Offensive or Funny? Illegal Alien Halloween Costume at Target Angering Immigrant Rights Groups
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on October 17, 2009
The “illegal alien” controversy in America has taken on new levels of over-the-top outrage… now Halloween costumes are under fire.
From KTLA.com: Target’s “Illegal Alien” Costume Causes Outrage
LOS ANGELES– An immigrant rights group has asked Target stores to stop selling an illegal alien costume they describe as “offensive” to immigrants and “ignorant.”
The costume, sold on Target’s web site, features a mask of an extraterrestrial being, wearing an orange jumpsuit with “illegal Alien” written on it, and a “green card” accessory.
Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, says she emailed Target Headquarters on Friday, calling the costume “distasteful, mean-spirited, and ignorant of social stigmas and current debate on immigration reform.”
Many Target customers have given the costume the lowest product rating possible on the site– 1 of 5 stars– and have expressed their distaste in the “guest review” section.
[...]
Target spokesman Joshua Thomas says the company will be removing the costume from the site after receiving several complaints.
According to Thomas, the store never intended to sell the outfit and only included it in its online Halloween offerings by mistake.
Some customers say they will refuse to shop at Target Stores until the costume is removed from the site and an apology is issued. Others call the costume “funny” and say the offended parties should “lighten up.”
“This has nothing to do with immigrants,” another customer wrote, “Only the illegal criminals from Mars that entered the US without doing it the correct way.”
StarTribune.com (MN), Target criticized for ‘illegal alien’ costume:
Target Corp. apologized Friday after coming under fire from customers and some Hispanic groups for selling an “illegal alien” Halloween costume on its website. The $39.99 costume comes with a space alien mask, an orange jail suit with “illegal alien” stamped on the chest and a large “green card.” The Minneapolis retailer said the costume was added to its website by mistake and said it would be removed.
Screenshot of AOL’s online poll (as of the morning of October 17, 2009) on this ridiculous outrage reflects a majority of voters who are NOT upset by this Halloween costume… time for those liberals and activist groups who embrace illegal immigration to take a deep breath and try to lighten up. It’s Halloween, for goodness sake:
Screenshot of AOL Poll, as of Oct. 17, 2009
Next thing you’ll know, they’ll be decrying hobo and scanty French maid costumes, because who wants to offend the homeless or the Euro-trash promiscuous? Guess you gotta whip out that old “Bush as the Devil” or “Rush Limbaugh as a racist” Halloween mask to get the approval of extreme leftist groups. Freedom of expression and political satire are off limits if either don’t kowtow to statists’ ideologies.
I think the costume’s hilarious… but not as hilarious as a handful of people’s ridiculous reaction to it. I’m sorry that Target was put through this “political correctness” nonsense and couldn’t stand up to a few bullies who ran to the press. I understand that during this economic recession why Target had to cave in, but I’m still sorry.
This illegal alien costume shown below has (so far) escaped detection… check it out at Tom Spina Designs (site’s tagline for this costume: No wall at the border is going to keep THIS alien out!):
This effigy of Sarah Palin last Halloween, hanging outside a home in West Hollywood, on the other hand, tickled liberals to death. Conservatives were told they were being overly sensitive to find offense in it… liberals thought it was HILARIOUS. Police said the hanging mannequin didn’t violate any municipal codes and that political satire was protected by freedom of speech rights.
Double standard: Illegal alien costume at Target causes liberal outrage, but hanging Sarah Palin... not so offensive
Related reading:
La Shawn Barber’s Corner: Illegal Alien Costume
Frugal Café Blog Zone: Texas Rangers Sent to Secure Texas-Mexico Border Because DHS Head Napolitano Has Ignored Escalating Border Violence and Quit Arresting & Deporting Illegal Aliens! Arizona’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio Under Siege by DHS, but He Says He Will Continue
About the author
What would they say if someone hung Valeri Jarrett in effigy, huh ?
David Axelrod? Van Jones? Raul Emmanual?
These aren’t elected officials.
The libs hung George W. Bush in effigy and there was an outcry however it was condoned by the left wing.
The hypocrisy is deafening.
I submit the aliens are running the administration !