This just in:

Julie Myers has been awarded a promotion, and will now be in charge of Bush's Civil Rights division!

I posed with Michael Jackson...
Am I in trouble?

Mocking black people and finding humor in a two-tiered justice system is worthy of a "Most original" award?

Also just in:

She will be receiving a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Good heavens, folks, lighten up!! Geez, last year a coworker dressed up as Stevie Wonder for Halloween. White, black and Hispanic workers all thought it was a great get up and awarded him the best costume prize at work. People, especially the hypersensitive PC Loony Left, need to lighten up and get a life.

"What else could explain Julie Myers, the Homeland Department assistant secretary who is in charge of ICE, giving an award for best costume to an employee who showed up at an agency get-together with his white skin darkened, wearing dreadlocks and prison stripes"?

This is what America has become under the Bush administration? approved torture and now this? how pathetic.

The only good thing to come out of the W/Cheney regime is that the 08 Republican Prez nominee is going to have to decide whether or not they want W. and Darth to stump for them, either way it will be bad them.

nisleib:

The Medal of Freedom will be awarded after her time in the Civil Rights division.

Next question:

What did they say to the guy when he was "counseled"??

Lighten up liberals it was Halloween. Stop saying that Republicans are rascist, sexist, homophobes every time a contest is held we don't follow your PC standards stop imposing them as though you were Stalinists.Jerry White, Springfield, IL

Blacks make fun of whites - it's shrugged off and forgotten. Whites make fun of blacks - someone gets fired. What's wrong with this picture?

LIGHTEN UP AMERICA!!!

Good Lord, does no one have anything to do but look for silly things to turn into a big deal. How important is it?

This group of GOP'ers just keeps getting better and better where do they find them.

This is such a non-issue, let's get back to crucifying John Kerry for telling a joke.

Are you kidding me. We may as well completely give up on any sort of racial reconciliatin and common ground. We have gotten so PC that a guy in a halloween costume is being forced to take a leave of action that there's definitely no hope of holding an intelligent and honest discussion about the racial problems in America today. Its so one sided. Everything wrong with black America is because of the white man and this just perpetuates that stereotype.

Granted, maybe a few people were offended...it was Halloween! This country and its maddening desire to be politically correct in ALL things is ridiculous. The government may not be censoring much but we are doing it ourselves. Lighten up people!

They might as well give this Hole the Presidential medal of freedom - the medal has already been totally debased by being presented earlier in the week to Henry Hyde, Mr. Kaptain Kangaroo Suit, for leading the assault against Bill Clinton and for having an extra-marital affair at age 45 that he cavalierly dismissed as a '...youthful indiscretion.'

Funny how members of the Republishit Party do the craziest things!

Like get us involved in a war a few thousand miles away from home that has no end!

As is typical for the "The buck stops anywhere but here" administration, the employee who wore the costume has been suspended, but there has been no action against Ms. Myers who gave an award for the costumes alleged "creativity".

"CHERTOFF UPSET OVER LOSING COSTUME AWARD"

NO NOT THE BLACK GUY, NOT THE MEXICAN GUY, NOT THE IMMIGRANT. ME ME ME ME ME.

CHERTOFF MAD BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GET THE REVIEW CONTEST FINDINGS PRIOR TO RELEASING THE WINNER.

YOU'RE FIRED!

I WAS SUPPOSE TO WIN!

Its a costume party folks! Get real!

ahh, gotta love Frank James.

Furthering left wing folklore by painting Republicans as racist.

Kind of like the time he implied Fox News couldn't tell the difference between black people.

No wonder left wingers are always so angry.

You must be proud!

My Korean friend wore "white face" and went as a Japanese geisha for halloween. Perhaps I should counsel her...

Apparently from reading the posts here, the entertainment at the next Republican National Convention will be an old time black face minstrel show. That's good entertainment right guys?

Then they wonder why they can't make inroads into the black community.

Give me a break. This is just ridiculous, maybe if we stopped worrying about hurting peoples feelings :( and being insensitive our government could actually get something right. They spend all this time worrying about hurting someones feelings that they aren't able to do their jobs. It's like illegal immigration, we know that they are illegal but we can't do anything about it because that would be profiling, who cares about their feelings...our country was not founded on the premise of hey we better be careful someone might get their feelings hurt.

