The Great Pumpkin never knew...

Halloween. What a holiday. I keep hearing everyone say "it's the one holiday when you can be whatever you want!" I'm not even going to break down that statement, as you should try to be whatever you want 24/7/365. Instead of addressing the lack of motivation/insecurity/whatever you want to call it manifested in that attempted justification at dressing up for Halloween, I have bigger fish to fry. Plus, it's Sunday night, and I just don't have that much time.

Some things just weren't meant to be. Or some things aren't for a reason. Or some things were once upon a time but never should have been. In other words, White people should never dress up as Black people for Halloween. Harking back to that previous statement, no White person in his or her right mind wants to be Black. Ever. Paul Mooney once said "everyone wants to be a nigga but don't nobody wanna be a nigga." If that isn't the damned truth.

To give a little background, there used to be these things called Minstrel shows. Minstrel shows depicted African-Americans in a deeply humiliating, degrading manner as ignorant, lazy, subservient, joyous and musical. Oh and let's not forget sub-human. If that isn't bad enough, the Black people portrayed in Minstrel shows were played largely by White actors. Here's where it gets disturbing. White actors would darken their faces to appear Black, and voila: you have Blackface.

Fast forward to 2008. You still have White people out here painting their faces to appear to be a Black person. I know it's all in good fun, but it's important to consider the potentially insulting consequences of doing such a thing. The reason some Black celebrities are important is because they are a manifestation of a dream (No, I'm not talking about Flava Flav or Lil Jon - Don't know whose dream that is, but it sure is not mine). The reason people love them is because it's inspiration to keep trying. Tiger...Oprah...Barack...people who are the best at what they do, not because they're Black, but because they're good. But they are Black. So I and people like me can look at what's out there and not be discouraged. They are doing it, so I can do it. White people never had that experience. It's never been difficult for them to achieve or even think about achieving. Us...we had to go through some things. So don't cheapen my dreams because you want to be funny. Please go back to being a clown or a slut. That's much easier to believe. Hopefully someone listens to me.

Thanks, Facebook, for putting me in this foul mood.