Texan Mosaic

by REBECCA WILLIAMS//Staff Writer

Through the years, clowns have been seen as a source of enjoyment and laughter.

But during the past few years, they have been turned into “scary stories and characters.”  What is this about?  Is it just a few sightings of people in clown costumes in different widespread areas, or is it something more complex?

This all started in South Carolina in August.  People started to report seeing these so called “clowns” trying to lure children into the woods, and now it is a national frenzy.  There are reports of clown sightings in more than two dozen states.  Are these hoaxes, or a real threat to our society?

In Alabama, around seven people were arrested for supposed “clown activity,” threatening people.  Everyone is thinking about how “scary” these clowns are, but we aren’t thinking of the official performing clown’s point of view.  They are scared for their lives, some have even quit their jobs at haunted houses and children’s parties because of this.  Not all clowns are bad, or out to hurt us. We need to remember that.  This epidemic has gotten so bad that there is now an official Clown Lives Matter movement on Facebook.

There are so many supposed sightings that law enforcement officials are having to take every single one seriously, wasting their time and resources.  People are so scared that many schools have been locked down because of these so-called terrorist clowns. There are also reports of students and even some staff gathering at night with different weapons, such as bats, golf clubs, and hockey sticks.  They were reported as going on a “clown hunt.”

This is getting out of hand. We are letting our fears overpower us into doing rash things. A woman was shot and killed just because her makeup was a little on the heavy side and someone thought she was a clown.  This is ridiculous. No one should be killed for doing their job as a clown because of false accusations or what they look like.  This craze is so silly that it almost makes the witch hunts look like a minor issue.

Social media is only making the issue increase out of proportion.  This includes Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.  Pictures and videos have surfaced that lack the evidence needed to prove these accusations against clowns.  Most of these hoaxes are kids around the ages of 10 and older posting clown “hit lists,” meaning lists of names and places of which clowns would appear to do damage.

Schools have started to ban clown costumes because of the disturbance and fear it causes in the classrooms.  There was even a clown sighting in Levelland, near the South Plains College campus, recently. Someone posted a very blurry photo of a person with a pale complexion near the lake. It doesn’t only look bad, but it means that the hysteria is spreading throughout America.

We need to put an end to this meaningless clown hunt. It is only making people turn against one another, causing death and agony in its wake.

People are dying for no real reason. There must be an end to all this madness. What if one of your family members was being targeted for being a hired clown? They’re here to entertain and make people laugh, not hurt others. This needs to stop.