What about the movie, "White Chicks," where the black guys dress up and color their faces like white women? Remember all the protests? No, neither do I.

Back in the 70's, at a major diplomatic fancy-dress party thrown by a major embassy in Europe, (yes, diplomats can let their hair down sometimes) two young British embassy staffer decided to go in outrageous blackface, big white lips and all.
The didn't realize that the party was attended by the ambassadors of two newly-independent African nations....

Hmmmm,

Sounds like some people don't like reality. I wonder, of what persuasion are those who were "offended"?

Yep, that's what I thought. I'll bet Al Sharpton is already licking his chops over this one.

Last I check you're supposed to be someone you're not on Halloween. I saw a guy dress as Michael Vick dragging a plastic dog around the French Quarter.

I saw a black guy in make-up as Bush, as well as a white girl dressed as a Native American, feather and all.

I don't remember seeing anyone being offended by any of the array of costumes I saw. There's a difference between Intolerance and tail-between-your-legs political correctness.

I can't believe I'm actually agreeing with John D. on this point. But this is silly! This country has much larger fish to fry....

I consider myself a relatively conservative Democrat. I am far from the first person to cry racism. But this is offensive TO ME. Maybe not to many of you, but TO ME.

I imagine my black self at a setting in which a non-black (not that a black would) takes on an offensive stereotype -- an illegal West-Indian immigrant who is supposedly a criminal -- and I am hardpressed to "lighten up" as it were. THERE WOULD BE A VERBAL CONFRONTATION, and the mood of the party would change -- like or not!

This is no less offensive than a black person showing up at a Halloween party (i) dressed in green with a shamrock acting drunk, (ii) dressed as a Muslim Jihadist with fake bombs for effect, or (iii) dressed with blonde hair with cleaning supplies as if I were a maid from Eastern Europe, and so on and so on. It's not funny, period!

I bought my Scooter Libby mask and orange jumpsuit for Halloween, by Bush ruined everthing.

It would have been more creative if he'd been wearing a noose around his neck.

I'm not insensitive and racist. You guys need to lighten up! I went to my Halloween party as drive-by Rush. I didn't even have to dress up. I'm already fat, stupid, flaccid and addicted to myself.

I wore an orange pumpkin head for Halloween; guess I won't be able to get a government job now! Don't we have better things to do??!! Everyone is a whinner!

I don't get it...what's wrong with a blackface costume at Halloween???
My costume was Al Sharpton...I even rented a bull horn and used the word axe vs. ask

Paulo

Halloween in Waikiki...something to behold. Someone reported seeing a black guy dressed up in a Klan outfit. Not that takes guts. I guess the best way to fight hate is poke fun at it? Not always.

Having suffered at ICE in the field under the reign of the Bush ICE queen and her court of like minded female cronies, the discrimination is far more reaching than just blacks, but for all who are not middle aged white women with a grudge. The coverup is the thing to watch here - they have mastered that game and avoided the judicious enforcement of Title 8 and Title 19 since it was 'BICE'. Their favorite parlor tricks are the arts of concealment and incompetence. But Congress, the opposite of progress, has and will continue to give them a pass on the most important issue facing our republic today. God help us all.

More right-wing hypocrites in full display this morning.

"Stop whining Loony Liberals!"
"What about that movie White Chicks!"
"The Left has made America SO PC. Lighten up!"

Great points geniuses. So, let's just say that a democrat showed up in black-face. Or in a Klan outfit, Or wearing a swastika.

I'm SURE that Fox News and all of you telling us to "lighten up" would be doing just that, right?

O'Riley & Hannity would be silent. Republicans would laugh it off. Rush would say, "you know, even for Democrats, that's pretty funny".

NOT QUITE. Every nut-job right winger on here wants to diffuse the situation by talking about how the left (ad, presumably, African Americans) have become so serious, and need to lighten up. Hey, it's Halloween - where adults should be able to dress as offensively as they choose!

Take note America: The same folks who called into question the military service of John Kerry are now defending a government official dressing in black-face. Now that's patriotism.

(By the way - anyone remember all the Ted Danson flak a decade-or-so ago, when he showed up in black-face alongside Whoopi Goldberg? The media firestorm was massive. But I'm sure the Republicans jumped right to Danson's side. Yeah, right.)

