College students protesting "racist" Halloween costumes vol. C'mon man

[swish 22]

Originally Posted by th0ugh

Originally Posted by Swish 22

Originally Posted by th0ugh



^^^ this is EXACTLY what meth is talking about. Very ironic that they say WE are the soft ones for being offended.

. It's a god damn shame. Of all things to be for Halloween, you want to be something so controversial. These people choose these costumes SOLEY to poke fun at a whole race/religion/nationality. How is THAT ok? Some of you NTers TRULY disgust me, man. Seriously. This generation....My generation is so submissive.

Controversy is in the eye of the beholder. Just because I choose to dress as Lil Wayne in black face for Halloween doesn't mean I am attempting to digrace/harm/be racist against a whole entire culture/heritage/any other word used to describe background. It could mean I am a huge fan of Lil Wayne and maybe I want to dress like him as a way to show love for his music, but I am a white person and it would look less realistic/really dumb as a pale white person attempting to pull off a Lil Wayne costume. People do not always choose costumes to poke fun at races/religions/nationalities. Relax. I can't believe I wrote more a

 responding to others about 'racist' Halloween costumes. Save your long paragraph responses about the history of black face. I am a social studies teacher. You are all overreacting.

  

******** are 3-3, though

You say that like it's an insult. Most people (including myself) expected them to be 0-6 at this point. We've been playing John Beck and Rex Grossman at QB. The only bad thing about that is we will never suck enough to get a quality QB in the draft.

 

[10 piece nuggets]

Originally Posted by Dathbgboy

Originally Posted by 10 Piece Nuggets

Obviously its racist, but not dat srs.
Its all in fun, no one means to offend in a hurtful way.

How do U know that they aren't though? It's mocking isn't it? Playing off of racial stereotypes isn't it? It's one thing to dress up like a rapper, but to put "black face" on is offensive.  Those that know the history of what is being mocked understand the seriousness. The ignorant ones prance around saying it's not that serious. 

Always gotta pull out the black history card eh?

Again, not serious enough to pull out that card.

Its not being ignorant, its knowing that while it is racist its not necessarily meant to be disrespectful/blatantly offensive.

 

[witnesskb24]

Eh, nobody cared on here before until now (of course, I'm sure everyone will say they did but funny they didn't didn't speak up) and what's really funny is some of the people in here complaining about it are in other threads laughing about the same type of costumes

 

[ag 47]

The ICE is responsible for, among other things, ensuring the swift departure of all immigrants ordered to leave the country, investigating claims of human trafficking and smuggling, identifying fraudulent immigrant benefit applications and identification, and investigating illegal immigrants in the workplace, specifically those with access to sensitive infrastructure (like nuclear power plants.) So, this is an agency that targets illegal immigrants in particular, an agency responsible for imprisoning over 20,000 immigrants – and their reaction to a White man mocking a prisoner of color is to give him an award. What does that say about the level of respect that exists within the culture of the ICE for immigrants of color? What does it say, further, about our society that we continue to see blackface at costume parties, not just in frat houses but in government office parties? What type of environment does that indicate with regard to respecting diversity in the workplace? In government?

You can say that these are just spoiled brats at college house parties, but these people still will still leave those parties, ignorance in tow, and influence society as they interact with it - and, unfortunately, with us. Some of these kids may be responsible for hiring decisions at some point. They may approve loans. They may vote in elections. They may give descriptions of suspects to police officers or take the stand as witnesses. They may judges, business executives, politicians, lobbyists, HR directors, police officers, soldiers, and so on.



Truth. Those racially insensitive perspectives don't cease to exist just because it's November 1st.

 

[Methodical Management]

im wondering if you find it racist meth when white people where Jamaican hats with the long dreads on them

Where racism is concerned, I would simply ask, regardless of the wearer's intent, "does the effect of this costume promote a culture that trivializes and/or devalues people of color and their experiences?"  
More to the point of your question, however, I would say that it's ignorant for anyone to play "dress up" with one of those "Rastafarian" hats.  They're insulting.  Imagine a stereotypical Jewish yarmulke that had sidelocks and a beard attached to it.  Isn't that a tad offensive?

