So, I have a reputation at my school for going all out on spirit week and making the best costumes. One year I was a pirate, one time I was a crusader, another time I was a Altair, and then I was Harry Potter, and finally a redneck. This year, I am going for two major costumes in the coming week: A Spanish Conquistador and a Totalitarian Despot/Dictator. Two of my friends are onboard for the theme, and I was going to portray a fictional despot I invented named "Lord-Imperator", which is a character/concept I came up with about a year ago in philosophy to represent an ideal society where I ruled the world (mostly a joke). I then created, for government this year, the political and pseudo-oligarchial system as part of a project, and now everyone loves the "Lord Imperator." I also came up with a voice for him which I do from time to time when I joke with friends.
I am really excited about my Imperator outfit, and want to go all out, but I do not want to offend anybody who may misinterpret such. I know it won't frustrate any of the students, but a lot of the faculty are sensitive, and they project their own insecurities onto the students and think what offends them offends the kids. I just don't want to get in trouble or make a fool out of myself (even though everyone finds me hilarious and I make good costumes) and get in trouble.
So, my idea for the costume was to sport one of my father's old naval uniforms and put a bunch of badges on it. Underneath I would wear a white shirt and a tie. I am debating whether or not I should use epaulettes or not, but I may also wear a cape.
My friends and I are also going to come up with an insignia and make armbands (similar to what high ranking Soviets and Nazis wore) and use them to represent our "regime." I was planning on wearing a Mussolini-esque buret, a hat like Stalin's (or possibly the hat that Grand-Moff Tarkin wore in Star Wars) and carry around a baton.
So, essentially it is just a giant mockery of totalitarianism and the idiocy of imperialism. It is an extremely liberal concept I am trying to get through, plus it is a cool costume (totalitarian regimes do have cool uniforms, especially those of the Empire in Star Wars which is heavily based on Nazis and Soviets). I just don't want to offend anybody or want people to misinterpret my costume and assume I am a fascist. I am making a mockery, not promoting nazism.
The main thing is the armband. If I am seen in it, people will automatically associate it with nazism and Hitler (and I am NOT trying to be Hitler, I am trying to be my own character who is a mockery of all dictators). Without the armband, however, the costume just wouldn't be complete. I really want to dress as my character, but I do not want to offend people. For the armband, I was thinking something similar to the crossed Hammers from Pink Floyd's the Wall, which also mocks totalitarianism.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... CC0Q9QEwAA
I just don't want people to get the wrong idea. I know some would love my costume and others would be offended, but I want to be appropriate and professional. I am portraying my character, NOT Hitler, NOT Stalin, NOT Mussolini, but the "Lord Imperator." I will also use my accent. I have heard of people dressing like Hitler on spirit days and not getting in trouble, plus I did portray a character in a production last winter who was a dictator, and I had a bandana around my arm that was supposed to be an armband. Not to mention the fact that, on redneck day, I wore a hat and stapled on a print out of a Confederate Flag.
So, do you think my outfit is appropriate? I would like your thoughts. I am not celebrating nazism, I am making fun of it. Not to mention that my character, "The Lord Imperator" is not racist or prejudiced...just politically grandiose and controlling.
Your thoughts?
