Oct 26, 2011
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An Ohio university is funding a student-led campaign to denounce what they consider to be racially offensive Halloween costumes – ranging from Geisha girls to terrorists.
The campaign is sponsored by a group called Students Teaching Against Racism (STARS), and is funded by Ohio University.
“Some costumes can be offensive to some people where you are highlighting their culture in a negative way,” said Stephanie Sheeley, a spokesperson for the group and a student at the university.
STARS created a poster campaign showing what they consider to be offensive Halloween costumes. In one poster an Asian girl is holding a photograph of someone dressed like a Geisha. In another photograph, a Hispanic student is holding a photograph of someone dressed in a sombrero.
“We understand that Halloween is supposed to be fun but in doing so you don’t have to offend others,” Sheeley told Fox news. “There are plenty of costumes that don’t hurt other people’s feelings and don’t degrade other people.”
The posters read: “We’re a culture, not a custom. This is not who I am, and this is not okay.”
One of the more shocking posters features a man dressed in Middle Eastern attire with dynamite strapped around his waist. Sheeley said dressing up in Muslim garb for Halloween might be offensive to “certain” countries.
““That’s obviously offensive,” she said. “It’s offensive to a lot of people because that doesn’t highlight all the people in that country. That takes one specific angle.”
But she also cautioned people about dressing up in other ethnic outfits.
“Don’t dress up like a Guido,” she said. “That’s offensive to Italian Americans. Don’t dress up in black face. That’s offensive to African Americans.”
So what about dressing up like a rapper or someone from the Jersey Shore? Sheeley said that kind of costume would actually be appropriate.
“It’s different if you are saying I’m Snooki or dressing up as Obama,” she said. “It’s difficult when you cross the line between being someone specific and just being a representation of a culture. That’s a lot different than saying I’m a Guido.”
Ohio University is not the only institution of learning that’s trying to create a politically correct Halloween. Schools across the country have either cancelled or curtailed celebrations over issues ranging from candy corn to concerns that Americans are forcing their holiday traditions on new immigrants.
Consider the following:
– Halloween costumes have been banned from many schools in Ontario, CA. Instead, students have been encouraged to wear orange and black on Halloween.
Parent Stefanie Sellers told the Barrie Examiner that she received a letter from her daughter’s school explaining the costume ban.
“In an effort to respect the diverse value of our PVPS families, we will not be wearing Halloween costumes to school this year,” the letter read.
– In Portland, OR, the principal at Buckman Elementary School banned costumes at his school, calling instead for boys and girls to embrace a “spirit of equity.”
“For many reasons, the celebration of Halloween at school can lead to student exclusion,” Principal Brian Anderson wrote in a letter to parents. “There are social, financial and cultural differences among our families that we must respect.”
Anderson wrote that the “spirit of equity” has led most public schools in the city to “deemphasize the celebration of Halloween at school.”
– Halloween celebrations have also been banned in some schools across Michigan.
“Change is hard,” Carol Dawson told the Muskegon Chronicle. She’s the principal at Holton Elementary school – where candy corn and candied apples have been replaced with a fall festival focused on health and wellness.
Edgewood Elementary School in Fruitport, MI, decided to steer clear of both Halloween parties and costumes parades. The principal told the Chronicle she wanted to keep children safe and avoid hurt feelings.
“Emotionally, it is a difficult time for kids who don’t have costumes,” Amy Upham told the newspaper.
So instead of cookies and candy, the kids at Edgewood Elementary will get “fall-centered fun and educational activities.”
– In Springfield, NJ, elementary school principals banned costumes claiming it caused classroom disruptions. Superintendent Michael Davino told the Springfield Patch that dressing up is not something kids should be doing at school.
“I do believe it is something you should do with your friends, believe it is something you should do with your family, and it is something you should do as an activity that has really nothing to do with school or about school,” he said.
FOX News Talk
Dress up as Obama and you offend me. Not all of us are pushy democrats.