What you're doing - and this is the whole point of the campaign - is reducing a culture to a costume.  Consider the thought process that goes into this.  Someone says to themselves, "oh, I'm going to pretend to be ____.  Here's what those people look like.  And these are the mannerisms I'll want to affect for the party, so I can stay in character.  Won't that be funny?"  

Imagine that you're from Kenya and you see a friend dressed up in a "starving African" costume.  Does it matter to you if your friend is Black?  

What if, instead of the "starving African," he throws a fake lion pelt over his shoulders to go alongside a loincloth, a fly-whisk, and a generic "African" mask.  Isn't that also offensive?  

it's the intent and motive of the messenger that empowers the message or in this case symbol/costume; it's college kids getting drunk being silly, if they want to be labeled "racist" by others that aren't in the spirit of dressing up, then it's on them

Effect is FAR more important than "intent."  I'm so sick of people waving "intent" as though it's a magic wand.  All the "harmless intentions" in the world don't undo the damage of people's actions.  If I accidentally swing my elbows around during a basketball game and break your jaw, how satisfied are you gonna be with my explanation that "it was an accident" if I go right back to swinging my elbows around like Bill Laimbeer on the very next play?  

Ignorance isn't a valid excuse and willful ignorance is even worse.  You know people are offended by this, and yet you continue to do it anyway because you don't "mean" to be offensive?  What kind of nonsense is that?  

 Save your long paragraph responses about the history of black face. I am a social studies teacher.

Funniest statement in this whole thread.  By far.  

i don't see dave chappelle or the other numerous numbers of comedians that make their bread solely off stereotypes being chastised. it's because they're just joking around, they have no real racist motives or harmful intent

Why do you think he quit his show?  Why do you think Richard Pryor stopped using racial slurs?  They understood the effects of their routines, and how they acted independently from their intent. 

When you see a child pulling his eyes into a squint and mocking Asians or laughing hysterically at minstrelsy in a Disney movie, do you just let that slide because "it's not that serious" and they should be able to "enjoy being kids?"  That's a very privileged perspective.  You're encouraging that child to ridicule and devalue people of color, almost certainly including their real life classmates and neighbors, because you want that child to "be happy."  What about the other children's happiness?  Does that not matter?  If you're a responsible caregiver or educator, you seize the opportunity to teach basic empathy and respect.  

Stop being selfish.  The world isn't all about YOUR happiness.  All that's being asked is to stop pissing on other people and other cultures for your own amusement.  There's a world of alternative costume ideas out there.  Have the creativity and the consideration to pick one of those instead.  

These people might, themselves, not be racist or aiming to provoke those they dressed as...but at the same time they're perpetuating a system that's all around us. To paraphrase malcolm x, racism is like a cadillac...new models every year. This is what its become in today's age. 

Very ironic that they say WE are the soft ones for being offended. 

. It's a god damn shame. Of all things to be for Halloween, you want to be something so controversial. These people choose these costumes SOLEY to poke fun at a whole race/religion/nationality.

Glad to see that some of our peers get it. 

Obviously its racist, but not dat srs.

When is racism serious?  When someone is wrongly imprisoned?  That we can "complain" about.  When someone is discriminated against in the workplace?  That we can "complain" about. 

What about when children develop a low self-image because of what they see all around them?  When they see that others view them as a subject of ridicule, as "less than," as a novelty to be played with like toy?  

Isn't that a problem, too?  

Every day I come by Niketalk and I check the general forum. And I go through the day's pages. I have a few thoughts, and a few laughs, and it's great. But you know what the best part of my day is? For about ten seconds, from when I get to the site and when I get to the general forum, 'cause I think, maybe I'll get to the forum and I'll see the first page and Meth will have posted something new. No anti-religion bs. No WSHH . No nothing. Just Meth with something insightful. I don't know much, but I know that. 

