Trick or Treat? Who knew that a Halloween costume could start a national debate?

The harmless getup in question features an extra-terrestrial mask, orange prison-style jumpsuit, and a “green card.” The words “illegal alien” are stenciled across the front of the outfit. Fun-nee! The promo that has accompanied the costume is equally as amusing: “He didn’t just cross a border, he crossed a galaxy!”

Several big box store retailers — like Target and Meijer — that were selling the costume through their websites have stopped doing so because compatriots, associated with the open-borders crowd, started complaining.

Brent Wilkes, of the League of the United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), claimed, “The costumes say, ‘These people are not human, they are aliens.”

Oh, por favor!

Why is this chap, and his ilk, never even slightly upset that we have such a gargantuan problem with illegal immigration? So much so that no one even knows how many of these trespassers actually exist. Is it 8 million? 12 million? 20 million? Are there gang members among those millions? Si. Drunk drivers? Si. Child molesters? Si, si, si.

Polls taken on various news sites, like AOL, overwhelmingly reveal that most people didn’t find the costume offensive. Considering what these spineless retailers are still offering, the issue becomes even more ridiculous.

Target, a so-called family-friendly chain, sells the “psycho cannibal” and the “moon man,” which features a, er, large fake posterior.  There’s even a “Jesus” costume with the obligatory faux beard, long hair, crown of thorns, and robe. 

Meanwhile, Meijer sells the “Mexican poncho” costume which depicts an hombre posing, with mustache and sombrero, and with a toy gun. Shhh. Don’t tell Brent Wilkes.

It’s safe to say that among the bimbos, zombies, criminals, and religious figures that are passed off as appropriate characters to impersonate every October 31st, there’s something someone will find repugnant.

Hey, I know plenty of Christians who don’t acknowledge Halloween because they don’t appreciate the emphasis on dead spirits and witches. You don’t see any nationally organized campaign on their part to stop other people’s children from collecting candy and dressing up as Casper the Friendly Ghost.

But the free market is such that retailers can offend and customers can complain, sometimes with results, sometimes not. And those of us that are offended by the offended can even make a few bucks.

William Gheen of Americans for Legal Immigration (ALIPAC), was soliciting bids for the"‘illegal alien" costume on ebay until he received a "stop and desist" email from the company: “eBay has made the decision to prohibit the listing of the illegal alien costumes, as they may be offensive to some members. Please do not relist this item.”



Don’t sell this. Don’t show that. Don’t speak thus.

Are we to be so micromanaged by these shameless diversity hustlers that we stand to lose our playful American voice? Poking fun at the serious issues of the day — via lampoons, satire, skits, and even wearing costumes — is one of our much enjoyed pastimes.

Now it seems we will be told what we can and can’t laugh at. Bah!

There’s still time to subvert the dominant paradigm and dress up for the last day of this month. Finding a jumpsuit and alien mask won’t be hard. As for the green card, well, any of those fine undocumented workers are the go-to folks on how to obtain a fake card that looks real.


Izzy Lyman, author of The Homeschooling Revolution, blogs at
http://thecastillochronicles.blogspot.com/

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RP said:

... I am one of those Christians who don’t acknowledge Halloween, not because of the emphasis on dead spirits and witches, but because (excepting for one's own birthday) Halloween (or Samhain) is THE preeminent holiday of Satanists and Wiccans. Nonetheless, I find the costume hilarious. (Just don't wear it to my door and expect a treat!) I find a lot of things on eBay offensive. If I complain, do you think I can get them delisted?

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October 22, 2009
Votes: +5

DDW said:

All of these traitors Who have the gall to defend the ILLEGAL ALIENS (those who are living here ILLEGALLY) should be rounded up and shipped off to a foreign nation. Obviously these people have some sort of a problem with the very simple concept that these United States is a separate and sovereign nation with its own LAWS. I'm all in favor of bringing the troops home and posting them at the southern AND northern borders as well as arming the private citizens (after first teaching them how to properly use and maintain a weapon). What do you want to bet that the ILLEGAL ALIEN problem (notice I did not try to pretty it up by saying "undocumented worker") would disappear in very short order.

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October 22, 2009
Votes: +7

Lee Gonzales said:

The costume is "demeaning" say the pro-illegal immigrationists. Well, that's just too bad. It is also "demeaning" to Americans to have the rule of law violated with impunity by foreigners. It is "demeaning" and insulting and illegal for foreigners to come here univited and for our government to sit on its hands and allow this to go on. An prison orange jumpsuit, a face mask and a green card disturbs these outlaw-promoting organizations? Eric Holder and the fed police agencies just rounded up a whole slew of Mexican gangsters. That to me is "demeaning." That to me is what happens when you allow illegal aliens to cross our borders. They go straight to the Food stamps office, enroll their kids in school, dodge taxes, use emergency room care for free, fly the Mexico flag, set up taco joints, llanterias (tire shops), hustle drugs, pimp and the clowns from these pro-amnesty groups complain about ET in an orange prison jumpsuit!

