Keep Bigotry Out of Your Political Costume

With Halloween being so close to Election Day, it's no surprise that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump costumes seem to be two of the most popular selections nationwide. Supporters choosing to dress as their preferred candidate will likely create lighthearted interpretations. Just look at Katy Perry's rendition of the Democratic nominee for an example. Meanwhile, those choosing to don outfits of the candidate they oppose often go with more mocking depictions, like British journalist Jemima Khan's costume of Melania Trump, which came complete with a Trump dummy groping his wife, a sign telling Americans to vote on Nov. 28, and a copy of Michelle Obama's 2012 convention speech. That's all fine. What's not fine? Bigoted costumes portraying ideas like President Obama getting lynched by Trump.

You read that right. On Saturday night, two men at a University of Wisconsin football game went into the stadium dressed as Trump lynching Obama. The Obama costume included a striped prison uniform and a noose around the wearer's neck, while the Trump impersonator held the end of the rope in his hand. After receiving complaints, security asked the men to get rid of the Obama mask, which they responded to by replacing it with a Hillary mask; they were ultimately asked to leave.

While Halloween costumes of bloody murder victims are common, keep in mind that there's a difference between dressing as a fictional character and dressing as a real person with actual feelings, friends and family, and real-world circumstances that go into their actions. Getting dressed as one of the victims from Scream? OK. Getting dressed as Steve Irwin with a bloody stingray piercing the chest? Not cool. Especially when the man still has a grieving family.

Plus, the costume of President Obama getting lynched is offensive not just because he's a real person, but also because of the historical implications behind the imagery. There's a reason why Obama is frequently the target of memes and costumes suggesting he be hanged by white men, as opposed to white politicians who are attacked with different visuals. To knowingly make light of the widespread lynching of black Americans in the past is to suggest it wasn't a tragedy. When you imply that this racist practice should be used to get rid of a person of color you don't like, you are effectively casting yourself as a bigot.

Use some common sense today. Be snarky, not prejudiced.