Halloween 2017. A lot has changed about Halloween since I was a little spook. By spook I mean ghost, spirit, specter, phantom, apparition or nebulous image, just to be clear. I hear this year there is a problem with cultural appropriation ! Imagine if you will, little children dressing up and portraying a person they are not. Now that's pretty insensitive. When I was young hobo's were the go to costume for families on a budget. Well, we weren't told we were on a budget, we were told we couldn't afford that stuff. I was told anyone can go to the store and buy a costume but it was better to make your own. Making your face look dirty with a burned piece of cork, wearing dirty torn clothing and having a stick with a handkerchief tied to the end, you were all set ! Fortunately I never ran into any real hobo's and offended them. OMG , how insensitive of me to mock them like that. I expect the pirates were just as upset. Cultural appropriation ? How is it possible that any of us have avoided the wrath of witches ? There are covens of them all over the country. Wicca or witches ? Same thing to me but I'm just an insensitive brute. And just why are there cats black ? Seems racially insensitive to me. The two are inexplicably linked however, and have been for centuries. Well, my trick or treating days are done, the grandchildren are done with it, and I'm just closing the door and turning out the light. I wouldn't want to be triggered by some culturally insensitive five year old !
I can see the days of going door to door becoming a thing of the past. It is getting to be just a bit dangerous. You can't trust the candy, you can't trust the people and you can't trust ! If we start removing or restricting costumes that is going to really dampen the spirit of the holiday. Spirit of the holiday, get it ? I've heard that ghosts are insensitive because they are always white ? Other ethnic groups are feeling excluded. Hey, Casper, remember him, got bullied for being just a bit too friendly. Don't hear much about him anymore do you ? No and that's because he is being oppressed. Those ghosts do need to be more inclusive. Can't dress like an Indian unless you really are an Indian. Even then you better make sure you identify yourself as an Indigenous American so as not to upset anyone from Indian who are the real Indians. Of course they might be the indigenous folks to their region of the world and therefore not merely Indians, but Indigenous Indians. Maybe we should all just call ourselves indigenous to the earth and avoid all this labeling and confusion in the first place. Indigenous Earthlings ! Sounds about right to me, especially if you live in California but that's another blog.
I do wish the kids , the little ones anyway, a happy Halloween. I always enjoyed that time and hoarded what candy I collected for quite a while. There was little to be concerned with. When I was little people didn't try to poison, drug or injure little children as a form of entertainment. Yes, I know it happened but rarely. Yes it was a different place and time, a time that will never be again. The kids today will form their own memories of this trick or treating tradition and bemoan the loss of it when they have children and grandchildren, same as me. Can you believe how insensitive and barbaric we were ? Man the 1950's and early 60's were emotionally turbulent times. Bullies and cultural appropriation were rampant ! We would just dress up as anyone without a second thought. I'm sorry hobo's. Even that is insensitive.
I'll take this forum to officially apologize to those homeless folks I so callously made fun of. That was insensitive and I obviously lacked empathy. Instead of mocking you, indeed exploiting your image to gain candy for myself, I should have asked for good wholesome food to redistribute to you. I should have offered you housing and medical attention. I'm so ashamed. And Superman, I really wasn't fighting for truth, justice and the American way, I just wanted candy for myself. From now on when faced with inequity or injustice I will " take a knee " as a symbol of solidarity. Just what was I thinking ?
I can see the days of going door to door becoming a thing of the past. It is getting to be just a bit dangerous. You can't trust the candy, you can't trust the people and you can't trust ! If we start removing or restricting costumes that is going to really dampen the spirit of the holiday. Spirit of the holiday, get it ? I've heard that ghosts are insensitive because they are always white ? Other ethnic groups are feeling excluded. Hey, Casper, remember him, got bullied for being just a bit too friendly. Don't hear much about him anymore do you ? No and that's because he is being oppressed. Those ghosts do need to be more inclusive. Can't dress like an Indian unless you really are an Indian. Even then you better make sure you identify yourself as an Indigenous American so as not to upset anyone from Indian who are the real Indians. Of course they might be the indigenous folks to their region of the world and therefore not merely Indians, but Indigenous Indians. Maybe we should all just call ourselves indigenous to the earth and avoid all this labeling and confusion in the first place. Indigenous Earthlings ! Sounds about right to me, especially if you live in California but that's another blog.
I do wish the kids , the little ones anyway, a happy Halloween. I always enjoyed that time and hoarded what candy I collected for quite a while. There was little to be concerned with. When I was little people didn't try to poison, drug or injure little children as a form of entertainment. Yes, I know it happened but rarely. Yes it was a different place and time, a time that will never be again. The kids today will form their own memories of this trick or treating tradition and bemoan the loss of it when they have children and grandchildren, same as me. Can you believe how insensitive and barbaric we were ? Man the 1950's and early 60's were emotionally turbulent times. Bullies and cultural appropriation were rampant ! We would just dress up as anyone without a second thought. I'm sorry hobo's. Even that is insensitive.
I'll take this forum to officially apologize to those homeless folks I so callously made fun of. That was insensitive and I obviously lacked empathy. Instead of mocking you, indeed exploiting your image to gain candy for myself, I should have asked for good wholesome food to redistribute to you. I should have offered you housing and medical attention. I'm so ashamed. And Superman, I really wasn't fighting for truth, justice and the American way, I just wanted candy for myself. From now on when faced with inequity or injustice I will " take a knee " as a symbol of solidarity. Just what was I thinking ?
No comments:
Post a Comment