QUIT Clownin' Around!

This rise in sightings and outright threats from individuals who think it's comical to dress up and scare the hell out of people has got to be stopped. I cannot even wrap my brain around what must go on in the mentality of these people. I read yesterday that this supposedly started on Twitter and went viral? Not the first time this has happened by other threads I found.
ATS Thread
Now multiple sightings and threats in multiple cities across the US and Canada. I even read that France has banned clown costumes!

The creepy clown phenomenon sweeping through the U.S. and parts of Canada over the last couple of months is neither new nor unique to this part of the world, but it's taken on an unusual intensity this year. The social-media-fuelled frenzy has led to reported clown sightings from Cape Breton to the U.S. South, over-reactions, false clown-attack claims, warnings from police to calm down and even terror-related charges. "There is something to the clown craze this year that does seem especially potent," CBC pop culture columnist Jesse Wente told CBC Toronto's radio show Metro Morning. "You can't help but think it represents something larger about our culture."

LINK TO ARTICLE
It represents something larger about our culture....
Yesterday I posted in one of the recent threads on clown sightings HERE . Subsequently a 17 year old boy and 16 year old girl have been charged with threatening area schools using the social media name AINT CLOWNIN AROUND. Apparently this same threat was made to numerous schools across the US and Canada, and some individuals went as far as posting photos dressed in clown costume in front of schools. If these are just kids...this is scary. They think it's a joke. They think it's fun. They think the internet offers anonymity and that their threats offer no consequence. KIDS NOT FEARING CONSEQUENCES. Oh that definitely represents something larger about our culture. Scarier even, is that a simple post on a social media site can go viral and cause people to act in such a destructive way without fear. THAT TOO says something large about our culture. Perhaps we will have to go the way of France and BAN all clown costumes. Seriously sad for those who make a living trying to entertain people.Feels like it has become a slippery slope for future generations to even celebrate Halloween.

I think its funny and awesome the world is a boring place and we need stuff like this to spice it up

When being a clown is outlawed then only outlaws will be clowns!!!

originally posted by: MedoDesakie
I think its funny and awesome the world is a boring place and we need stuff like this to spice it up

So it's funny that your kids school gets a bomb threat? Funny that some creep in a costume is hiding in the bushes, some with weapons, terrifying people? Funny that a clown jumps in front of your car while you are driving causing an accident?
THATis exactly the mentality that propagates insanity like this.

I've been reading and seeing these stories on the news, but I have a question.
I know that there have been supposed "trying to lure kids into the woods" incidents, but have any of the clowns actually done anything malicious?

I get that it is creepy. And some people are freaking out. But if they haven't actually done anything, then I don't have a problem with it.

If, on the other hand, they have, then the A holes need to be beaten, for ruining scary clowns, for those of us that like to be scared.

I'm worried that in another few years, your not going to be able to dress as anything scary for Halloween.

Clown Lives Matter!




Seriously, it's a weird thing to read about all of this, it's been coming to a head from what I have seen on YouTube in the past years too. The scary type clowns that pretend to 'kill' someone with an axe for unsuspecting onlookers is not a smart thing to do. These pranks are not at all funny to me and I have a really good sense of humor. From what I see (so far anyway) is that the worst is that something will happen to clowns, I have not seen any story anywhere (yet) that mentions any physical harm from clowns.

I have a hard time even comprehending what I just wrote, it's a crazy world when this stuff has to be discussed.

a reply to: AccessDenied

I believe the comment under your OP sums up the mentality of kids today.

It's all about social media....

originally posted by: chiefsmom
I know that there have been supposed "trying to lure kids into the woods" incidents, but have any of the clowns actually done anything malicious?

The first kids that said that the clowns tried to get them into the wood where later accused of making the stuff up

It's all fun and games until a clown jumps out at someone with a twitchy trigger finger.

After that, I'd hazard a guess there won't be so many clown sighting anymore.

