'Mexican Man' costume offends Latino shoppers, community groups

Oakland Tribune ^ | 10/28/2009 | Sean Maher

[Deb]

For three Halloweens in a row my Mom made me wear a sombrero she brought back from Mexico, sandals and peasant clothes to trick-or-treat. I never got to be a princess or ballerina like my cousin, Patty, and I'm sure that accounts for my hysterical bouts of sobbing during Juan Valdez commercials.

Now I find out it was not only humiliating, but RACIST! Beware you witches and Sponge Bobs of today!!

[dalereed]

Don’t like it get the hell out of this country!!

[dalereed]

“When did Mexican become a race?”

When the spanish that run Mexico declared them sub human!

[spodefly]

The hideous treatment of the noble brown Hispanic raza has been carried out by insensitive gringos since the days of “The Frito Bandito” in the 70’s.

To make up for it I propose we let all Hispanic people come into the country in any manner they want without paperwork, use our roads, schools, and hospitals free of charge, not pay taxes (or maybe worst case only 3 out of 5 years), not have to learn English, and march in the streets demanding more benefits whenever they want.

[a fool in paradise]

I'm doubly offended. She won't attend my Halloween party neither.

[a fool in paradise]

They need to do better research of Spirit next time they are going to allege that they are "singled out".

[Landru]

Sure glad I'm going as The Generic Man.

On second thought I may not be totally out of the woods, either.

Costume: white baker's outfit (shirt, pants, white tennies) with a large bar code on the back.
White male in white outfit.
Bound to be interpreted as racist. LOL

[publana]

Somebody please slap Monica sillier.

[lwd]

It was “up in smoke”, battle of the bands, “momma talkin’ to me try to tell me how to live, dananananananaa”

[SJSAMPLE]

I stand corrected, Sir.

[SwinneySwitch]

Think I'll wear the desert ghillie this year.

[tarawa]

Senator Blutarski, I presume?

[Slings and Arrows]

Where's the leafblower?

[Eaker]

Where's the leafblower?

Pawnshop?

[Clemenza]

There goes my Tuco costume! I guess I should now go as the biker from the Village People instead.

[Slings and Arrows]

*snort*

[ApplegateRanch]

Guess to keep from offending Little Brown Brother, we'll scrap the Mariachi guitarist & hat dancing senorita costumes.

I'll just dress as a Drunken Irishman, instead; and have my wife do herself up as a Gypsy dancer. Nothing offensive about that. /sarc>

a man with a thick mustache wearing a poncho and a sombrero ... Her husband, Carlos, said he could not remember the last time he'd seen something so blatantly stereotypical

I DO remember the last time I saw that very thing. I was in the store, and looking at coffee can lables: Juan Valdez.

[left that other site]

Ha ha! I remember back-in-the-day, my Daddy won a prize at a Knights of Columbus Halloween Party dressed as an ARAB!