OK, Republicans - one more thing. For Halloween 2009, when someone in the ICE (under President Clinton's cabinet) dresses as Jesus on a cross, you all have to keep your mouth shut.

If you don't, you'd be hypocrites, right?

To put someone on leave for a hollween costume is taking it a little to far. I am not a racist person infact I have a black grandson but am tired of everyone crying racist this was only a costume I don't think anyone was making fun at anyone

Since when did everybody get a pass to be racially and mrally insensitive on Halloween?

Would any of you dress or act this insensitively on any other day? Would you go into work in black face and with a noose around yor neck on any other day?

If someone dresses in a costume that crosses the line, they should be confronted. What crosses the line? A costume that is not funny but HATEFUL. Making fun of a circumstance can be funny; degrading or denigating a class of people is not.

If you can't get that, maybe you should join the Klan.

There are some really stupid comments here. Dreadlocks and prison stripes? This is definitely offensive. Small issue? Yes, so deal with it and fire someone. PC left? Meaningless- offensive sterotyypes are offensive at any time. Loony left- wacky righties are not clever.

It seems to me that alot of people are missing a very important point here. The Halloween costume contest occurred at an agency event. I don't think any of this would have been a very big deal at all if it had happened at a private party. What happens at a "government sanctioned" event is very much a big deal. It means that our government "allows" this type of mockery of any particular race, ethnic group, etc.
So, for everyone who is wondering why the noise....that's why.

While it may seem "normal" for those inside the DC beltway; between this fiasco, the "press conference" incident, the lousy results from testing airport screeners, etc. it looks like the Dept. of Homeland Security is dysfunctional from top to bottom.

Is it time to sweep the room clean and start over with reasonable and capable people ?

This is a joke right? It was Halloween and people are suppose to get dressed up right? Anyone who says this is racist or is offended needs to lighten up.

And Jason, Woopie and Ted were a thing at that time. It was all a JOKE! Get over yourself.

I think we've finally reached a place where we cannot speak without risk, cannot put on a halloween costume or blog without someone being OUTRAGED. I think we all need to lighten up

I went to the Bulls' home opener last season. They called the night's promotion "Fear the Fro" and handed out wigs that looked like Ben Wallace's hair when he wears it up.

If I wore a Bulls #3 jersey, put and black face and the wig for Halloween, would that be racist?

Answer, NO, because I would be imitating one individual, high-profile athlete.

What the DHS employee wore, however, was racist. Because it was a statement (intentional or not) that assumes that a particular group of people are known for being criminal.

Had the employee shown up just in prison garb (no make-up), we wouldn't even be talking about this. Why did he feel the need to don the black-face and dreads.

Has anyone talked to him about what the "inspiration" was? Continuing with athletes theme, was he trying to be Pacman Jones? Tank Johnson? O.J.? I could see that. But if it was just a general costume, then it was a stereotyoe, and, there by, racist.

Although, next year, I am tempted to get a prison uniform, a gray wig and go as Gov. Ryan.

No one's asking the only question that matters. Why are Federal employees, led by their boss, on the public payroll, spending "on the clock" time on a dress up party and contest? We're paying for this nonsense, and their pensions, and their health care, and and and... is this keeping the public trust?

I would assume that if he was just wearing darker makeup, it's NOT black face! Black face is when you wear pitch black makeup and outline your lips in white - it's what they did in vaudeville and old cartoons. That's extremely offensive, but accusing someone of being in "black face" if they are just wearing darker makeup seems to be exaggerating.

It's all about being politically correct. God forbid anyone offend anyone anymore. It's all about walking on glass and apologizing for everything we say and do...well not me. If you don't like something look the other way!

"Stop saying that Republicans are rascist, sexist, homophobes every time a contest is held we don't follow your PC standards stop imposing them as though you were Stalinists."

We're not Stalinists, it's not about being pc & it's not being liberal. Get used to being called what you (republicans) really are; racists, homophobes, islamphobes & just plain ignorant. Once your standards are finally elavated to some resemblence of common sense & decency, we'll stop...

Maybe.

Once upon a time...