Some of these are college kids messing around, I hope no one gets hurt.

I think clowns are a threat to our society. Some people. Not me. Say that my opponent wants to let un-vetted clowns run rampant across our country. I think this is bad. Very bad. What I propose. And many people agree with me. Many, many people. Is to build a wall around circuses so clowns cannot gain access to our schools and roadways. A great wall. A really tremendous wall. And we will use what I call extreme, extreme vetting. Extreme vetting. To make sure that the clowns that do come here are not a threat. And we will get the Ringling Brother's to pay for it.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Orange skin is the giveaway.

Clown costumes and any "symbols of terror" now banned in New Haven (CT) Public Schools
3 October Story

Berks County, PA - three recent headlines

Berks school districts aware of threats made via social media
5 Oct Story

Teen fatally stabbed by person wearing Halloween mask (first version I read stated clown mask)
27 September news story

Subsequent news coverage on the arrest of a suspect states it was a mask from the movie "The Purge."

Woman, 45 claims clown attacked her. Schools close as precaution.
30 September Story

I even read that France has banned clown costumes!

Not the whole of France has banned clown costumes, just one community with 6000 inhabitants called Vendargues in the Hérault region.

A wave of panic sparked by pranksters dressing up as evil clowns and terrorising passers-by has spread across France in recent weeks. Now, one town has taken the step of banning anyone from wearing a clown costume, especially on Halloween.

Link here : www.france24.com...

Warmest

Lags

There are some instances of this behavior in the UK. First you must ask why clown costumes? Why not fairy costumes? Now look on the real reason, because it's an excellent disguise. Better than a balaclava. So if there are any real criminals using these disguises for nasty reasons what better way than a clown costume and make up. If caught they could say it was just a prank but looking on the dark side because of the costume there is very, very little chance of the perpetrator leaving any DNA evidence and as for facial recognition!!!!!!

a reply to: AccessDenied


If I were to see a clown I have two scenarios and outcomes in mind.

A) Im driving in my car and a clown steps onto the road. He is then run over. Reversed, and run over again.

B) Im on foot and whoop some serious A$$

So, Great.

Social media is going to be the death of Scary Clowns.

Goodbye Pennywise. Thank you for scary the p out of me when I was a child.



What are they going to do next? Ban the new IT movie?

originally posted by: frostie
a reply to: AccessDenied


If I were to see a clown I have two scenarios and outcomes in mind.

A) Im driving in my car and a clown steps onto the road. He is then run over. Reversed, and run over again.

B) Im on foot and whoop some serious A$$

And that is the worst scenario right there. Some kid dressed as clown on a whim or a dare playing chicken in traffic. All for fun and two minutes of internet fame till they actually get hit by a car and wind up in a wheel chair for life.
As for luring kids with candy,to me the act of it whether malicious or not is creepy. From a parental perspective,it makes my skin crawl. Halloween has taken a much more sinister turn for the worse in recent years . If I remember correctly, statistically speaking crimes like that against children were more prevalent when I was growing up in the 70's, but society injects fear into everything now, and worse obviously is our own children now cultivating it.

originally posted by: chiefsmom
So, Great.

Social media is going to be the death of Scary Clowns.

Goodbye Pennywise. Thank you for scary the p out of me when I was a child.



What are they going to do next? Ban the new IT movie?

I actually thought this was a social media ploy to amp up the movie. Not so. It's not due out till late next summer. Apparently there was a rash of clown incidents in 1981 which possibly led to the Original "IT". Hell of an inspiration...

a reply to: AccessDenied

I agree with your OP. With Halloween coming up i would discourage parents to allow clown costumes for their kids. They will likely get harassed by police or others looking for trouble. If teenagers do dress as clowns and do pranks and such nonsense they are taking a big risk of being shot by trigger happy cops. Hope its a safe Halloween for all and no one gets hurt over this stupid craze.

Am I seriously going to have to buy a clown costume before they're banned?

People are pathetic.