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October 22, 2009
Votes: +15

American worker said:

	... Meanwhile - no word on how insulting the illegal alien lobby is to the Border poatrol Agents who are right now risking their lives to stop illegallaiens from making it ino our nation. This is sickening.
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October 23, 2009
Votes: +12

mendezjb said:

	I bought one They're tough to find, but I was able. I love how no one complains about the priest costume with the little boy attached at the groin that some retailers have sold. But bigotry towards Christians has always been okay to the libs
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October 23, 2009
Votes: +12

YES SEND THE FOREIGNERS HOME!, Lowly rated comment [Show]

TexasRed said:

Where in the Constitution? Where in the Constitution does it say one has the right not to be offended? We have the right of Freedom of Speech and that does include offensive speech. While it might not be polite it is still legal. (well SOME is still legal after yesterdays vote on the pedophile protection act, but thats another story!) Leave politeness to the individual. I love the costume! If my grandkids want one, I will whip out my sewing machine and make them one! It will look much bettern those that were sold too!

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October 23, 2009
Votes: +5

Lee Gonzales said:

History teaches us that wars are started by people of all colors "The only thing white people have given the world is world war one, world war two, and world war three." World War I and II were arranged by white men or "palefaces" if you prefer. It's also true that more whites opposed both of those wars than favored our involvement. America was betrayed by by Wilson in WWI & FDR in WWII both which campaigned to keep us out of war. Lots of American boys of all colors lost their lives to "make the world safe for democracy " during WWI. WWII saw a replay of WWI and the treachery by an American president to get us into war again. It's interesting that we have elected a black man president and war is still part of America's foreign policy. "You are the scourge of the earth not the peaceful native American or the peaceful native Mexican." The Astec were butchering people as part of their religious ceremonies before the Spanish "pale faces" arrived in Mexico. The "peaceful" Mexican Benito Juarez carried on a secular war against the Catholic church and many a priest and nun killed by his henchmen were natives. This is a story of a black Attorney general and his dealing with Mexican gangsters. They don't appear so "peaceful." http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/crime/2143-hundreds-of-mexican-drug-cartel-members-arrested War is men's hearts and not on his outside layer of skin.

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October 23, 2009
Votes: +4

DDW said:

	The constant accusations Of race/color discrimination has become a staple, and a very tired, attack tool of professional "victims". They really need to come up with some new (and true) material. Besides, the REAL problem is SIN of which every single human being on the face of the earth is guilty.
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October 24, 2009
Votes: +2

Still Free said:

Texas Red, "You go, girl" You should take orders!! Folks LOVE quality stuff NOT made in China!!! If there was a skimpy costume made of black leather, with whips and chains, I bet it would be applauded by the Left as "freedom of expression" ... I too find the "priest" costume offensive. I too find the "Hombre" costume offensive, especially with the gun. And why no outrage from LaRaza about how "offensive" this costume is? Isn't that Hombre "costume" stereotyping? What about the gun that is part of the costume? Where is Handgun Control for this one? There was a young boy who got in trouble for DRAWING a picture of a gun, remember? There was a young boy who got in trouble for bringing a knife to school so he could cut his lunch. But this Hombre costume is okay because it is favored by the Left's next welfare state and voting pool. We must not harm them by taking away their "rights!" This is madness! And BTW, aren't all aliens illegal? Unless, of course, our government has invited some out-of-space aliens to "come on down" and we just don't know it. If so, it's obvious that these out-of-space aliens would be too smart to take the bait! "The costume is "demeaning" say the pro-illegal immigrationists." Well, that's just too bad. If you don't like it, go back home. Oh, Big Red, if you want to see the Constitution in action, visit Mardi Gras in New Orleans. There the perverts are definitely allowed "freedom of expression" for any amount of nudity and/or perversity. And the filth got so bad, families had to take to "family safe" areas and flee to the surburbs to shield their children from the perversion. Apparently, only certain people have "rights" under the Constitution.

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October 25, 2009
Votes: +1

RP said:

... Doesn't "American Indian" realize that that is a politically incorrect name? He should be calling himself a "Native American". Of course, if you use the standard definition of "native" (born in a particular place or region - Funk & Wagnalls), then ANYONE born in the United States is a native American! (That one shook up the Sensitivity Training class I had to take a number of years back!) "American Indian" must also be unaware of all the inter-tribal warfare which was taking place long before the arrival of the "pale faces".

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October 25, 2009
Votes: +1

Glarkle Z said:

	such hatred for aliens! As a citizen of Kalgon 5, I believe in open atmospheres. I have found Earth to be one of the most galactist planets in this solar system. Are my people somehow "inferior" to you hairless bipeds simply because of scale color, number of eyes, or the enzyme we choose to worship? You homo sapiens sapiens beat everything, you know that?
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October 27, 2009
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SCHNORCHEL said:

Keeping Your Eye on the Ball The various Radical Latino Movements, such as MEChA and MALDEF, are tax exempt foundation-funded to create the socio-cultural environment preparing the United States for the merger of with the rest of the Western Hemisphere nations under a North American Union. Such Radical Latino organizations are actually tools of the INSIDERS that are influencing the U.S. government toward the merger. These organizations are part of the Culture War that bombards us daily on the media with this sort of mind-bending propaganda.

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October 29, 2009
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