Halloween just isn’t fun anymore.Five years ago, a Washington state school canceled its Halloween celebration because “real witches” were offended by kids running around in green paint and pointy hats. Last year, a zealous John McCain supporter slammed the door on children of Barack Obama supporters, leaving them with tears and no candy.And this year, illegal immigrants are frothing at the mouth over a hilariously politically incorrect “Illegal Alien Adult Costume” featuring an orange jumpsuit, alien mask, and fake green card. The uproar on behalf of The Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles forced Target, among other stores, to remove the costumes from their stock.  Such is the reactionary nature of political correctness. I’ve never been a fan of it, but when it wedges its way between kids and their sugar fix, somehow I dislike it even more.The self-righteous outrage over the immigrant costume is something I find particularly inane. Those in defense of banning the costume not only seem to lack a sense of humor, but cannot support their argument on something beyond emotion. The negative political pressure will ultimately have a chilling effect on what large retailers are willing to carry and what people feel is acceptable to wear. This sort of conflict has inevitably resulted in a free speech debate, as most issues involving free expression and easily offended people typically do.This is only one example of how things have changed in recent years. The cancerous divisiveness fraught in our mainstream culture has somehow found its way into our kids’ trick-or-treat bags.Since when did we start using lollipops as a political bartering tool?It’s almost cruel, really, to have the ugliest facets of our cultural wars manifested in a relatively trivial holiday. Not that I mind when people express these nuances by dressing up. It just perturbs me when killjoys and their hair-trigger sensibilities jeopardize the enjoyment of the holiday —  always at the expense of everyone else.In other words, the union of political correctness and Halloween is one of the most obnoxious cultural marriages I’ve ever had the displeasure of witnessing.The enforcers of this phenomenon aren’t limited to political activist groups. Religious groups are guilty, too, from fundamentalist Christians, who are known for being offended by Halloween itself, to Wiccans and Pagans, who are offended by children apparently making a mockery of the occult.The remainder express their disagreement by refraining from participation. I’m more sympathetic to this group, mostly because of the horror stories I’ve heard about razor blades buried in caramel apples and bubble gum imbued with narcotics among other delightful things. Taking this into consideration, you can’t blame someone for wanting to know what junior is putting in his mouth.But whether their reason for passive participation is born from distaste for the holiday or perfectly normal safety concerns, these sorts of people are the model for how our attitude should be. Others who insist on turning the holiday into a cultural debacle seem to miss the point. Part of Halloween’s allure is the opportunity to pretend to be something you’re not — moreover, the allure includes the privilege of becoming exempt from the societal norm, being the exemption from politics and unwarranted sensitivity. Participate in the holiday if you want. Dress up however you like. And if you don’t want to do either, shut up and let me eat my candy in peace.Linnie Leavines is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from Central City. Follow her on Twitter @TDR_lleavines.– – – -Contact Linnie Leavines at [email protected]