Thread: Target online arm stops sales of 'illegal alien' costume

Target online arm stops sales of 'illegal alien' costume
By Matt O'Brien

Posted: 10/16/2009 05:12:35 PM PDT
Updated: 10/16/2009 06:12:23 PM PDT


WALNUT CREEK — Offended customers prompted Target on Friday to remove an "illegal alien" Halloween costume it was selling online.

"This is not in keeping with our brand," said Target spokesman Joshua Thomas, who said the costume designed by another vendor was never meant to be uploaded to Target.com, the retailer's online store.

The costume features an alien mask of the extraterrestrial kind and an orange jumpsuit with the words "illegal alien" emblazoned on the front. A green cardboard card, which says "green card," is an accessory with the $39.99 outfit.

"This was inadvertently uploaded to Target.com. It was never intended to be part of our original assortment," Thomas said Friday. "This costume was never seen in our review process."

He said executives learned about the item late on Thursday and immediately began to pull the item from its site, though that will not happen until later today or sometime tomorrow.

Several other companies also are selling the costume. It has upset some immigrant groups who say it further alienates people already subject to hatred.

Some were uncertain whether the costume was intended as insult or satire.

"I think it's a social commentary on the absurdity of calling undocumented workers illegal aliens," said Jorge-Mario Cabrera of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. "Whether it's tasteful or not,

I think the consumers will have to decide."

The first person to review the costume on Target's Web site, a self-described professor from Chicago, was not impressed.

"The costume is a sick sign of the times we are living in this country where those who are not 'people like us' might as well be from another planet and are considered less than human," the anonymous customer wrote.

But other retailers selling the costume online said it was popular and clients across the country were ordering it.

"Look: It's just for fun," said Stephanie Lewis of Tarzana-based online retailer Halloween Costume World. "We sell pregnant nuns and all sorts of things. It's just like a joke, no one's trying to make fun of anyone."

The manufacturer, she said, was a company on the East Coast. Representatives of that company could not be reached for comment.

There are strong differences in opinion on the terms used for people who live in the United States without authorization. Most immigrant advocates consider "illegal alien" an offensive phrase. Although the word alien has been used in American law since the 18th century to describe a noncitizen — not necessarily one here illegally — the word took on new connotations in popular science fiction of the past century.

"I don't know if calling this creature an illegal alien helps or hinders dialogue," Cabrera said. He was going to ask Target to stop selling it before finding out it already had.

The costume is also not the only one that groups say are perpetuating stereotypes of immigrants this Halloween season.

Alejandro Martinez, a blogger who runs the Bordertown Blues site, was perusing a costume store near his Texas home when he saw an "illegal alien" costume he described as vile and unkempt. He photographed the mask, which mixed the exaggerated features of a space alien with the thick mustache of a stereotypical Mexican immigrant.

"I was offended because my family came to the U.S. illegally but ended up obtaining American citizenship," Martinez wrote in an e-mail Friday. "Costumes like these, I believe, are a mere step away from a Sambo mask to mock African Americans. Truly sad."


http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtri ... source=rss

Illegal alien halloween costume sparks outrage

Posted: Oct 16, 2009 07:59 PM CDT

Updated: Oct 16, 2009 07:59 PM CDT









Written by: The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Southern California immigrant rights group

has asked Target stores to stop selling an "illegal alien"

Halloween costume it says is offensive to immigrants.

The costume features the mask of an alien with a green card and

an orange jumpsuit with"illegal alien" written across the front.

Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane

Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, wrote an e-mail to the

Minneapolis-based retailer Friday calling the costume

"distasteful, mean-spirited, and ignorant of social stigmas and

current debate on immigration reform."

The costume is featured on Target's and other web sites.

Target spokesman Joshua Thomas says the company is removing the

costume from the site after receiving several complaints.

He says the store never intended to sell the outfit but included

it in its online offerings by mistake.


http://www.kgun9.com/Global/story.asp?S=11330301

This is ridiculous. I found the costume like the Target one on other web sites. What next you can't dress up like a vagrant because that is offensive?

This is a link for a picture of the costume

http://www.buycostumes.com/Illegal-Alie ... etail.aspx

Pretty much the same story at this link:

http://money.aol.com/article/illegal-al ... aol_inpage

"Illegal Alien Halloween Costume Sparks Ire"


At the end of the article is this little ditty:

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Originally Posted by miguelina

Pretty much the same story at this link:

http://money.aol.com/article/illegal-al ... aol_inpage

"Illegal Alien Halloween Costume Sparks Ire"
At the end of the article is this little ditty:

Refinance at 4.25% FIXED!
No hidden fees-4.4% APR! No obligation. Get 4 free quotes. No SSN req.
www.LendGo.com

There is a link to send an email--
Click on Contact Us at the link above

Corporate Information
Lendgo, Inc.
9692 Melinda Circle
Huntington Beach, CA 92646
TEL: (714) 724-3600 FAX: (714) 388-3731

Los Angeles Office
6399 Wilshire Blvd Suite #1009
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-4601--0-0.html

Related thread:
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-174743.html

Funny how it is always some memeber of the special ethnic group and also part of a coalicion de inmigracion etc etc who makes a fuss. We're offended because of what, isn't a fact that we call those who are here illegally ILLEGAL ALIENS? It's the term used in our LAWS! Get over it!
If anything being associated with a Grey Alien is ratehr flattering, they are supposed to be mentally light years ahead of us white bigots because teh members of taht special ethnic group haev their own special race, all to themselves. Oh I am sick so sick of this nonsense.

DEPORT ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS!

Let's kiss the butt of the law breakers YET ONE MORE TIME!

Isn't this freedom of speech? If they are allowed to show videos of dog fights, even though dog fighting is illegal, why can't we wear these outfits?

We have truly lost our minds to the idiot left, illegal, etc.

Illegal alien lawbreakers are offensive.

Originally Posted by swatchick

This is ridiculous. I found the costume like the Target one on other web sites. What next you can't dress up like a vagrant because that is offensive?

This is a link for a picture of the costume

http://www.buycostumes.com/Illegal-Alie ... etail.aspx

I think all clown costumes should be taken off the market....because they powder their faces WHITE. This should not be allowed....to insult white people in this fashion.