On the Blogs
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News
Special Report: DPS Oversight Committee may be in violation of state law
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The Statement
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The Statement
About Campus: The law student "party" house behind West Quad
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The Statement
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News
Prof. once denied meeting with MSA execs about DPS Oversight Committee, airs issues at meeting
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The Statement
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Men's Basketball
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Bside
Printmaker Takeshi Takahara: mixing metal and acid to make beauty
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Bside
Lila Kalick: Hippie hash, spunky clientele and greasy spooning at Fleetwood Diner
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Men's Basketball
Comments
To all those defending the article,
In a country that values and protects free speech, acknowledging that some of the examples were insensitive and offensive, what would the proper punishment be? Should they be forced in to PC re-education class? Kicked out of law school (demonstrating that the only free speech a University allows is PC speech)? Something else?
I'm not wise enough to know what a proper punishment would be, but I do know this: some costumes are highly inappropriate and offensive, and the University should make it clear that there are standards for decency. No one is advocating that the students at UT Law should have been kicked out of law school, that's ridiculous. And I don't know if some kind of class or seminar would really be helpful. But what is disturbing is that the University of Texas took no issue with very offensive material.
I don't think that the point of this article was to blast anyone who wears an edgy costume. The point was to remind people on campus that what they wear on Halloween could really hurt some people, and that they should just be aware of that when they are deciding on their costumes.
I don't think that the author and supporters of this article would advocate strong punishments for inoffensive actions. I think they just want it to be recognized that there are some lines that shouldn't be crossed, and if they are crossed there should at least be some admission of wrong doing or poor judgment.
First of all, thank you for addressing the concern, which most of the other posters completely disregarded.
I'm not sure, but I think the line, "But the problem was not properly resolved, and students who had participated in the event were given a simple warning," makes it sound like the author thinks something more severe should have happened to the students.
Links that don't work are ignorant.
For those of you ignorant enough to miss you surroundings, here are the photos you asked for:
/Users/emmaraynor/Desktop/Black Face looter.jpg
/Users/emmaraynor/Desktop/ok_blakface_newsx168.jpg
/Users/emmaraynor/Desktop/au-halloween-lynching.jpg
Can you really deny the racism in these portrayals, or the damaging effects they have on our society?
For those of you ignorant enough to miss the evidence right around you, here are some photos you asked for:
/Users/emmaraynor/Desktop/ok_blakface_newsx168.jpg
/Users/emmaraynor/Desktop/au-halloween-lynching.jpg
/Users/emmaraynor/Desktop/Black Face looter.jpg
Can you really try and deny the racism in these representations, and the damaging effects they have on our society?
Many of you have suggested that Halloween is an "innocent holiday" and because of this, the issues that Felix raises are unimportant. However, if you took the time to research it's origins you will find that Halloween, as what we know it today, has been disengaged from its original purposes.
Historically, Halloween simply marked the end of the year for the Celtics, an ancient population in the area we now call Ireland. On this day, the Celtics pretty much wore animal like costumes and danced around bonfires to both welcome the new year and to also create comfort for them on a day that they believed the boundary of the living and the dead became blurred. During this era, offensive representations of other groups through costuming where non-existent and unheard of.
To say that 'Halloween', in its current phase, is an innocent holiday is bazar. There is no historical evidence that costumes like the 'Alien Immigrant' and the "Pimps and Hoes' were used to 'celebrate' a blurred boundary between the living and the dead. Halloween has merely been transformed to further perpetuate the existing stereotypes that have been rooted in American society for such a long time. If you REALLY believe that such costumes are non-reflective of this society then perhaps you are blinded by the ideologies of this nation.
I am in no way saying that I do not personally celebrate Halloween, because I do. However, I will not walk down the street a walking advertiser and promoter of oppression because that would mean that I, too, will play a role in appropriating the images and stereotypes reflected in such costumes.
Perhaps, instead of bashing what Mr. Lopez has to say, those of you who left negative feedback should considering being a bit more objective.
You've got to be kidding me.
Are you going to create a council on what's acceptable attire for Hallowe'en, and then enforce it?
Surely you jest.
You failed to mention the offensive Pirate costumes (offensive to pirates and brigands everywhere), or the Cinderella costumes (offensive to those who slave away as housekeepers), or Jedi Sith outfits (offensive to one of the largest religions in England).
I know you're going to college, but is THIS all you can come up with?
You need to ask for a refund, because you're not being trained to think.
You've got to be kidding me.
Are you going to create a council on what's acceptable attire for Hallowe'en, and then enforce it?
Surely you jest.
You failed to mention the offensive Pirate costumes (offensive to pirates and brigands everywhere), or the Cinderella costumes (offensive to those who slave away as housekeepers), or Jedi Sith outfits (offensive to one of the largest religions in England).
I know you're going to college, but is THIS all you can come up with?
You need to ask for a refund, becaues you're not being trained to think.
I bet there were white trash parties going on that same night that nobody made a fuss about. Calling the party a ghetto party, or black people party, would have been a problem. Calling it ghetto fabulous is simply referring to a subculture, not all black people. Just like goth, or redneck, or whatever don't represent a race, just a culture. People like the author, who are hypersensitive are actually worsening the problem. By choosing to get offended instead of realizing that it was all in fun only serves to divide people more. It was exactly because the participants weren't racist that they chose the theme lightheartedly. Of course, I haven't seen these pictures, and the costumes may have been actually been racist, but just telling us it was a ghetto fabulous party does not imply racism.