In the Jim Crowe South, black people were not allowed to perform on stage without blackface makeup. White performers also painted themselves in blackface. Both donned ridiculously nappy woolen wigs for the performances and adopted horrible, offensive stagenames. The resulting shows grotesquely caricatured blacks as imbecilic, lecherous, dishonest, and lazy. The act of donning blackface is a SPECIFIC component of a culture of hate; when entertainment was designed to further perpetuate a negative stereotype of black people (such as black people are CRIMINALS.)

If you question why blackface is considered offensive and whiteface is not, well there you go.

Sorry, but when Tyler Perry, John Travolta, Eddie Murphy, et.al., are held just as accountable for dressing up as overweight women (just as offensive as the costume that is being criticized) I may have a bit of understanding for this decision.

The political discourse around here has hit a new low thanks to online newspapers giving voice to anyone with access to a computer. Anyone who argues that a costume representing a person of color in prison, and that said costume had been identified as 'most original,' by explaining that black people at his party thought a Stevie Wonder costume was funny -- would fail any English class for having no logic or argumentative skills, and that person's work would be shared with the rest of the class only as an example of a lousy argument. And now that I have invoked the idea of the English class, please harp on any typo I might have included and completely miss my point. Thank you.

How about we stop calling the right wing nut jobs racists and bigots when they stop acting like them.

Many of these comments about a person darkening their skin end with the catchphrase, "Lighten up, America."

Now I gotta replace a bent needle on my irony meter.

Three words. . . Freedom of speech. Last time I checked we live in America. If you don’t like what is said or done, too bad. I am not saying I agree or disagree with the costume. Was anyone injured? Killed? Someone’s feelings got hurt is all that happened. People feeling get hurt by our family and friends all the time are we going to call the media every time we get hurt from family, friends, co workers? Come on people lighten up and lets worry about the real crime that we have in America.

Is this for real - I cannot believe that anyone would make something out of this - what a joke - she should tell them all to go to hell - what in heavens name is she apologizing for! The media needs to stop reporting this crap.
Aliica from Chicago

Why do the thought police have to decide what is politically correct for every action we take?

This is stupid that anyone would get mad over this. The person was not MOCKING a black man. He chose a costume that he thought would be great JUST LIKE anyone would choose to be cinderella. It's just a costume and it's about being something you're not. Why is it that we can have slutty nurses showing almost every part of their body, or put on an ugly mask or do make up to look like a real dead person, but we can't put on some make up to make our skin dark and put on a costume? The US is making racism seem so much worse than it is. One little thing and it's automatically racist, when in fact that was not even their intentions. It just doesn't make any sense why a small costume should mean that a person is racist from what they appear to be. Maybe if everyone was equal then it wouldn't be such a big deal to the media. I believe everyone is equal no matter what color they are or how much money they have or don't have and I though that's how the US was trying to be like also, but apparently it's a big deal when someone decides to put on a costume.

It's 2007. Painting your face black and pretending you're a negro isn't socially acceptable anymore, and we're not going back to a time when it was. If someone doesn't understand this, too bad for them.

How about this: Halloween is for children. Stay home and read a book or something.

Don't lighten up -- grow up. And stay away from practical jokes, stupid adult-themed jokes, forwarding questionable e-mails, etc.

Jeez, how about being a professional in a business setting, or any social event with colleagues that is necessarily an extention of that setting.

To all of you calling on people to lighten up - the fact that he was wearing blackface was obviously NOT the problem - the problem was that he was wearing blackface and dressed as a prisoner, implying that to be dressed as a prisoner for halloween, you must be a black man as well.

Are all of you so deftly stupid and ignorant that you don't see the racial insensitivity of such a costume?

I mean - come on. Dressing up like that at a private party is one thing...it can certainly be played off as a joke, irony, a statement on racial politics in America...whatever...but at a government sanctioned party, especially where a senior government official calls it the "best costume" - which to me implies that he looked the part he was trying to look the best out of anyone at the party (implying that in her own mind, the senior government official considers all prisoners to be black)... that's just sheer ignorant idiocy.

I wonder if anyone crying foul at someone else's free expression would also cry foul if their freedom was restricted in anyway?? Do you think they understand the meaning of hypocrite!?

Just some facts:

Pretending to be a darker skin tone than white and then putting on a prison outfit, is much much different than dressing up as cinderella. The big deal, was that this is not "just a costume".

