Offensive Halloween costumes are monstrous

Ariel Weinstein | Staff Writer

Aside from the ABCs, sharing and counting to ten, one of the very first things, for the most part, that people learn from the beginning of their lives is respect. This word, “respect,” includes everything from learning how to nicely pet an animal, to saying please and thank you and having consideration for others.

Unfortunately, despite parent’s efforts to teach their children to have respect for others, and educational programs at schools attempting to teach the same, students, employees, parents, children and people in general are continuing to show how humanity is declining to the point of disgust.

Now, it seems that with the continuous negative and depressing events going on in the world, people are taking these ideas and turning them into what they seem to believe are epic Halloween costumes. What they fail to realize however, is that what they are going out in public as, has such a negative impact on those who are actually associated with that costume, and that these people take offense to it.

For example, on April 15, 2013, one of the most well-known cities in the country, Boston, experienced an event that changed hundreds of peoples lives forever. During the marathon that was being held at the time, bombs went off which killed and injured many people. This is one of the most tragic events that could happen to anyone.

As though this event is not heartbreaking enough, people were seen last year having the audacity to dress up as Boston bombing victims and showing up to work to advertise their “creative” costume. It is sad to think that while there are patients in hospitals with lost limbs, others who were badly injured and their families who are struggling to pay for the medical bills, some people are taking the opportunity to make a joke of them.

One of the most recent issues in the world now is the Ebola outbreak. People have died from this virus, others are in quarantine and the families that have loved ones who are victims to this terrible outbreak are going through hard times.

This fact, however, does not stop ignorant people from thinking it would be a good idea to go dressed up as a patient being treated for the virus, or a doctor treating a patient.

Other than disturbing tragic events in the world, people take advantage of many other negative issues.

One couple dressed up as Ray Rice and his wife, portraying the event where he beat her up. Wearing a jersey with his name on it, and having her wear dark makeup to look like bruises, they posed for the camera taking shots with him throwing a punch, dragging her and acting out other ways he beat her up. Looking at it from the perspective of Ray Rice’s wife, seeing people mock one of the most negative traumatic events of her life must be horrifying.

One University student, Leonard James Moore, is a freshman majoring in marketing and economics. He commented on how he takes offense to people dressing up as Native Americans, because that is his culture.

“For Halloween costumes, I take offense when people demean the Native American life. If it’s just a Native American costume I don’t really care. But when it’s demeaning with the arrow through the head, I feel like there’s a problem,” Moore commented.

Moore also feels a certain way about people dressing up as a particular targeted race.

“I also feel it’s a problem when they take black people costumes or African American costumes to a certain extent. If you go dressed up as Obama that’s one thing, but if you’re a slave I take offense to that.”

Others go dressed up as soldiers, firefighters, cops and other heroic figures. Although it may seem harmless, one can never know if the stranger they just walked past while they were dressed up as a soldier, had a father or family member who died or was injured, and may take offense to that person mocking the figure.

People all over the country are getting hyped about this upcoming Halloween. The only advice I have for those dressing up in costume, is think of what you are trying to portray, and try to see it from the perspective of someone who could potentially be associated in some way to your costume.