Over the past few months there have been many sightings of creepy clowns have been reported within the United States. Now It seems that nonsense has made its way north of the border into Canada.
The word spreading on social media is “clownpocalypse.” However, I personally have another word for It: unnecessary.
The purposely terrifying clowns are wandering the night, standing in strange locations and menacing members of the public.
There are reports of people in Nova Scotia dressed as clowns jumping out at cars. Now if they themselves got hit by a vehicle It would serve them right. But by interfering with a serious task — driving — they’re distracting drivers and putting everyone on the road at risk.
Closer to home, on Oct. 5 in Fort Saskatchewan, a clown was reported standing by a spray park after dark, with no evidence he/she was engaging in illegal activity. A later report of the clown indicated the character was riding in the passenger seat of a vehicle, which cut in front of the complainant.
People of all ages are partaking of the nonsense and some are getting arrested. Is It worth possible criminal charges, a person’s reputation and their credibility for a few minutes of…fun?
History has shown us not all people arrested are criminals and sometimes people need to make a stand to accomplish a greater good—which often scares the ignorant and narrow-minded. (The racial violence of the 1960’s comes to mind.)
But these clowns…there’s no message, no stand, no greater good. It’s selfish; people jumping onto a mindless trend with not decency or thought for others, or even themselves.
Not only are some clowns being arrested but they are opening themselves up to possible criminal and civil charges, not to mention the police responding to these calls are armed and this could be the recipe for a senseless tragedy. Fear mongering and causing unnecessary emotional distress are not an appropriate way to exercise civil liberties and freedom.
Amelia Naismith is the reporter/photographer for the Pipestone Flyer and writes a regular column for the paper.