For many in the US, Halloween is a time to dress-up as a character from a movie, a politician, a witch, vampire, and… alien looking-like immigrants. According to a CNN report, “The ‘Illegal Alien Adult Costume,’ manufactured by Forum novelties, includes an orange jumpsuit, similar to prison garb, with ‘Illegal Alien’ stamped in black across the chest; a space alien mask; and a fake green card. The ‘Illegal Alien Mask with Hat’ also includes a space alien mask, this time with a dark handlebar mustache and a baseball cap.”
The language we use daily can cause either division or healing. In this case, individuals are using language to cause violence and perpetuate oppression. “Illegal Alien” is a derogatory and xenophobic term. It implies that an immigrant to the US is not a human being who deserves human rights, but rather some space alien-monster that should strike fear in the heart of white America and so should be eliminated at any cost. The “aliens,” like in the movies Mars Attack and Independence Day, are here in the US to invade and alter the comfortable lifestyles of many “citizens.” And, the vigilantes and neo-nazis (I refuse to capitalize the “n”) are the heroes during these times, since they defend the US from foreign invasion. Unfortunately, many today in the US still use alien and illegal when describing their fellow human beings. This dehumanizes the many immigrants who come from South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean and several other locations to make an honest living.
Further, since America extends from Canada to Argentina, American is a misnomer when referring solely to US citizens. Anyone born on this great continent (South, Central, or North) is an American. Yet, reserving American only for US citizens excludes any other group – again, language used by the minority to oppress the majority.
It is important to note that the latest scientific data suggests that all humans originated on the African continent. The human race, according to biology, is the only race that exists. All other races are artificial constructions that serve to categorize groups from different ethnic backgrounds for legal and often racist purposes. Heeding the objective scientific data will help the human race recognize its common African origins. Indeed, we are all interconnected with and interdependent on each other and our great planet earth.
Bigotry, however, always seems to find its way. The “Illegal Alien” costumes foster xenophobia in a country that has long been and continues to be wounded by suspicion and hatred for those outside the arbitrarily normative US framework of white, Christian and straight.
Those who establish the “norm” in the US seek to buttress and perpetuate the violence against immigrants through language and now Halloween. Some may argue that it is just a Halloween costume. Why should I and other activists be getting all worked up over this? After all, haven’t politicians, musicians, actors, and others been ridiculed during Halloween? Yes, this is true, but these rich and powerful individuals aren’t the target of heinous hate crimes. They aren’t beaten to death by high school boys who have been fed the xenophobic propaganda by their parents, teachers, and politicians. And, immigrants, unlike these public figures, do not seek the attention they receive by the media. Many of them are honest, hard-working folk who seek to raise their children in a country that is supposed to protect the rights of all humans.
The costumes have been selling well at many stores across the US. What does this say about our country? Is this the U.S. that came together during 9/11? Is this the U.S. that elected an African-American to the presidency? Is this the same U.S. that was built on the backs and minds of immigrants from all over our wondrous planet?
Let’s keep Halloween from being coerced for the politically xenophobic purpose of a minority. It is my hope that Halloween costumes not turn into signs of oppression. Far too many oppressive mechanisms in our society already exist. Moreover, immigrants in the US already suffer enough hardships.
César J. Baldelomar is a graduate student at Harvard Divinity School. He is also the executive director of Pax Romana Center for International Study of Catholic Social Teaching. You can visit César at his Web site (www.cesarjb.org) and read his blogs at www.holisticthoughts.com.
