Retailers Miss the Mark With Tasteless Halloween Costume?

Jennifer's Immigration Issues Blog

By Jennifer McFadyen, About.com Guide to Immigration Issues

Tuesday October 20, 2009

Expressing yourself with an over-the-top Halloween costume is all part of the holiday's fun, but past this weekend, some retailers were accused of peddling the truly tasteless.

Last Friday, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, supported by other immigration advocates, asked Target and a handful of stores to drop a costume called "Illegal Alien."

Several online retailers are guilty of selling the tacky costume, including Target, eBay, Walgreens, ToysRUs, Amazon and Meijer. While these stores have pulled since pulled the item from their websites, the costume is still offered at BuyCostumes.com. The description of the item reads:

He didn't just cross a border, he crossed a galaxy! He's got his green card, but it's from another planet! Sure to get some laughs, the Illegal Alien Adult Costume includes an orange prison-style jumpsuit with "Illegal Alien" printed on the front, an alien mask and a "green card".

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Target mistakenly added to its website inventory. "We apologize," said Target spokesman Joshua Thomas. "This was never intended to be part of our assortment. We are moving as quickly as possible to remove it from our website."

But some people see nothing wrong with the costume.

Americans for Legal Immigration (ALIPAC)'s President William Gheen told CNN that censorship of the costume is an attack against free speech. "The only people getting upset are the hyper-sensitive, over-politically correct, pro-amnesty, illegal alien-supporting nuts," said Gheen. "You can't attack people's freedom in this country."

There seem to be many who share Gheen's view. According to ALIPAC, just hours after the organization sent out a press release informing people where to purchase the "illegal alien" costume, all online retailers had sold out.

What do you think of the costume? Is it distasteful and degrading, or do you see it as a harmless attempt at political satire?

http://immigration.about.com/b/2009/10/ ... ostume.htm