/S ... 0_1922.JPG

[Den Svenska Riket]

Wow. Honestly I thought NSG was more open-minded than this. I guess you all don't care about the way minorities feel when you play dress up with their culture. I'm sorry I tried to have a civil discussion. I greatly apologize.

I suppose if someone did something like the white woman gone ganster they would be upset but I dont think any Asian person would be upset if someone dressed as a Samuri, they were awesome and might be proud people still remember their culture and history. I am a white American boy and I have a culture/heritage so you do too. I am largely Canadian (British), Ukrainian and Italian. if you arent of European descent chances are you might have Native blood in you.

[Torcularis Septentrionalis]

Looik I've already had a fucking shitty day. That's not what I fucking meant so please lay the fuck off. I really just wanted to have a civil fucking discussion and try to show you guys that it's fucking hurtful to do that to someone's culture. But if you want to be childish and change my words, you go right the fuck on.

And you decide to make your day better by posting something that you obviously have strong feelings about and that you know will stir up some controversy?

I think what you meant to say was, "I wanted everybody to agree with me, and you guys are assholes because you aren't doing so."

No, I knew there were going to be people disagreeing. I just thought I remembered NSG being a lot less rude.

[Dyakovo]

This is bothering me quite a bit, do you seriously think this is okay? Like say if they dressed up in say..."white trash"? Perhaps the numerous other issues we have, the thousands of racist white consumes no one wants to wear?

Yes.

[The Ottoman Imperial Union]

If a person chooses to caricature there own culture (including historic antecedents) then this is less of a problem. So yes white people should feel free to dress as cow girls, cheerleaders, Victorian dandies, football players, surfer dudes or princess. Even the black dress and conical hat is fine since is not related to real wiccans only witch caricatures.

But isen't that statement in and of itself racist?

"I can dress this way because I'm black/asian/white/Native American/ect., but you can't!"

Being non-racist implies that if a person of one race is allowed to do it, then, reasonably, people of other races must be allowed to do it as well.

[Tubbsalot]

The first mistake you made was assuming you would find a "civil conversation" on NSG.

The second mistake you made was assuming that, because no one agrees with you, there is no civil conversation. Regardless of what you may think or say, you got a (NSG equivalent of a) civil conversation. No one made very much fun of you at all (save perhaps one, and then I when you decided to ragequit the conversation), and they made reasonable counters to your argument. If that isn't a civil conversation, then what, if you would enlighten me, is?

She's been here a lot longer than you, actually, and she's a pretty nice person. So maybe chill slightly.

[Treko]

And you decide to make your day better by posting something that you obviously have strong feelings about and that you know will stir up some controversy?

I think what you meant to say was, "I wanted everybody to agree with me, and you guys are assholes because you aren't doing so."

No, I knew there were going to be people disagreeing. I just thought I remembered NSG being a lot less rude.

Welcome to the internet honey, it ain't no walk in the park.