FURTHERMORE, dressing up as terrorists doesn't make all muslims terrorists, just like dressing in Wrangler jeans doesn't make everyone a COWBOY!
"Ohio University… trying to create a politically correct Halloween."
"…. a man dressed in Middle Eastern attire with dynamite strapped around his waist. Sheeley said dressing up in Muslim garb for Halloween might be offensive to “certain” countries."
I'm sick of PC. It's just a COSTUME!
obama's unemployment at epic numbers, the economy continues to struggle with new obama debt at FOUR TRILLION and growing and this is what"STARS" finds important. Try reality.
What kind of cra p is this! Any costume could be offensive to anyone so what to do, how about coming, no pun intended, in your birthday suit! Let them complain about what mother nature gave you and denied them, the jealous pigs!
Natural born freedom haters. They're going to grow up to censor or freedoms even more. If these weirdos had their way, Halloween would be illegal. You're always going to have wackjobs out there. Just ignore them.
Ya'll have my permission to dress up as white trailer trash. Please. Have at it.
Occupy Halloween.
Shear stupidity. No one has the right to not be offended. Grow up there are more important issues we face.
does this mean I get to sue the next idiot I see in a pregnant nun outfit?
This is absurd….I will dress up as super sensative pinko loser.
how is dressing as a gaishea (pardon my spelling) offensive? youre not making fun of asians..its a type of person. would dressing up as a ninja be equally as offensive?
No, people have to see you to be offended.
I actually totally agree. That's like saying it's offensive to dress as a cowboy or something. It's a costume; get over it.
One year at college, during the Iran hostage crisis, I dressed as a hostage. The next year I was an Arab oil minister. Get over it.
Looks like only foreigners have a voice in this country anymore. We have NO NATIONAL pride anymore. The news says hate groups are on the rise. Surprised?
The age of political correctness. How sad.
All I can say is I am glad I went out to trick-or-treat in the mid-late 50'a. Being Politically Correct was an unknown concept. I am sorry that my decedents can't enjoy the Holiday spirit. When did America go wrong?
We are raising a whole culture of pansies! If something offends you go tell your mama and she'll get hold of the ACLU and they'll take care of that bad ol' offensive thing! Grow a set and get over it!
If you are hell-bent on looking high and low to be offended, you'll probably find it. In other news, I will be dressing up as a poly sci professor in an effort to look like an academic.
I was also looking to dress up as Vlad the Impaler but got a nasty email from the Transylvanian Equality Association and they said I was being insensitive to vampires…
Professional ethists looking for a problem where none exist. Weren't they just bitching about their student loans yesterday? Aren't they supposed to be at the library studying? See, this is what their liberal teachers are indoctrinating them with instead of useful life skills: like Math, English, Creative Writing, etc. Don't beleive me, buy something at McDonald's for $1.75, hand them a $5 bill. When then key it in say "Hey, here's a quarter!" and watch the bewildered look – lol.
Ugly American? I think that is what I will go as. David Sexton = Freedom of Speech. Sing it, bro.
Get something better to do and stop worrying what other people are doing unless it directly effects your wallet or your safety. I wonder why we haven't seen many americans rise up in protest when other nations mock our traditions or customs.. O right we turn the other cheek and go on with our life.
The Great Pumpkin will get them all…
lol best post yet!
If that's "NOT who they are" then they shouldn't find it offensive. If I see someone with a big, red beard, wearing a kilt, staggering around in mock inebriation, stuffing a potato into his gaping maw and dancing a jig with his shillelagh, I would not be offended.
Seriously?!
its just a costume, who cares?
f_u_c_k'em, they are all evil-sorry devil-I didn't mean to offend you.
This country is totally Fu$&ed…..
Witches of the world UNITE! This persecution of OUR rights really has to stop!
