PC runs amok

Re: Halloween Costume Failures, Oct. 21

Even though I am not a fan of Halloween and find the trick or treat tradition a bit annoying, I do appreciate that it is very much loved in Canada, by kids and adults alike. I therefore fail to understand the absurd level of political correctness that infiltrates so many aspects of our daily life and is now seeping into even this bit of fun day.

Given the range of costumes that became “inappropriate” leads me to believe that Halloween has been subject to years of study by the culturally “sensitive” and “inclusive” type of social behaviour experts. When was it decided that the idea of choosing a costume is to make fun of, as opposed to have fun? And who decided that religious headdresses or thobes worn by Arab men are i nappropriate, while dressing as a firefighter, a nurse, or even a nun, is acceptable?

Actually, the choice of a costume could reflect admiration and a desire to imitate a role model, as opposed to denigration and condescendence. Maybe university counsellors and student unions could try to avoid unwarranted sensitivities, and instead ensure students learn that respecting each other (and even multicultur- alism) should not preclude fun and jokes. Instituting stuff like “bias incident reports” and presuming that “encountering an offensive costume” may require counselling are not only preposterous, but also incite and train students to look for victimization opportunities and become square- headed inspectors of political correctness. Nadia Bissada, Baie d’Urfé, Que.