First off, it’s offensive to be selling Halloween costumes in August.

But, just for the sake of argument, let’s say the American consumer is truly communicating through data “It’s 105F out, so I should be considering goods that melt for dispersal months hence and in the case of costumes may already be out of fashion before Spirit Halloween even opens.”

Let’s assume that. Does no one see the horror?

Oh, there’s also a racism problem here.

Target, the US retail corporation, said it pulled a controversial Halloween costume off its shelves after criticism across social media that it resembled a racist caricature.

The ad image for the costume, sold as the “Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume,” depicted a Black child in a bright orange and black top with solid black gloves and a mask with a wide, toothy smile. Both the child’s pose and the costume’s gloves and mask were likened to caricatures of Black people used in minstrel shows.

“As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry,” Target said in its apology statement. “The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment. It is no longer available for sale. We know this is especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners. Removing the costume is an important first step, and the company is looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change to ensure this won’t happen again.”

I hope they get McKinsey on the case, as common sense will get us nowhere here.