Not realizing that this has serious racist overtones and being a ranked employee at a government Immigration office is just plain scary.

You are also forgetting the historical and relatively recent power imbalance and mistreatment by whites on other races in this country which is what influences the ideas behind the costume.

For those of you not angry or at least a little disturbed by this act, Im sorry.

"The person was not MOCKING a black man. He chose a costume that he thought would be great JUST LIKE anyone would choose to be cinderella."

You're kidding right? You don't see how coming as a black PRISON INMATE, at a party thrown by a federal LAW ENFORCEMENT agancy isn't a tad bit different than coming as Cinderella? You don't see how many reasonable people would find that costume, in that context as mocking? Let alone that a high ranking law enforcement offcial found the costume of a black prison inmate "creative".

Let's be real here folks. This wasn't your next door neighbors holloween party. This was an office party thrown by people who enforce our laws. People who apparently find putting in color in prison quite funny.

Being African American, and a dreadlock, I only took offense to the wearing of prison stripes.
If this idiot had've made his costume a little more demonstrative of the decent law abiding African/ Jamaican community, I really don't think intelligent people would have minded.
But when fools like this choose to play with negative stereotypes, it is offensive.
But let's not pretend that this kind of additude is "rare" in the white community. It's pretty common, but thankfully cowards like him and closeted bigots like Myers, keep their stupid and pointless ideas to themselves where it' most appreciated.

I mean let's face it, an environment like that is the only place this moron could've gotten away with it. Because if he were here...suspension would be the LEAST of his major problems.

Really? Who gives a crap what people wear on Halloween, I'm liberal, and I still don't see that its a big deal. I'm not saying its not offensive, but its Halloween! The same day kids everywhere are throwing eggs at houses and teepeeing yards. Last I checked, its not unconstitutional to be racist, let alone poke fun at stereotypes. It may not be right, but its not worth making national news.

The really sad part of this is that the people involved had no idea that this would be offensive..that is ignorance; however, if they knew and they did it anyway..that is absolute racism.
This incident should be judged on its own merits (poor term.) It should not be compared to acts by anyone else and judged in that context.

Come on...this is the Department of Homeland Security....being conscious of offensive behavior and any type or racism is paramount.

Anyone who was involved should be fired.

Wow. A not so funny costume at a halloween gathering. Mountain, meet molehill. More silly political sniping. Try getting the illegal alien problem under control. Pleeze.

"Lighten up America" - does that me that we should become "whiter"?

I really think what's being missed here is the implication of the costume. Had this individual decided to dress up as an African-American actor, public figure, etc. it would have been fine. The reality is he wasn't anyone in particular...he was someone in a prison jumsuit with dark skin and dreadlocks. Why not just be someone in a prison jumpsuit as a caucasian (or whatever ethnicity this person is naturally)? The choice to make himself appear African-American is the issue. It highlights just how far we are still away from breaking the stereotypes - consciously and subconsciously. This is not a republican vs democrat issue...its a decency, fairness issue. Its an issue that there is a person who believes it is ok to consciously represent himself in public in such a manner.

I still can't jump.

To John D

Can you explain the similarities with Stevie Wonder and this tasteless costume? There is still a disparity in perception among the races where race
concerned. You probably would have no problem with a black person appearing barefeet, overalls, and all the other trappings of a trailer park simulation trailer trash, now would you?

i guess this is ok:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0381707/

if a black gay came that way is it all right.

So a couple of minority employees were offended by a Halloween costume. Tough! The time is long overdue when the black community accept that the cold hard fact that they are NOT held in high regard by many, many people in this country. Respect is earned, not automatically given. And even if the costume was a stereotype, the First Amendment is still the law of the land - and it applies to costumes as well as speech. Blacks are always complaining about equality - it is high time that they started practicing it.

Sandy says "Blacks make fun of whites - it's shrugged off and forgotten. Whites make fun of blacks - someone gets fired. What's wrong with this picture?"

I would like an example or two of blacks making fun of whites in an office/work setting? Plus the guy did not get fired. Plus, this isn't just any workplace, it's a government agency that oversees our relationships with foreigners. As others have noted, he didn't dress as a famous or admirable person of color--he dressed as a prisoner of a color other than his own. Would it have been such an award-winning creative costume if he had dressed as a white prisoner?

