Amazon lists Obama Halloween mask as a ‘terrorist costume.’
By on Oct 27th, 2008 at 9:47 am
Amazon lists Obama Halloween mask as a ‘terrorist costume.’
Over the weekend, the LA Times caught Amazon.com listing a Halloween mask of Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) as a “terrorist costume.” Though the listing has since been deleted from the “terrorist” page, Top of The Ticket caught the image:
The Obama terrorist page listed related searches as “arab costume, terrorist.”
UpdateA West Hollywood home's Halloween decorations have garnered controversy for featuring a mannequin dressed as Palin hanging by a noose from the roof. The home's owner defended the decorations as keeping with the spirit of Halloween, saying, "it's time to be scary, it's time to be spooky."
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49 Responses to “Amazon lists Obama Halloween mask as a ‘terrorist costume.’”
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Yes, its true. We truly live in a sick, demented society.
October 27th, 2008 at 9:49 amA McCain costume could be listed as an antique costume.
October 27th, 2008 at 9:51 amA Palin costume would be found in the closeouts category.
Amazon has just lost my business.
This is what Republican rule encompasses -- fear, religious intolerance, fear! They do not deserve another chance at governance.
October 27th, 2008 at 9:51 amI'm so glad that we've entered into the subtle, introspective stage of the campaign....
October 27th, 2008 at 9:52 amNevar, I'll second that.
I'm also sending Amazon an e-mail, informing them they will never see another purchase from this consumer.
You just can't make this shit up. Terrorist, indeed...
October 27th, 2008 at 9:54 amAbsolutely ridiculous.
This bs is EXACTLY why I changed my mind on being Barack Obama for halloween. My roommate was going to go as McCain (I'm the uber-liberal one, he's the supposed 'moderate' sigh...).
Now, I live in Boston, the capital of the Gay Marriage universe of the United States, so perhaps I wouldn't have as much to worry about since it's pretty Democratic/Liberal leaning up here...but I still wouldn't feel safe walking around in an Obama costume because you just KNOW there would be some crazy out there who would beat me up for wearing it and then it wouldn't be reported in the media, unlike Ashley Frodd.
As has been said above, Amazon will never see another CENT from me.
October 27th, 2008 at 9:57 amJust curious, do they have a Bush mask under the same category?
Maybe a subcategory of "caucasion costume, terrorist"?
October 27th, 2008 at 9:58 amDearist fcukwit GoOPers,
Compare and contrast, if you will, the following positions:
1. McCain offers nothing more than 4 more years of Bush
and
2. Obama is a fag-loving, terrorist, anti-christ.
Now, define "smear-tactics" and swift-boating and look for culpability. Add a dose of "voter purging" and what do you have?
A Republican political party which by definition, is against EVERY THREAD OF DECENCY IN GOVERNMENT and for EVERYTHING AMERICANS STAND AGAINST - CORRUPTION.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:01 amDRxJ Says:
Just curious, do they have a Bush mask under the same category?
___________
The Bush mask is listed under the "Butt stupid, incompetent fraud" category.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:02 amEt tu, Amazon? I thought better of you.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:04 amAs of 8:45 this morning "terrorist costume" search still came back as Barack Obama (it's fixed now). The L.A. Times reported on this over the weekend. Why did it take Amazon so long to fix it?
October 27th, 2008 at 10:08 amWhy did it take Amazon so long to fix it?
As the most bankrupt prone e-company still struggling to remain afloat, they thought they'd pitch another turd-ball toward the market which continues to laugh at their failure.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:09 amWhen Barack Obama becomes President, will he fly Air Force 1 into the Empire State Building?
October 27th, 2008 at 10:11 amApparently not enough of us have flagged clusterphucktim yet.
I suggest we all keep trying.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:15 amAmazon FIXED IT?? WTF?? Why was it listed as such to begin with?? Amazon owes a BIG apology and investigation.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:17 amNo, not really Timmy.
What was funny was when people conspired to make the number one search result on Google for "worst band in the world" become Creed's Official Band Website...THAT was hilarious...I wonder if it's still there...(checking google)...
This is a Republican talking point and religious bigotry and ignorance infecting our society.
Done checking Google...
October 27th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Amazon has it all wrong.
Bush and Cheney don't even have to take off a mask. They are the world's worst Terrorists.
Reinvestigate 9/11.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:20 am50 Bucks for a mask?
What a ripoff.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:30 amWell, he terrorizes the GOP, right?
October 27th, 2008 at 10:37 amI am also contacting them that i will never make another purchase from them. Letters and emails do help. When Hallmark was met by protest calling for people to boycott their stores over their decision to sell gay marriage greeting cards I emailed the company to show my support for their decision. They actually responded to me.
