This year, similar costumes related to current issues are equally, if not more disturbing. Ray Rice’s notorious domestic assault scandal has inspired a growing number of Rice Halloween costumes, usually complete with an inflatable doll representing victim of assault, Janay Rice.

According to abqjournal.com, halloween provides social permission to play a different role and express an inner identity- whether that part is joyous, fantastical or in this case,  hostile. In the same way a costume featuring the Newtown shooter may be considered crossing the line, Halloween is no excuse to belittle domestic violence. Incidentally, October is still nationally recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

On an equally insensitive note, brandsonsale.com is currently featuring the Ebola Containment Suit Costume. While the costume may bring about a few laughs on account of its clever timeliness, its relevance is precisely why it should stay off the racks.

“Whatever is going on in the social consciousness or in popular culture gets translated through Halloween costumes,” said professor of psychology Kristin Rouch, according to abqjournal.com. Needless to say, Ebola updates streaming through the media have gained the disease priority in our stress-ridden minds. The costume is therefore is not only a sign of blatant uncreativity, but also distaste and insensitiveness.

Having killed approximately 5,000 people and counting in the last four months, the wounds are still raw as the epidemic continues to spiral out of control. Would we be kidding around about containment if the disease suddenly flared up across the U.S.? Probably not. Likewise, no one would make an appearance at party dressed as HIV or a malignant tumor.

This year we should make the effort to stray away from costumes that extend beyond facetiousness and approach borderline disrespect. The origin of these frightening forms may be just a little too real.