Friday, September 18, 2015

Creeping Up On Halloween With Racist Costumes

If we are going to talk about various costumes, we are going to have to talk about these costumes. The racist costumes.

In this day and age you'd think it wouldn't pop up, but people still turn to it. Whenever you're changing your face color to mimic another racial group, maybe you should give pause, and evaluate. When you are about to do a caricature of some group, ask why.

From Last Week Tonight







Sure, when I was a kid putting tape on your eyes and putting on a straight black wig was seen as clever. Granted, among kids you'd have rather dressed up as a cowboy or a witch or a knight, but parents were enjoying themselves. It was high comedy to mimic other races. Peter Sellers went a long way with it.

Things changed. White people's awareness improved. And we can be horribly embarrassed with ourselves.

Some try to just label it all as Political Correctness. Whatever you want to say, it's racist. It was always racist, but we just ignored it or were blessed with clueless. We aren't socially clueless anymore. We know better.

And we can do better. So no Slow Poke Rodriguez impersonations. Walk passed the Native American selection inexplicably still in ever costume shop. No gangstas. You have so many none racist ways to be offensive.

So when you want to do black face, or dress as a Native Americans, you better expect a comment. You better expect to get mocked and told off.

It's coming.


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