Thanks, that seriously means a lot.  I appreciate the support.  It lets me know that the effort isn't wasted.  
Everyone here has the power to be a positive source of disruption, to remind others that normative racism and prejudice that so often passes through forums like ours without objection are, in fact, hurtful and inexcusable.  

The premise of this thread involves a group of young college students with the courage to stand up and speak out against ignorance and racism.  Whether you think they could improve the campaign or not, it's succeeded in raising the issue and challenging behaviors that, too often, go unopposed. 

If you're going to make fun of other racial/cultural groups for Halloween or for any reason, there are consequences to your actions.  You're needlessly offending others and, if that weren't enough, you're revealing yourself to be selfish and ignorant.  

It's one thing to say "I didn't know" and learn from the experience, it's quite another to say, "okay, but I don't care."  

At the end of the day, nobody cares what you think.  You are what you do. 

 

[rufiorufiorufio]

YOU GUYS SHOULD REALLY READ SOME ARTICLES REGARDING STAGES OF RACIAL IDENTITY. BY SUE & SUE

 

[Remy LeBeau]

It's a costume folks, how much different would it be if I (someone who is black) dressed up as lil wayne on halloween?

 

[celticsfan9783]

Originally Posted by HypeBeast McStreetwear

Originally Posted by CelticsFan9783

Originally Posted by 10 Piece Nuggets

Obviously its racist, but not dat srs.
Its all in fun, no one means to offend in a hurtful way.

Well not according to NT. Apparently dressing up like someone from a different race is an attempt at sparking WWIII and setting us back a century

Instead understanding how this could be offensive, you hide behind laughter.
Ironic post is ironic. 

Instead of understanding how this could be merely a silly attempt at adopting a character's physical likeness, you hide behind sensitivity.

See how that works

 

[swish 22]

Meth, really you are taking it for something it's not. If it were the KKK rallying in these costumes with the intent to spread negativity and hate, then maybe you would have a better argument. Like carbon16 said, how much different would it be if he (as a black person) dressed as Lil Wayne for halloween? That's not racist at all. Why does it have to be racist for a white person to dress as Lil Wayne? Lil Wayne is just an example for using black face to look like the person you are dressing up as for satire/fun, not to spread hatred while drinking/having an enjoyable time/eating candy/whatever you do on Halloween.

 

[shoedinidc]

Meth has shed a new light on this and is 100% correct, all of the costumes are terrible and shouldn't be accepted. The black face is the only one that I feel is minimally acceptable, I had a broke friend last year dress as Donovan McNabb(******** jersey/blackface) to go out to bars.

Last year I dressed in a suit and wore an Obama mask, I'm white, is this acceptable?

I'm tired of this black/white crayon battle, we all have to share this planet and some people aren't gonna like other people.

 

[rocsole]

I see if its a white person as black face with a noose around its neck, yeah thats racist..but if its a white female wearing like one of those indian costume thats when its not really serious. i guess it all depends on what you're doing. i whole black face is too much though..like when they sweat what do they do then?

 

[dathbgboy]

Originally Posted by 10 Piece Nuggets

Originally Posted by Dathbgboy

Originally Posted by 10 Piece Nuggets

Obviously its racist, but not dat srs.
Its all in fun, no one means to offend in a hurtful way.

How do U know that they aren't though? It's mocking isn't it? Playing off of racial stereotypes isn't it? It's one thing to dress up like a rapper, but to put "black face" on is offensive.  Those that know the history of what is being mocked understand the seriousness. The ignorant ones prance around saying it's not that serious. 

Always gotta pull out the black history card eh?

Again, not serious enough to pull out that card.

Its not being ignorant, its knowing that while it is racist its not necessarily meant to be disrespectful/blatantly offensive.

Not pulling out the card, not at all chief. Ok, here's one for ur pubescent, naive mind. What if you were Jewish and ppl decided to dress up like Jews for Halloween, running to their nearest craft store to but the materials to make a Jewish star. They pose in pics on facebook and twitter and tumblr, etc. Now, u wouldn't find that offensive? Oh it's just all in fun right?
U have to understand that somethings shouldn't be mocked, plain and simple. And it is being ignorant because not many people are taught all history. It's ignorance to mock what u don't know

 

[hankmoody]

No one got the Good Will Hunting reference in my praise of Meth?