It makes me think of the recent stories of how we are treating tourists of other nationalities when
they go through customs. Equally sensitively, apparently.

"Freedom of Speech" is not a valid defense for this behavior. Our Freedom of Speech is not (and has never been) absolute.

I can't yell "Fire" in a crowded theater and then tell the Police that I was exercising my rights. Maybe I could tell them to "lighten up, it was a joke".

Where was the same outrage when the film "White Chicks" came out. Oh tha's right, racist double standards still apply only to certain groups.

Two faced, double sided coin liberals. Too damn bad you don't like my costume. I didn't wear it for you. Now you want to stop Halloween along with Christmas, smoking, silent prayer, cuz its not what YOU think is PC. Liberal Dems want to take away our freedoms little bits at a time legislativly. Vote for less gov't; vote Republican!!

"Freedom of Speech" is not a valid defense for this behavior. Our Freedom of Speech is not (and has never been) absolute.

I can't yell "Fire" in a crowded theater and then tell the Police that I was exercising my rights. Maybe I could tell them to "lighten up, it was a joke".

Tough! The time is long overdue when the black community accept that the cold hard fact that they are NOT held in high regard by many, many people in this country.

Posted by: Wolfgang | November 7, 2007 1:41 PM

Yes Wolfgang, and it's time for you to accept the cold hard fact that those who chose to hold a whole community in low regard based on their skin colors are racists, and you are one of them.

Thank you for showing so clearly what the problem in this incident was.

I am so sick and tired of white people and their racist antics from 1607 to 2007, telling people of color, specifically black people, that they should "get over it" and "move on," when it comes to the overt racism that is the hallmark of white savagery masquerading as "civilization." The absolute racist behavior of this Bush Regime, the ineptitude, the overt "I am above the law" mentality, and the idea that they don't have to be responsible for their behavior or actions, is egregious.

As you can read from the Article, Ms. Myers obviously felt completely insulated from any type of adverse scrutiny, however, her choice to provide sanction and reward for judging a costume as celebratory, is consistent with white racist thinking from the white supremacist Antebellum South, pre-Emancipation Proclamation period…bottom line…the people of the United States of America, especially white people have not moved very far from the racist attitude that has historically prevailed in this despicably racist country. Why? Because the government has embedded racism into the fabric of the nation. Each generation of white off/white, and new white people think that they are privileged based on their skin color, while adversely, any one that has color to their skin is therefore, inferior and to be distained. Is this mentally ill or not? Yet, this is the tacit “law of the land.” The Constitutional laws have been written to enforce this type of mental illness, and the bulk of aforementioned color conscious people live their pathetic lives in this mentally ill stereotype psychopathology. They actually believe that they are as less ugly, less stupid, less unsavory, less uncivilized, less uncultured, more humane, and more intelligent, more towards a race that “God” has blessed than “those “other un-people.”

Do you think that the majority of black people today would be as disadvantaged, poverty stricken, education abhorrent, as they have become, if the playing field from the beginning was equal? They came here as indentured servants, just as white people. They had the same strivings and when their contracts ended, they were allowed to follow their dreams…until the capitalist saw the need to procure free labor and wrote laws to make a difference between races to justify the extortion of free labor from blacks…the type of exploitation that built this country…until there were too many black people and the white government opened the doors of mass immigration to other destitute off-white and recent white types. Did you forget… you genteel creatures of God’s only blessings, how you genocided 20 million indigenous people, who are in fact, the original inhabitants of these now, twisted, polluted, over populated, drought stricken and brutalized lands?

Finally, Myers is a racist and ought to be kicked out of ICE along with the entire cabal of American style Nazis that haunt every single agency of this so-called government of the desensitized people. If it is the people’s government, the people ought to have a tribunal and call down every single criminal in the Bush Regime for crimes against humanity, for high crimes and misdemenors, and for continuing to turn this democracy into a dictatorship.

