Media Circus Over Clowns

'MANSFIELD: 100 block of East Cook Road, Mansfield — A 20-year-old man told police he received a threatening Facebook message from "Kenny the Klown" and he feared for his life. 

Police told him not to accept friend requests from clowns.'


That one made me laugh out loud.

Which is what clowns are supposed to do. They're supposed to engage in goofy antics while wearing silly-looking clothing, garish face paint and bright orange wigs. They're supposed to unload a dozen at a time from compact cars, ride tiny bicycles and pull yards and yards of knotted silk scarves from their mouths.

That's what they are supposed to do. Make people laugh.

Not so much recently, however. Now that the 'Pokemon Go' media frenzy has passed, the creepy clowns have taken their places in headlines across the country. From right here in north central Ohio to Greely, Colorado to Kern County, California to Rainbow City, Alabama, clowns and clown threats are disrupting schools and terrorizing communities. Police and school resources have been redirected to combat a wave of social media terroristic threats alleging violent, imminent attacks at schools and colleges.

And that is no laughing matter.

In Alabama, two adults and five juveniles face felony charges of making terroristic threats via social media directed at schools...while posing as internet clowns.

Roll Tide! I'm with them whole-heartedly. In this day and age, especially in light of recent school shootings, law enforcement and prosecutors need to act swiftly and justly in making an example of those that would perpetrate such acts, clowns or not. 

As for the rest of us? Get off those social media platforms and stop believing everything you see and read on them. The less exposure these clowns are given the sooner this fad will pass.