Supermarkets sell frightfully offensive halloween masks

[MooseBreath]

You've probably heard about this

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24278768

Depressing. When the PC brigade get on a bandwagon like this, I really, honestly can't tell who is insane and who is not. Maybe we're all mentally ill, I can't think of any other reason why people would be such complete fvcking tossers. It's a Halloween mask, ffs. I think I heard that Stan Collymore had got in on the condemnation. Stan Collymore? A morality barometer? Fvck this world omg.

[Steven]

In the same vein, I suppose "One flew over the Cuckoo's nest" should be banned?

[davieG]

....and - Is it wrong to jokily call someone 'mental'?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-24282737

[Jace]

Its sad the costume has been withdrawn although I think they could have named it better in the first place though

[Rincewind]

Like it says it depends on how its used.

[Trav Le Bleu]

LET'S ALL COPY AMERICANS!

[Dan]

What a joke. How can anyone take serious offence to that?

 

How have we gone from being one of the most light hearted countries on the planet to this?

[Trav Le Bleu]

What a joke. How can anyone take serious offence to that?

 

How have we gone from being one of the most light hearted countries on the planet to this?

 

We copied Americans?

[Jon the Hat]

Did you see the description though?  Per Stan it was something like "you will run in fear as this mental patient comes at you!  Complete with bloodstained clothing..." 

 

Not the best ever idea on the side of the supermarkets was it?  I know they were thinking Michael Myers, but there is enough stigma against mental illness without taking the piss.  They deserve to be called out on it and if they decided to apologise and remove from sale that is their call - no one is banning it.

[Finnegan]

It should have been banned by trading standards for being an unbelievably shit novelty costume. That'd be proper morality.

Christ, we buy some shit.

[indierich06]

I suppose we should ban zombie or ghost costumes as well, in case we risk offending the familes of the recently deceased who might think we're mocking their loved ones.

[Finnegan]

As an aside, though, what idiot named them? If they just labelled them as "horror villain" or some crap nobody would bat an eyelid. Surely the marketting departments at major stores like Tesco and ASDA should see shitstorms like this a mile off?

[Finnegan]

I suppose we should ban zombie or ghost costumes as well, in case we risk offending the familes of the recently deceased who might think we're mocking their loved ones.

Nothing has been banned, they've been voluntarily withdrawn AFTER release because two supermarkets were stupid enough to think nobody would complain and now they're in damage limitation.

I know people that went as Bin Laden and Jimmy Saville last year and most people just laughed.

Tesco and ASDA just know it'll probably cost them more in outrage from bandwagoners if they DON'T apologize than if they just sold them, given they're terrible £20 sacks of novelty tat anyway.

For the record, I don't find either offensive, just stupid.

[Jon the Hat]

I suppose we should ban zombie or ghost costumes as well, in case we risk offending the familes of the recently deceased who might think we're mocking their loved ones.

 

Who banned anything?  Hmm?  No one.  Dont be a tit.

[Merging Cultures]

I can see why people would be offended.

 

But why does the minority always say what we can or cannot do/say?

 

[purpleronnie]

Not sure how it works elsewhere, but it does seem the minority have more power than the majority when it comes to things like this, maybe thats why our tv and radio is so bland (apart from DNO radio of course).

[Finnegan]

I can see why people would be offended.

But why does the minority always say what we can or cannot do/say?

I think there's a difference between being told what you can say or do, as Joe Public, and what you can get away with as an enormous multinational.

As I said, nobody's ruining Halloween for you. You could go out dressed as a zombie, Nazi pedo if you wanted. I don't think that'd be breaking any laws?

But I'm confident that if you asked a reasonable segment of the British public (and I'm not talking about polling foxestalk, you may as well ask 4chan) whether they thought it was appropriate for the country's biggest retailer to sell blood stained outfits called "mental patient" complete with plastic weapon, it wouldn't be a tiny minority saying no.

It's clearly an issue that's very active in the public consciousness at the moment. It was never going to to down well. That's different to saying it's highly offensive and should be banned.

[Dan]

Who else clicked "Add to basket"

[Mike Oxlong]

Supermarkets should ban the sale of nuts as its obviously taking the piss out of nutters.

[Dan]

Supermarkets should ban the sale of donuts as it's obviously taking the piss of Lamby.

[James.]

I do find it a bit odd when they say one customer complained so they took it off the shelves. What about the millions of customers that didn't complain? Quite a weird balance of power there.

 

Personally I don't think there's anything wrong with the actual costume (apart from being shit), just the name of it. But more generally this issue with a very small minority complaining about things and getting their way seems to happen quite often, particularly with things like TV shows, billboard advertising, etc.

[Guest MattP]

Not sure how it works elsewhere, but it does seem the minority have more power than the majority when it comes to things like this, maybe thats why our tv and radio is so bland (apart from DNO radio of course).

 

Agree with that.

[LestaFox92]

It's not the smartest name sure and looks like crap but how the **** does this honestly make news? are people with mental issues going to get a better nights sleep cos of this? and how the PHUCK does someone with mental issues look in anyway like that if anything it's an insult comparing people with mental issues to that sh!tty costume.

 

P.S anyone who gets offended by those costume is mental

[Finnegan]

I do find it a bit odd when they say one customer complained so they took it off the shelves. What about the millions of customers that didn't complain? Quite a weird balance of power there.

Personally I don't think there's anything wrong with the actual costume (apart from being shit), just the name of it. But more generally this issue with a very small minority complaining about things and getting their way seems to happen quite often, particularly with things like TV shows, billboard advertising, etc.

I would imagine they recognize that these things snowball very quickly in the social media age and that it's a hot topic these days.

I do think anyone outraged enough by the outfits to complain needs to get a life but I feel equal bemusement towards individuals who are outraged by their withdrawal.

[Webbo]

As an aside, though, what idiot named them? If they just labelled them as "horror villain" or some crap nobody would bat an eyelid. Surely the marketting departments at major stores like Tesco and ASDA should see shitstorms like this a mile off?

I thought that. The ironic thing is the person who decided to label it "Mental Patient" probably thought they were being politically correct.