Happy Halloween: Minorities Hardest Hit

Good grief. Is there anything the media won't put a damper on?

Obviously, children and parents shold take precautions when venturing out on Halloween, but trying to make this into a race issue is just ridiculous.

Maybe we should just ban Halloween altogether so nobody is offended.

Minorities less likely to trick or treat

WASHINGTON - Two-thirds of parents say their children will trick-or-treat this Halloween, but fewer minorities will let their kids go door to door, with some citing safety worries, a poll shows.

The survey found that 73 percent of whites versus 56 percent of minorities said their children will trick-or-treat.

That disparity in the survey is similar to the difference in how people view the safety of their neighborhoods, according to the poll by The Associated Press and Ipsos. Lower-income people and minorities are more likely to worry that it might not be safe to send their children out on Halloween night.

Here's a novel suggestion: How about escorting the kids?

Overall, 86 percent of those questioned in the survey said their neighborhoods are safe for trick-or-treating. Ninety-one percent of whites, compared with 75 percent of minorities, said they felt their kids would be secure when they went out seeking candy in their area.

Similarly, 93 percent of people earning $50,000 or more said their communities are safe for trick-or-treating, compared with 76 percent of those making less than $25,000.

Then there are those who are simply offended by Halloween.

Of those adults whose children will not trick-or-treat this year, one-quarter cited safety worries and about one-half said they do not celebrate Halloween.

"It's demonic," said Donna Stitt, 37, a nursing aide from Barto, Pa., with four young children. "People are celebrating the dead. I'm not into that."