If we, the people, start voicing our contempt maybe collectively make a difference.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:37 amWas the McIIIrd mask listed as
"Scary old Warmonger" >??
October 27th, 2008 at 10:40 amI hope people realize that Amazon allows users to provide tags for all their products (note someone has already suggested the word "terrorist" on the page again). While people may criticize Amazon for not policing their site faster, the tags did not come from the company itself.
The same thing happens on Wikipedia. I understand that it's a drawback to allow people more freedom to express their opinions on a commercial site if their comments are ugly. However, there are just as many rewards. It's a useful system, it's just been abused.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:44 amTinfoil Hat Theory:
October 27th, 2008 at 10:44 amObama is the 20th hijacker. The whole 9/11 plan was orchestrated by Bill Ayers 40 years ago when he saw a little eight year old playing in the park. He realiezed then that he could use that kid to infiltrate communities in Chicago and eventually grab a Senate seat and after that it's a clear shot to the Presidency. All he had to do was recruit 19 more Arabs and convence them to crash airplanes into NYC, get an incompetent republican appointed to the presidency in 2001, then commence throwing one disaster after another at him for eight years so that the country would sour and vote for his student, Obama.
Don't you see?
Sean-B Says
October 27th, 2008 at 10:44 am
I hope people realize that Amazon allows users to provide tags for all their products (note someone has already suggested the word “terrorist” on the page again). While people may criticize Amazon for not policing their site faster, the tags did not come from the company itself.
___________________________________________________________
OK, this explanation makes a great deal more sense than the idea of Amazon coming up with these hateful labels themselves.
However, this firestorm will result in a lot of angry e-mails and lost customers (if the reaction on this thread is typical of those who read the LA Times article), so I expect they will revisit their policy of allowing their customers to provide tags, or come up with a system of tighter oversight.
Hopefully, they will issue a statement of apology and explanation so those of us who had an initial reaction that was understandably visceral can get our blood pressure back to normal.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:55 amIf any of you REALLY want to see some scary places in Washington D.C. not just on Halloween, but year round...it's the Cheney and Bush bedrooms!
BTW...shouldn't the Faux & Friends masks be sold under the "clown supplies" category on Amazon?
October 27th, 2008 at 10:57 amFor the past few weeks, I've been going to retail stores and putting the John McCain Masks on Ballerina Outfits, Chicken Suits, Prisoner Costumes, etc.....
Then I stand back and watch the reactions!
October 27th, 2008 at 11:00 amI guess I won't be buying any of my holiday gifts at Amazon.com!
October 27th, 2008 at 11:01 am#24: Well, I think, too, that people have to realize that liberals do the same thing on Amazon, and less people here would have a problem with it. If you look at an Ann Coulter book, you get the following tags: diarrhea, annie the trannie, drag queen, jew hater, etc.
Part of the downside of living in a society that encourages free speech is that someone will say something you disagree with. Another thing that happens is that people from you position may say things that are uglier that you yourself would say.
But boycotting Amazon (as some people have reacted without knowing their system) only penalizes them for allowing people to be free about what they say. I for one want people to be freer so that they can say why they think a product may be inferior. When companies allow people more freedom to talk about the products they sell, consumers usually win.
I wish this post would be pulled or amended because I don't think many people understand their system.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:10 amSorry, I meant to say:
Part of the downside of living in a society that encourages free speech is that someone will say something you disagree with. Another thing that happens is that people from your position may say things that are uglier than you yourself would say.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:11 amWas this mask sold as a new item or sold by a user under the Amazon marketplace? Because there would be a difference between the two.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:11 amweeza Says: If we, the people, start voicing our contempt maybe collectively make a difference.
Absolutely. Real Capitalism is based on exactly that - power in the hands of the Consumer who is supposed to be represented by a large middle class.
The Republicans might think they rule via Trickle Down, but they do not. It is We the People who rule via our purchase power. In Capitalism, we vote with our dollars.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:18 amSean-B Says: If you look at an Ann Coulter book, you get the following tags: diarrhea, annie the trannie, drag queen, jew hater, etc.
Except for the drag reference, the rest of those are true. Ann Coulter says a lot of hateful things. As a result, she simply gets back what she puts out there.
The slurs against Obama are associated with violence, and I think that there's a difference between that and calling Ann Coulter 'diarrhea'.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:23 amPersonally....always liked Halloween more than other holidays....Amazon, find the river fantastic, amazing, beautiful....the money grubbing Corp. not so much...though I have used them. Barack seems honest, sensible, intelligent, serious even though I don't agree with his every position....McCain seems privileged, self centered, power hungry, occasionally delusional, dishonest and I disagree with about 90% of his policy positions.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:36 amThere's no costume of the real terrorist George W Bush? He knew about 9/11 before it happened, and allowed it to happen. There should also be a costume of Dick Cheney 'beluga whale cheney'. Amazon should be sued for labeling Obama as a terrorist!