By the way, my Asian friend was a redneck last year, none of my white friends were mad. If we dont allow ourselves to be made fun of from outside our races, in the same we make fun of each other from within our race there will always be tension.
LET IT GO.
This is an important issue to raise, thanks for writing and hosting the event! I think the lines between fantasy and racism are so easily crossed on Halloween not because most people intentionally want to offend others, but because we don't have the tools to understand how our fantasies can be hurtful.
An example- I've seen lots of people portray indigenous Hawaiians at parties. Did any of them know an indigenous individual from Hawaii to consult about the accuracy of their representation? Some indigenous Hawaiians may have no problem with grass skirts and bathing suits depicting "them," but for others- following a long history of colonization- it may be very difficult to observe this objectification without some emotion. Again, it might be all in good fun- but think about the individuals who are affected without even being invited to a conversation on the issue.
That's why I think this conversation is so healthy. Stick with real fantasy (zombies, fairies) if you aren't up for it, but at least if you are going to portray your version of someone who is alive right now, step up and talk about it like the intelligent student you dress up like everyday.
(I don't have much to say about sexy costumes, other than I completely agree with Jozi).
This is an important issue to raise, thanks for writing and hosting the event! I think the lines between fantasy and racism are so easily crossed on Halloween not because most people intentionally want to offend others, but because we don't have the tools to understand how our fantasies can be hurtful.
An example- I've seen lots of people portray indigenous Hawaiians at parties. Did any of them know an indigenous individual from Hawaii to consult about the accuracy of their representation? Some indigenous Hawaiians may have no problem with grass skirts and bathing suits depicting "them," but for others- following a long history of colonization- it may be very difficult to observe this objectification without some emotion. Again, it might be all in good fun- but think about the individuals who are affected without even being invited to a conversation on the issue.
That's why I think this conversation is so healthy. Stick with real fantasy (zombies, fairies) if you aren't up for it, but at least if you are going to portray your version of someone who is alive right now, step up and talk about it like the intelligent student you dress up like everyday.
(I don't have much to say about sexy costumes, other than I completely agree with Jozi).
The author hates fun, and expects people who probably don't read as deeply into their costumes as he does to actually care.
This is an important issue to raise, thanks for writing and hosting the event! I think the lines between fantasy and racism are so easily crossed on Halloween not because most people intentionally want to offend others, but because we don't have the tools to understand how our fantasies can be hurtful.
An example- I've seen lots of people portray indigenous Hawaiians at parties. Did any of them know an indigenous individual from Hawaii to consult about the accuracy of their representation? Some indigenous Hawaiians may have no problem with grass skirts and bathing suits depicting "them," but for others- following a long history of colonization- it may be very difficult to observe this objectification without some emotion. Again, it might be all in good fun- but think about the individuals who are affected without even being invited to a conversation on the issue.
That's why I think this conversation is so healthy. Stick with real fantasy (zombies, fairies) if you aren't up for it, but at least if you are going to portray your version of someone who is alive right now, step up and talk about it like the intelligent student you dress up like everyday.
(I don't have much to say about sexy costumes, other than I completely agree with Jozi).
Also:
Leave some names with your comments. Hold yourself accountable.
Comments such as the 4 previous ones are the very reasons Felix started up this conversation. Because people are so ignorant as to think costumes portraying negative ideas such as racial and other stereotypes, like "blackface" or what middle class white people conceive as "ghetto fabulous," (when they have little or no experience growing up in urban poverty and being treated accordingly) are "harmless." Ideas like these are not isolated in history. They have a long, deep relationship to such systems as the institution of slavery.
Ever heard of minstrelsy?
And it's not hard to "look for racist connotations" when a man walks down the street dressed up in a costume that somehow is supposed to relate to what a "real" Cherokee would wear, when he doesn't even belong to that community.
Do your research, folks. Stop getting so defensive and be critical thinkers.
As for my critical thinking, to the author: Be careful when it comes to telling women that they should be prepared for male reactions to hypersexualized costumes. Women have a right to wear what they please, and while I would hope each of us deconstructs the reasons we each might wear what we wear, men have no place to act in a way that endangers our safety (emotionally or physically) no matter what we wear.
Thanks Felix, this was an amazing article to write!
So "[w]omen have a right to wear what they please," but "what middle class white people conceive [of] as 'ghetto fabulous'" (or Cherokee) is racist? Bit of a double-standard, don't you think, Jozi?
If you walk down the street dressed like your from a bad porn, with the intention of getting a rise of guys, expect to be treated like the object you are making yourself appear to be. Especially when surrounded by a bunch of belligerent drunk people. You cant complain about having your "emotional" safety threatened if you dress in a way that will always attract certain types of men.
And yet none of what you wrote addresses my main concern. What would an appropriate punishment have been?
I think there is more harm in viewpoints such as the authors, than the actuality of wearing costumes at Halloween.
If your too busy looking for racist connotations on an innocent holiday, then perhaps you are the one who needs to stop being such a bigot.
I'm curious what punishment the author would have found acceptable? Do they not realize that part of the price of leaving in a country that has free speech laws is that sometimes people are going to offend other people? The author may not like it, but people have the right to be offensive. Or should the universities kick these people out, thus showing that only certain PC speech is acceptable on campus, instead of the "diversity" that so many schools say they want?
This article is useless without pictures. Step up your game sir.
Useless without pics
Who cares what people want to be for Halloween? (Hint: douchebags like the writer)
I would absolutely love to attend a Ghetto Fabulous party. It sounded like fun.
I think the writer needs to get laid.
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