Meanwhile, Back In Birmingham...

[FredPuli43]

The Guild of Students banned members of the basketball team, who turned up for a fancy dress party at Hallowe'en wearing ponchos, sombreros and painted- on moustaches, because the stereotype was insulting to Mexicans. (The Guild seemingly ignored a video of their own vice-president wearing a sombrero and directing students to a shop where they could obtain Mexican outfits). They also banned a man dressed as a Red Indian; sorry, "Native American"; who was dressed in homage to the Village People (I bet the YMCA would have let him in).

A 'Guild official" is quoted as saying that dressing up as Mexicans could be seen as "imitation of a culture and [relating] to a stereotype" [The Times, today]

Any comment ? There is no prize for saying "PC gone mad" unless you explain that more fully !

[aelmpvw]

'mexicans', 'native americans' for a hallowe'en party ... didn't they miss the point?

[youngmafbog]

or a punch in the face.

Looks like the loonies/lefties have taken over the asylum.

[DaisyNonna]

How many Mexicans and Native Americans were consulted?
Think a skeleton might be insulted to be seen naked.

[Gromit]

Some people might be offended by those outfits so some say they should be banned. I don't.

It is impossible not to offend somebody. If you ban everything that might offend, the world would be a very dull and humourless place.

[237SJ]

There isn`t a market in Mexico that doesn`t sell oversized, brightly coloured, really OTT sombreros to tourists who delight in wearing them on the journey home so I think they are a little bit out of touch on that one.

[Gromit]

// the women’s basketball team was apparently told that they could not go as bats, because they are black. //

http://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/birmingham-universitys-guild-of-students-bans-racist-halloween-outfits-8922518.html

Bonkers.

[jake-the-peg]

Well why don't you drop Tracy a mail and ask her?

http://www.guildofstudents.com/emso

Mind you she might be getting a few e-mails today :c)

[jno]

I suppose they should wear T-shirts and jeans, like stereotypical Brits.

[youngmafbog]

Just out of interest, did they issue an 'approved list'?

They really do seem to have lost the plot.

Still, I am sure they are being ridiculed by their peers as we speak !

[youngmafbog]

dont be racist jno :-)

[VHG]

Maybe they should ban these "racist" Doritos adverts !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFqE5XKMwf4

[anotheoldgit]

Not bothered about the prize.

"PC gone mad".

[anotheoldgit]

If some other groups can hold the right to be offended, why not Mexicans, and Native Americans?

Just asking.

[sandyRoe]

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://images.buycostumes.com/mgen/merchandiser/29887a.jpg%3Fzm%3D1600,1600,1,0,0&imgrefurl=http://www.buycostumes.com/p/29887/plush-leprechaun-hat-with-beard&h=1600&w=1600&sz=236&tbnid=3Y_r4vnOBfTLVM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=120&zoom=1&usg=__nE2-CA3nqz6NPxF3WAGQ5opJbEA=&docid=xHMpMTXLIdX4XM&;sa=X&ei=QEl6UveCJ8aQ7AbvlICACA&ved=0CDMQ9QEwAQ
This type of rigout is very popular in Belfast around 17th March. Can't think why

[VHG]

Surely these fancy dress costumes are FAR more tasteless.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24835322

[anotheoldgit]

/// Surely these fancy dress costumes are FAR more tasteless. ///

And these are even more tasteless, but widely available from a well known web site supplier priced at £39.99

http://img.joke.co.uk/images/products/jmw-v3/large/74439.png

[FredPuli43]

Surely not, AOG. Did you never buy jam ? What I always found supremely odd was that Al Jolson blacked up to make a fortune singing songs like "That old black mammie, of mine" in a fake Southern US accent. He was a Jew, Asa Yolson. Now how strange it is that one oppressed minority should make money out of imitating another.

[DaisyNonna]

Nothing could be more tasteless than being dressed in pink crepe paper as an English rose on Coronation Day. It was bloody cold too. The colour ran when it rained. That was Birmingham!

[douglas9401]

Po-faced professional Radio 4 guests in the making.