October 27th, 2008 at 11:39 amAnd Palin/McCain think their racist/hateful comments have no effect?
October 27th, 2008 at 11:45 amOn amazon, tags are added by users, NOT amazon. A boycott is ridiculous, people!
Take a look at some of the tags on the Palin mask, it's cutting both ways:
http://www.amazon.com/Rubies-68257-Deluxe-Sarah-Palin/dp/B001GIOTUW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1225122545&sr=8-1
October 27th, 2008 at 11:50 amNevar Says:
A McCain costume could be listed as an antique costume.
A Palin costume would be found in the closeouts category.
Amazon has just lost my business.
Don't be so quick to judge Amazon. They work kind of like E-bay where merchants submit their goods and they are automatically uploaded. I don't think that Amazon had anything to do with it and I don't think Amazon approved it before hand. I may be wrong, though.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:59 amAMcG773 Says: Take a look at some of the tags on the Palin mask, it’s cutting both ways:
There's a difference between name calling and inciting violence. Your freedom of speech ceases to be free when it risks causing harm to others.
The Republican ticket has been instigating violence against Obama. That's where conservatives are crossing the line.
October 27th, 2008 at 12:03 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says: I don’t think that Amazon had anything to do with it and I don’t think Amazon approved it before hand. I may be wrong, though.
I don't know either, but I do know that if you write a review for a product on their website, it takes 48 hours before it is posted, so that its contents may be reviewed and approved before being posted.
October 27th, 2008 at 12:05 pmSean-B Says:
#24: Well, I think, too, that people have to realize that liberals do the same thing on Amazon, and less people here would have a problem with it. If you look at an Ann Coulter book, you get the following tags: diarrhea, annie the trannie, drag queen, jew hater, etc.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:10 am
________
Yes, but there's a very big difference. Barack Obama is neither Arab nor a terrorist, whereas the labels of "diarrhea" and "trannie" and "jew hater" for Ann Coulter are 100% accurate.
October 27th, 2008 at 12:16 pmunbelievable Says: Except for the drag reference, the rest of those are true.
Here's a link with a someone tagging McCain as a child abuser.
Making a fuss about an Obama mask will just get people finding tags that liberals have left on Amazon that are just as bad. Then those tags will get posted on Michelle Malkin, etc. using it against liberals and making the charge of hypocrisy. Learn from the disastrous McCain campaign: any charge you make might be used against you.
This is just another ridiculous distraction from Obama winning an election on issues.
October 27th, 2008 at 12:43 pmSean, wouldn't wearing that mask give you cancer?
October 27th, 2008 at 12:49 pmI have purchased a few things from amazon and the sellers from this marketplace have been sending emails to rate my purchase.... well now I can with a link of this TP article showing ALL what a b@stard amazon.com really is.
This is effing unbelievable.
October 27th, 2008 at 1:03 pmI'm an African American Military Mom and I like to make sure the troops in Iraq know what America means by the phase We support our troops and also to let them know what's really happening back here in the States. This is a sad example to those minorities who have put their lives on the line for our country. But I guess Amazon doesn't mind selling it's stuff to our troops of all colors who use the internet. Just think of it, a large American company who will sell to minorities but really disrespect them. I'll make sure I email this article to Iraq.
October 27th, 2008 at 1:22 pm"The Borgen Project has some good info on the cost of addressing global poverty.
October 27th, 2008 at 1:24 pm$30 billion: Annual shortfall to end world hunger.
$540 billion: Annual U.S. Defense Budget."
The Republican ticket has been instigating violence against Obama. That’s where conservatives are crossing the line.
Couldn't agree with you more. But that's all there is to this amazon flap: name-calling.
October 27th, 2008 at 1:30 pmHeh. The ears aren't big enough. Now that would make it a REALLY scary halloween mask.
October 27th, 2008 at 2:46 pmGo to Amazon.com search for "terrorist mask" and item 7. 7.
Disguise Costume #10579 John McCain Mask (Adult Size) by DISGUISE
Buy new: $79.99
I am a Democrat, Obama supporter, but neither candidate should have been listed as a "terrorist mask."
I'm informing Amazon to correct the error
October 28th, 2008 at 12:08 amHello from Amazon.com.
Thank you for contacting us with your concern about the search results for the Barack Obama Halloween mask.
We'd like you to know that the search result for that item was modified by an Amazon.com customer using a "tagging" feature available on our website. The result was not provided by an Amazon employee or an Amazon search algorithm.
The search tag was removed quickly after it was discovered.
We have fixed the problem and apologize for any offense it created.
Thank you for contacting us.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:33 am