Last Friday night we were invited to a very big Halloween party. One of our friends was thoughtful enough to let us know beforehand that some people would be dressed up as Hasidic Jewish folk, so naturally we chose not to attend. I mean, let's face it, we're Jewish, it's Friday and we are celebrating Shabbat with our family, and then heading to a party where people are 'dressing up' as religious Jews? Not so much, thanks. Our non-Jewish friends ended up being practically more offended than we were, and instead we drank champagne and ate tiramisu until the wee hours of the morning. Which was the best.
But this whole thing got me thinking. In discussing it with a few people, and doing a little googling, I came across Ohio University's
"We’re a Culture Not a Costume Campaign”. And I have to say, I appreciate the effort, especially in light of the hate crimes and discrimination that are rampant in this world of ours. I believe in using Halloween to inject whimsy, creativity, and even a bit of spookiness into our daily lives. But it's not a time to polarize or alienate others.
Do you agree? I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter.
ps. Happy Halloween!
I am torn and in a privileged spot (White, Christian etc) to comment. But I might as well share my thoughts ...
ReplyDeleteYet, I still think that it is fine to dress as a culture - pretty much as anything. I'd be fine if I saw in India a person dressing as a White American. Halloween is about facing fears, playing with all that and to allow us to be (Freudian's) ID, to play so that we can be pc again the next day. It is about heightening stereotypes, about making things noticeable and laugh. "Humor is when you laugh anyways".
I'd say: if you feel offended by something - ask yourself why? How come you are so reactive? And that does not meant that there is not the other person's piece in it - why they did it, what they intended to do with it.
To say: we are a culture and not a costume is sort of very black-white, excluding, not complexely thinking, it is a personal opinion and very, very typical for American and their pleasure they take from political correctness. Check out Europe, how they live side by side, embrace other languages, neighbors and know of different sorts of humors like "Black Humor" in Britain, morbid German Humor etc.
Wait. You didn't go to a party because people were there doing something you didn't like/agree with? While I agree that appropriating a culture for a Halloween costume is thoughtless, I don't think altering my lifestyle is the answer. The terrorists win that way.
ReplyDelete"Politically correct" is the term bigots use to put down people who object to racism. It relativizes bigotry, making it sound like people who are offended by racism are being too touchy.
ReplyDelete"Anonymous" writes: "if you feel offended by something - ask yourself why? How come you are so reactive?" I'll tell you why I'm offended: because racism offends me. I'll tell you why I'm reactive: because racism's disgusting.
How ironic that you would point to Europe, and especially Germany, as a place where people live side by side and embrace each other, when not so long ago, it was the Europeans who murdered millions of- wait for it- Jews! And you wonder why it's offensive for people to dress up as Jews? Privileged and white you certainly are- and ignorant to boot.