revjim.net

Every Haloween, if I'm given the occasion to dress in costume, I generally try to select something humorous, slightly statement making, and perhaps just a tad bit offensive but not enough to really piss anyone off.

I was speaking with a co-worker just now, a black woman, who informed me that, one year for Haloween, she was a Ku Klux Klan member. She wore the entire white hooded outfit and carried a large cross. I laughed and told her that I didn't believe her but she insists that it's true and has promised to bring pictures on Monday.

Now, despite my comfort level with myself, my social beliefs, and my idea of humor and light-heartedness, I believe I would find such a costume too offensive to wear, myself. I wouldn't be offended to see someone else in it, but that's too much for me, personally, to bear. The same would go for any costume that would spark hateful feelings in massive numbers of people. But, of course, there is a very fine line here. I wouldn't have any problem dressing as the UniBomber, Timothy McVey, Osama Bin Laden or Ted Bundy. I would not, however, dress as Hitler, a KKK member, or any of the boys from Columbine. I'm not exactly sure what causes me to draw the lines where I draw them. While the discussion of that line within myself might be an interesting topic to discus, I more interested in another aspect.

What would be more offensive to you: A white man dressed as a KKK member or a black woman dresses as a KKK member? Or would they be equally offensive? Or perhaps not offensive at all?

Discuss.