Indecent disguises change the meaning of Halloween

Indecent disguises change the meaning of Halloween

By Haley Reid, Managing Editor

This Halloween, expect a slew of pretty princesses, bloody zombies and … Ebola viruses? I didn’t misspeak. People are actually doing this. While costume stores don’t seem to be taking their usual silly, politically incorrect get-ups to this level, eBay and Amazon are swarming with people buying and selling what is supposed to be an Ebola costume. The looks range from t-shirts with “Ask me about Ebola” printed on them to full-body protective suits with gas masks, not to mention “sexy Ebola” costumes for women.

While thousands in West Africa die from the disease, Americans continue to make a mockery of things they probably shouldn’t.

The problem isn’t that we aren’t educated on the issue. By now, we all know a hundred facts about Ebola. It is our lack of sensitivity to things that we haven’t seen firsthand.

It’s doubtful that a hospital worker who has witnessed the death of an Ebola patient would even crack a smile at some jokester dressed as the disease. We have been desensitized to the idea of Ebola by mass media coverage while most of us haven’t been personally affected. Because of this, we somehow view these distasteful costumes as humor.

As if the Ebola-themed Halloween costumes weren’t horrific enough, gangs of people are dressing as members of Islamic terrorist group ISIS. Maybe I didn’t receive the memo that we are all dressing as mass murderers this year, but I’m going to stay home instead. And if can assure you one thing this Halloween, it’s that I won’t be passing out my Kit-Kats and Reese’s to any ISIS militants or deadly viruses.