It's Not Quite Blackface, But it's Still Racist and Stupid

Via a couple of places (including Think Progress), this AP story:

A top immigration official has apologized after awarding "most original costume" to a Homeland Security Department employee who dressed in prison stripes, dreadlocks and dark makeup for a Halloween gathering at the agency.

Oops. And, of course Think Progress points out the fact that Ms. Myers is totally unqualified (this was not at all surprising to me).

Maybe if the government didn't actually target dark-skinned men for prison, such a stereotype would not exist.