Bigotry isn't funny, said Cesar Baldelomar in Sojourners. But Forum Novelties Inc. is trying to cash in on racist stereotypes by selling—through Walgreens, Target, and other major retailers—an "illegal alien" Halloween costume, featuring a space alien mask, an orange prison jumpsuit, and an oversize green card. Maybe the joke would be funny if undocumented immigrants weren't still being beaten to death by young men raised on xenophobic hatred. (Watch reactions to the costume)
What "absurd outrage," said commentator Debbie Schlussel in her blog. "You can sell Nazi memorabilia on eBay," but let a secure borders group, Americans for Legal Immigration, try to sell a "funny illegal alien costume" and eBay yanks it. Sorry, but the marketplace has spoken—many costume stores that carried the costume have sold them out.
Some stores—including Walgreens' website and Target—have pulled the costumes, said Alan Colmes in Liberaland. But "my fellow pro-immigrant friends" should "lighten up." If pro-immigration groups think the Illegal Alien costume is "distasteful, mean-spirited, and ignorant," maybe we should "just call it an 'Undocumented Worker' costume and leave it at that."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.