Jessus they have all gone nuts, maybe I'll go dress in animal fur wearing a suicide vest with a sombreo on my head and with black face and a kimono, that will piss them off also I'll carry a bible in one hand and the Koran in the other, while asking for pork rinds and beer, have a great Halloween.
LMAO …..
OK I've spent over an hour reading these posts. Had to pick myself up off the floor from uncontrollable laughter. Really some quick-witted folks out there. I do have an idea: why don't we have a national vote to settle the issue. Only two things to consider: 1. Are you a person that likes to have fun and enjoy life by dressing up in some crazy outfit or 2. would you rather spend Halloween sitting in your house with the doors locked, lights out, blinds closed and sitting in a courner sucking your thumb. You can only vote for one of these opinions.
I'll think I'll dress up like an American fix'in to be beheaded…. Oh wait a sec…. COME ON PPL! If you don't want to be the ass of stereotypes, then fix yourselves! Tell ya people to pull their pants up. Tell your people to stop blowing themselves up for 70 virgins! You ever noticed that those high-ranking muslim clergymen never strap TNT to themselves and push the button? They're either gay or smart. Maybe even both. Just sayin'….Take a joke ppl….Good Lord…..*sigh*.
Oh good Lord people are uptight these days… how is it better to dress up like an axe murderer than a dress up in a traditional cultural costume, even if it is a cheap copy… Honestly! If these kids can't find something more substantial to protest about than a silly halloween costume, what the hell are they being taught at those colleges? Certainly not to think for themselves, or to reason a weigh the importance if things in their life.
I'm of italian descent… You want to come to my halloween party dressed as Guido the Killer Pimp, guess what… It won't bother me a bit. Know why? Because I'm not an italian, I'm an AMERICAN… It wouldn't bother my parents either, because they're AMERICANS… Nor my grandparents, who came to this country on a boat from Italy, passed through Ellis Island, the whole deal, because they came to this country TO BE AMERICANS.
More stupid stuff from our Liberals in college. Get over it, it's Halloween!
seriously, some people need to get a life and stop being so damn sensitive. Halloween is a great fun Holiday and if you don't want to be apart of it then don't. Stop trying to tell people wtf to do. Like I give a shit if a guy is wearing a "Guido" costume. I'm Italian and not offended. If someone chooses to be a Terrorist for Halloween with Arab garb and fake bombs, that's his right. Its not saying all Arabs are terrorist. If you are Arab and not a terrorist then you shouldn't worry yourself. and if the terrorist get offended fuck em!
Give me a freaking break. I guess we need to add Red Neck, or anything you would associate with a white person. O! No wait that would be OK because white people aren't a culture, right? And lets not stop there because any costumes could be deemed as offensive to anyone like dressing as a Playboy Bunny is being offensive to women and rabbits? Or dressing as Eggs and Bacon will piss of a Vegan. When the hell does it stop? I love the fact this STAR rep thinks its ok to dress in black face as long as you're saying you’re dressed up as the President. That’s offensive.
I'm gonna wear a white sheet with eye holes cut it and be a "ghost" for Halloween. Wonder how well that would go over in Mississippi? Lol.
Sorry, I don't see anything wrong showing a muslim with a bomb wrapped around him/her.and I really don't care if they think it's offensive, they don't give a crap when they offend us, so why should we care about them? After all, they do it all the time, blowing up people with bombs….How come we get attacked when we offend them, but it's O.K. for them to offend us?
So I guess we should ban all Cowboy costumes, Redneck outfits and gypsy costumes since they are racially insensitive. And while we are at it, lets ban all fat suits and slutty women costumes because they are degrading and go too far. BIG FAIL! Start teaching these stupid kids to spend their time fighting a real cause. HALLOWEEN COSTUMES?~? REALLY?
seriously they can get over their pc shit. in which case you wouldn't have halloween costumes. which costumes are offensive to wiccans, clergy costumes are offensive to religous people. your parents were hippies so it's offensive to dress as one if you weren't growing up in the 70's. get over yourselves poeple.