That guy... who dressed up as Stevie Wonder... that was John D. Don't let him fool you. A white guy dressed like a black convict. Wins prize. The equivalent, a black guy dressed like a white coke addict (ya know bad teeth rat hair runny nose powdered lips maybe fish net stockings). Wins prize? Don't think so. And that's original. A guy dresses up like a convict at a law enforcement party. Do you think that passes your Republican book of values PC meter. Glorifying crime anyone? We hear it all the time. Maybe it is only bad when black people glorify the stereotype in rap videos, white people win prizes for originality. I guess when Prince Harry dressed up like a Nazi to a costume party that was overblown too. Original and stupid.

Is anyone else offended by the fact that federal employees, paid by our tax dollars, are having a Halloween office party in the first place? Don't they have some work to do at ICE? Shouldn't the parties be on their own time?

I despise racism, but when we can't even frickin wear costumes on Halloween anymore, I start to despise oversensitivity even more.

White people dressing up in black-face is offensive, period. That said, this is particularly offensive because we are talking about a law enforcement agency that is charged with arresting primarily people of color and to dress up as the stereotype of an African American prisoner is to suggest that black people are criminals. This is particularly dangerous given the law enforcement role of ICE (INS).

People's opinion of this halloween custome frighten me. There is a big difference in wearing black face in a jail suit then portraying two wealthy white teen socialites. The movie White Chicks is in no comparison to the actions taken by this employee. I am saddened that in this day and age someone can say "lighten up" to this person choice of halloween customes. There is nothing halloween about a white man dressing up as a black man in jail. It's inappropriate and not original.

What ever happened to free speech. Listen to black radio in the morning and you'll get some real racism.

He was not wearing Al Jolson's blackface, just "bronzer", so the hyperbole still remains. He is in a public position, however, and should have calculated a hyperbolic reaction -- just as Prince what's-his-name who wore the Nazi costume.

Republicans, Democrats go to your respective corners. 2008 Halloween: The Next Civil War!! You people make me sick. All of you.

It was stupid and insensitive. But I'm sure these types of parties go on in Washington monthly.

Why not dress-up in bunch of credit reports and bankrupcy reports and say I'm a member of CONGRESS!!!!

Good Grief people it WAS A HOLLOWEEN COSTUME!
This whole P C thing is out of control.
No one should be apologizing or getting punished for it, the only ones that should be ashamed are the whiners complaining that it's not P C.
I'M OFFENDED that these weasels are continuing to get away with their attempts to have everyone else bow to what they believe is their moral superiority. IT WAS A HALLOWEEN COSTUME! Get over it already!

I don't think a white person wearing black face on halloween is any different than black people wearing white make up... White chicks, Chapelle show, etc.

However, putting that character in a prison uniform at a company function crosses the line.

With that said, it's now newsworthy. I was called into my mangers office the other day... do any of you really want to read about it?

karden says "missed the point" NO - not missed - just stupid and perhaps should look up argumentive to see if that is the real word - not argumentative

Without the makeup is the costume still funny? Does it still win a prize?

Probably not.

As a Manager of this organization Myers should have known that and the three person committee that voted should have known it.

This person and their "costume" should have been seen as offensive and hateful. End of story.

Give the prize to someone more deserving.

It isn't an issue of Julie Myers getting close to men in questionable costumes, but rather that so many men want to rub up against Julie Myers for a photo op.

Didn't they get the memo that says white people have to act like politically correct robots?

I will ask this again to all of you who believe that people should "get over it!", and hope someone gives me a salient (i.e. not snarky) answer:

If a government employee were to show up to a Halloween party dressed as Jesus nailed to the crucifix, would you be upset?

And if you were, would those of us who might not believe in Jesus have the right to spew forth your same, "get over it! lighten up! take it easy!" rhetoric?

Because if not, that would make you pretty hypocritical, wouldn't it?

I eagerly await your replies.

Negative potrayal of any group community is irresponsible. There is a clear difference between a good joke and bad one.

Republicans, Democrats go to your respective corners. 2008 Halloween: The Next Civil War!! You people make me sick. All of you.

Posted by: Robin Putnam | November 7, 2007 3:59 PM

You people? what do you mean by you people? Must be racist. Haha, this is ridiculous, let it go people, there's bigger worries than a halloween costume.

I work for a very large company and we had a black individual who chose to wear a white "Jason" mask for Halloween. We thought it was hilarious. Maybe we should had him arrested, instead? Does this imply all whites are mass murderers?