A group of Ohio college students is spearheading a campaign to get trick-or-treaters to ditch wearing "hurtful costumes" they believe depict racial stereotypes.
"No one goes out on Halloween intending to offend people, but they don't understand that when they put on a costume that is of a particular race and misrepresenting us, it's offensive," Joshelyn Smith, an African-American student at Ohio University, told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.
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"Twelve-year-olds are walking the streets on Halloween and they see a costume of a person dressed as an African-American and that's their image of an African-American."
Smith, the secretary of Students Teaching About Racism in Society — STARS — said her group is trying to reeducate those who parade around on Halloween night, "not to make a joke of a culture."
"We would rather you represent a specific person than marginalize a complete culture," she said.
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