 

[dankenstien88]

Originally Posted by Method Man


Imagine a "European" costume that consists of a guy wearing a cowboy hat, a powdered wig, a kilt, and clogs.  

  
This absolutely made my day.

 

[joeykadesh]

Originally Posted by Swish 22

Meth, really you are taking it for something it's not. If it were the KKK rallying in these costumes with the intent to spread negativity and hate, then maybe you would have a better argument. Like carbon16 said, how much different would it be if he (as a black person) dressed as Lil Wayne for halloween? That's not racist at all. Why does it have to be racist for a white person to dress as Lil Wayne? Lil Wayne is just an example for using black face to look like the person you are dressing up as for satire/fun, not to spread hatred while drinking/having an enjoyable time/eating candy/whatever you do on Halloween.

You seem to just not get it dude, nobody is dressing up as LIL WAYNE so stop with that argument, they are painting their skin black with the ghetto pose and excessive jewels....Who are they imitating? Is this not a stereotypical black person they are portraying? Stop with the lil wayne argument fam 

 

[frostythepoptart]

I'm gonna show you how dumb this topic is easily.

How can you enjoy halloween and be another culture without being racist or stereotypical? Or is this impossible.

 

[dankenstien88]

joeykadesh wrote:

---

Stop with the lil wayne argument fam 


Seriously people.

I have a hard time beleiving that the white people dressing like Wayne are oblivious to the fact they are going ruffle quite a few feathers.

This is not just "all in good fun".   They have to be aware they are trolling.

 

[dirtylicious]

I'm amazed that people still think things are only racist if it involves violence or negative intent.

 

[chiva1908]

LOLOLOLOLOLOL @ the suicide bomber...

 

[iYen]

Originally Posted by HankMoody

No one got the Good Will Hunting reference in my praise of Meth?

Did you want

s for referencing Ben Affleck's monologue or were you sincerely praising Meth?

@Meth
Thank you for shedding light in this thread.
Where can I find "Race Rules?"
You mentioned it in one of your previous posts.
I searched for "Race Rules by Ralph Ellison" but I could not find the specific source you were referring to.

 

[Remy LeBeau]

Originally Posted by joeykadesh

Originally Posted by Swish 22

Meth, really you are taking it for something it's not. If it were the KKK rallying in these costumes with the intent to spread negativity and hate, then maybe you would have a better argument. Like carbon16 said, how much different would it be if he (as a black person) dressed as Lil Wayne for halloween? That's not racist at all. Why does it have to be racist for a white person to dress as Lil Wayne? Lil Wayne is just an example for using black face to look like the person you are dressing up as for satire/fun, not to spread hatred while drinking/having an enjoyable time/eating candy/whatever you do on Halloween.

You seem to just not get it dude, nobody is dressing up as LIL WAYNE so stop with that argument, they are painting their skin black with the ghetto pose and excessive jewels....Who are they imitating? Is this not a stereotypical black person they are portraying? Stop with the lil wayne argument fam 

Um the girl in the first pic is definitely dressed as lil wayne

 

[newbuck]

You have to be a little insecure in what you are and ashamed of your identity to be seriously offended by things like this.I understand its a bit distasteful, but to be so hyper-sensitive to it...grow up a little.

 

[sreggie101]

Originally Posted by HankMoody

The costumes are bad but my real issue is how people in them feel they have free license to perpetuate stereotypical behavior (usually the bad).

i wonder this also. Man the racists coming out of the woodwork on NT

 

[hankmoody]

IYen- both. I need those s. I need 'em real bad.

 

[iYen]

Originally Posted by HankMoody

IYen- both. I need those s. I need 'em real bad.

I watched Good Will Hunting for the first time, about a month ago, and it was

.