I'm an internet sensation

[RevStoningpot]

http://www.facebook.com/allen.richardson.180?fref=ts
Some one posted my halloween costume and many people have an opinion on it here are a few that i like

Richard Thomas: Depends. Is it meant with ironic intent?

Chad Lyons: Actually I just love it because it uses racism point out the stupidity and ignorance of racism.

Paul Ortega: Blackface was used as a TOOL of oppression? I see it as more of a reflection. To answer the question, I am not prepared to say it is racist, though it has its roots in such. It does appear to be purposefully provocative, which actually does seem to fit the modern Halloween spirit.

I don't feel like defending my dress, but i have to correct this one
Ben Butter: I took the picture. This moron was completely oblivious to the 70% of the patrons that were trying to figure out when to jump him. He was warned by both bouncers and the waitstaff to leave. I approached him and asked to take his picture, which he allowed, am asked his name, which he truthfully gave. I couldn't speak to him after the picture or I would have done something... Rash... But I saw a few customers quietly tell him he was being a piece of shit. My favorite moment was hearing "well how about you go stand at the Clayton Jackson McGee memorial for a while and we'll see what people think."
............Okay no one asked me to leave, no one, patron or staff, had any rude comments for me or asked me to take off the black face. No one stopped him from speaking to me at any time. No one told me i was a piece of shit at any volume i could hear. I don't know about this memorial he speaks of but no one said that to me.

Mike Gerber: i think it's funny because its so completely unnacceptable. this guy put on this costume knowing full well he was risking getting his ass kicked, and he went for it anyways. Yes, it's totally disrespectful and fucked-up, but i gotta respect this guy for having the balls to wear it. it's really not anymore racist than say, Dave Chapelle's portrayal of white people (which is also funny) if i was out and i saw a black man with his face painted pasty-white, wearing a mullet wig... i would think that's funny too.

Addul El Ali: How can anyone be mad about a pagan holiday meant to celebrate the dead and evil?

Kirk Michael: Like I said in my feed, this very costume would make a great topic of debate in the classroom. I think it has gotten a lot of folks thinking, which doesn't happen very often on Facebook, which is why I think in part Al ran with it the way he did. Which I applaud his efforts.

some one who actually thinks the first amendment is invaild for some reason when you are in an american pizzaria.
Marisa Ring: either way. of course he could be all "free speech!" but that doesn't apply here. at all. unless it's in luce's bill of rights or something.

All in all i'll just say I'm not racist I love all of the human race. I was fully aware of the history and controversy of the costume. I would argue that black face minstrals were racist performers who negitively depicted black people, where as i was depicting the minstrals, as in, I was dressed as a white person not a black person. There was at the same place a man dressed as charlie manson, swastika on the fore head and all. Like wise we were both depicting racists not actually being racists, we were, in the spirit of halloween, dressed as monsters.
Some people compared it to dressing in drag, which is actually quite accurate, Male actors portrayed females in olde time theater shows for quite the same reason as minstrals did the black face, because the subject was deemed inferior and unfit to be on stage with white men.
Others said some stuff about me being "privilaged" which made no sense to me as an argument. As all men are created equal in privilege and right. We are all entitled to exercise our first amendment rights.
I'd also like to say I'm glad that this has opened up the subject to conversation. I was actually stunned when i had to explain my costume to people, and I am glad to have made people aware of this particular part of american history.
As for my employment, i was not on duty and if they want to fire me for it then i will gladly go to court to defend my freedom of expression. (a guy said i was sitting alone most of the time but that was only when the large group of friends i was with all went out to smoke and left me to guard the table) I'll say again no one, at all, asked me to leave or remove my make up. I remember only seeing one black guy there, mind you he looked like he could take me easily, If he expressed a problem i would have done all i could to make amends. From what I can tell mostly white people have a problem with it and for them i make no apologies. As for comments about the location and fear of getting beaten, yes i would have avoided a place filled with black people, although that's a place that's hard to find in duluth mn. But i did still have my worries. I did what i did to make people think and i did that. I don't plan on doing it again, i never repeat my halloween costumes.

By the way if any one can post on facebook (i can't) let this guy know I have made my response here

[RevStoningpot]

click on the picture and there's a whole extra thread there as well

Derek Lee: I find the tastelessness of it amusing.

Trevor Hawkins: I thought it was a coal mining hobo....

I find this quite valid and would like to say i did not go around acting like a fool or in any way trying to put people down with my actions, unlike the original black face minstrals.
Trevor Hawkins: I don't find black face to be racist, anything from words to appearance is only given that power by people accepting it to be so. His actions dictate if he is racist or not, not his appearance. If he was running around make off hand stereotyped comments then sure but to me it looks like he is drinking a beer and enjoying Halloween, there is nothing wrong with that.

[RevStoningpot]

Samuel Kaspszak: No way on Earth to know the persons intent with the costume. To deem it racist is applying ones own personal value judgement. One CAN find it offensive, which is a judgement that relies on ones personal observation. Making a judgement about the character of this man based on this picture is the same form of judgement heaped upon groups in the form of bigotry and discrimination. I have no feelings about what he did, I would say that he is playing a very tricky game with a costume like that. But we don't know the intent! You can't assume without casting similar judgements to bigots. What if he has a protest sign out of frame? What if his wife sitting next to him is black and they are making a vote no civil rights statement, what if he's so ignorant that this was just something funny he saw on old Disney animation and doesn't realize the connotation. Maybe he's a giant Dick who wants to offend, maybe he's a racist. We DON'T know, that is why we judge for OURSELVES and not publically. Public judgement breeds only negative, private judgement breeds opinion and discernment. I wish I could believe this statement said all I want it to, or that many would read it, I feel it has important bits mixed in with the mess. My 2 cents.

[Fluz43]

Someone's a little happy.

[RevStoningpot]

topic on face book has died off now. I find it funny how quickly americans will deny the first amendment if other peoples' beliefs upset them. Wait not funny, horrific! All i did was wear a costume and it made people label me stereotype me judge me and straight up hate me. And they think as a white person i don't know how it feels to be prejudiced against. But luckily i don't get offended by any thing. Too bad others aren't so lucky