Do You Agree That These Halloween Costumes Are In Poor Taste?

[sp1814]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/asda-apologises-for-selling-mental-patient-fancy-dress-halloween-costume-online-8839942.html

[Old_Geezer]

That said, it shows how the festival is moving away from genuine Halloween subject matter. Surely it ought to be about ghosts and suchlike, not axe murderers ?

[jno]

axemen are probably quite scary, OG, but I've never actually met one (knowingly) so it's hard to say. Mental illness is quite a lot more common, so there are potentially far more people to offend and misrepresent.

Just a moment's thought from George, or whoever is doing Asda's clothes these days.

[mikey4444]

The costume itself is OK...not in any worse taste than any other stuff associated Halloween. But the title was stupid in the extreme. But ASDA seems to have reacted quickly, so not too much damage has been done.

[emmie]

mental health patients face challenges and are often stigmatised, i was watching this on the news last night, poor taste, if they have been withdrawn so much the better, if you haven't had any mental health problems you may not see why it's offensive,

[dave50]

It really is time people stopped being offended on behalf of other people.

[weecalf]

Another problem is happy Christmas cards .Theres nothing happy about it .So Id ban them too.

[andy-hughes]

dave50 - have you thought about that?

I have no direct experience of child abuse, but I think it is reasonable that I am offended by the concept, and I am willing and able to say so.

It would be a poorer world indeed if we were only able to take offence at issues that affect us directly.

[anotheoldgit]

A non story really, both Asda and Tesco have apologised, and both have removed them from sale, Asda has gone a step further by making a very sizable donation” to Mind, the mental health charity, so some good has come out of it.

Let's just move on.

/// A statement from the supermarket, owned by Walmart in the US, said: ”It should never have been sold and it was withdrawn as soon as it was brought to our attention.“ ///

/// Asda said it offered “sincere apologies for the offence it has caused”. It said it had made a “completely unacceptable” error and would make a “very sizable donation” to Mind, the mental health charity. ///

[MrIncredible]

They Have been selling these (or costumes like these) for years in fancy dress shops and nobody could care less.

Asda/Tesco's get on the news for selling these and were told everyone is offended by it.

Welcome to the world where were are told how we should be feeling offended even if were not.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b48_1305790944

[LinziMissy]

I think the title of the costume could have been worded rather differently!

[andy-hughes]

Exactly LinziMissy.

If they had called the outfit 'Mad Doctor' or something similar, no-one would have batted an eyelid.

It is the crass and stupid title of the outfit that caused the upset, rather than the outfit itself.

[nannybooby]

yes it was poor taste but it didn't warrant the mass hysteria reaction it has received ! Donot like it don't buy it .simples.

[andy-hughes]

nannybooby - I agree that mass hysteria contains an element of hype about it, but the objection remains real and valid.

i don't think it is acceptble simply to ignore something that causes offence - that is the thin end of a dangerous wedge - indifference leads to all sorts of unpleasant situations thriving unchecked.

[ummmm]

It is an over reaction. It didn't have to be plastered all over the news so as many people could be as offended as possible!

I guarantee you, MissN, that Diz would not be offended by something like this!

I think it's a bit crass that you even bring him into this discussion...

[andy-hughes]

ummmm - this highlights an interesting aspect of society's interaction with the media.

It seems as though we are regularly poked with a metaphorical stick in order for us to howl with outrage.

This story appears to have a similar aim to the 'hate bate' stories so beloved of the tabloids - Samantha Brick's and the Aprentice woman's puerile ramblings being obvious examples.

They prod, we react - it seems the relationship suits both sides.

[ChillDoubt]

What I did find galling was Stan Collymore's supposed outrage on Twitter.
Remember Ulrika, Stan?


People in glass houses and all that.

[emmie]

i am not being offended on behalf of other people, but myself, thank you very much. Time some people learned about mental health, like lots of things if it hasn't happened to you, how can you know how some would feel, even Alistair Campbell, a man i dislike intensely said that he found it offensive, and that the problem is people's perception of those with mental health problems, you hear the words bandied around quite a lot, loony, nutter, schizo, you name it, then the kind people you say things like pull yourself together if you say that you have depression, or worse
, oh my that is a corker.

[ummmm]

Offensive is just a word to many people. Doesn't mean he actually had the feelings associated with it.

[emmie]

he said so, what is so difficult to understand about the comment, the matter was dealt with, however perhaps some don't get how it can be viewed by those who have long struggled with mental health, and who don't care to viewed as nutjobs, nutters, loons, and worse.