Today In Disgusting People

This one's making the rounds. You should be careful what you write to advice columnists -- they publish things, you know. From "Dear Prudence":

Dear Prudence,

I live in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the country, but on one of the more “modest” streets— mostly doctors and lawyers and family business owners. (A few blocks away are billionaires, families with famous last names, media moguls, etc.) I have noticed that on Halloween, what seems like 75 percent of the trick-or-treaters are clearly not from this neighborhood. Kids arrive in overflowing cars from less fortunate areas. I feel this is inappropriate. Halloween isn’t a social service or a charity in which I have to buy candy for less fortunate children. Obviously this makes me feel like a terrible person, because what’s the big deal about making less fortunate kids happy on a holiday? But it just bugs me, because we already pay more than enough taxes toward actual social services. Should Halloween be a neighborhood activity, or is it legitimately a free-for-all in which people hunt down the best candy grounds for their kids?

—Halloween for the 99 Percent

Any response to this I can think of pales beside those from John Cole and Digby. Cole's post is wonderful:

At any rate, you sociopath, the reason you feel terrible is because you are a terrible person. But don’t worry, you just momentarily had a bit of self-awareness, and I’m sure that will soon pass. The burden of being aware that you are a horrible person will go back to the rest of us who have to deal with you as you obliviously run red lights in your Mercedes coupe and do other obnoxious things.

Click through to read the full post -- I like the way he deals with the same issue.

And Digby is short, sweet, and to the point:

You ARE a terrible person and if there is such a thing as karma you will get yours.

I can't really think of anything to add to that.

The owner of the house I used to live in would turn off the lights and pretend not to be home on Halloween. He wasn't what you'd call a generous soul, except in certain tightly defined circumstances. I now live in a large building in one of "those" neighborhoods -- lots of retirees and immigrants, racially and ethnically mixed, and nowhere near upper middle class, much less 1% -- so I don't expect trick-or-treaters. I may lay in some supplies, though, just in case.

Mostly, though, my observation will be to light a candle in the window to guide the spirits on their way.