I think I will be a "liberated" woman wearing a burka and a bomb vest this year… I was having such trouble finding a costume that would irk folks! thanks protesters
That is the ultimate in ridiculousity…it's a silly costume for a silly "holiday" that is supposed to be for kids to get candy, what are they supposed to dress up as? Next it will be wrong to let them dress up like a witch because the witches of the world will be offended. I've had enough, stop the world, it's time to get off!
Wow
I agree! Dressing up in "Middle Eastern attire" with a bomb strapped to themselves certainly will offend Arab terrorists everywhere.
I want to do this same poster with me and a picture of someone dressed as santa clause. How dare you dress as a fat white guy in red. This offends my culture and heritage. We white people are not all fat guys wearing red and breaking into houses. Lets cancel halloween… and christmas… and every holiday for that matter. In fact no one should express themselves in anyway because someone, somewhere, may get offended.
sooo I thought about going as Captain Sisco in black face but only b/c I really like him, not because Im racist
Hey mister don't you stereotype people as captains of huge space stations.
I guess I should rethink my zombie nazi outfit in case I offend any of the local undead or white supremacists
.
this shit is really FUCKED UP!
I'm German. If someone wants to dress in Lederhosen and hold a beer stein – I'd just laugh. Please people. Lighten up!
It's funny it says its a culture not a costume and the Arab got bombs on his chest claiming that culture way to go buddy. N what's wrong with a geisha costume. If u dress up as eminem or dr dre the white people or black people ain't going to go protest find something productive to do with your lives Halloween is fun stop ruining it n have some humor.
It's just Halloween people, when people dress up as another character. I don't see how dressing up as a Geisha, a Mexican with a sombrero, a terrorist is an attempt to stereotype and offend an entire race. The costumes are just characters, they are not representations of an entire race. I'm sure that by dressing up as a Geisha, she was not making a mockery of the entire Japanese culture. She probably thought it looked like a cool character to dress up as for Halloween. Halloween is a time when Americans have fun dressing up as someone or something else. It's supposed to be a fun time. Change your distorted perspectives. What's next, you shouldn't dress up as a skeleton because it's offensive to dead people?
Boo hoo…poor student. Sorry folks, but if we were to ban costumes because we get offended by them nobody would be wearing anything. Heck, I find bow ties offensive.
Notice how the opponents of individual liberty (in this case the free choice of what costume to wear) specifically frame it as, "… a man dressed in Middle Eastern attire with dynamite strapped around his waist." LOL – "a man dressed in Middle Eastern attire" – you have to actually TRY to get there, it's not something that is isolated within the image. Now as I look at the picture I simply see "terrorist" (as one probably see with ANY attire accompanied with a bomb strapped on the subject) and the fact that most wackos who would strap a bomb to themselves happen to be Muslims is not the observer's (nor the costume wearer's) fault. If I put on a cowboy outfit with some fake dynamite around my chest people would probably see "terrorist" as well, but at least in that case they could also imagine heroes like Matt Dillon taking my arse out, too.
Such heroes don't seem to be present in our reality, however. The so-called "moderate" Muslims sit around too intimidated to weed out the extremist cancer in their ranks then want to complain when these extremists are depicted as-is? I've got a better idea – why don't the "peaceful" Muslims risk their own lives and infiltrate these cells and expose them to get rid of the extremists who are tainting their religion's image? Where are the Mullahs and other Muslim lay people shouting from the rooftops that the bombing of innocent Jews and Christians is not part of their religion? Oh that's right – that stuff is only spoken softly in political discourse such as this, but somehow fails to make it to the altar/pulpit/podium in the typical Mosque throughout the Muslim world.
Odd, that – eh? So, until I see the so-called "moderate" Muslims paying more than lip-service to their claims their religion is a peaceful one, they will remain suspect and representations like the one in question are perfectly legitimate.