Coulrophobia: Creepy Clown Craze

"Clowns  hold  a  mirror  to  society  so  that  we  can  see  the  absurd  in  ourselves.  So,  to  be  afraidof  them  is  ul:mately  to  be  afraid  of  yourself".  (David  Riser,  Ringling  Brothers  CircusCompany)

"Some:mes  its  be;er  to  watch  the  mob  rather  than  to  try  and  reason  with  it  ".(Commen;cus  )

"I  have  a  bad  feeling  about  this".    (Harrison  Ford)

Its October again, and our nights are drawing in, shadows lengthen, early mornings

are darker and the trees are slipping into their autumn colors. Halloween is coming

right up as we near the nightmare end of this beyond freakish, dark carnival that

has been America's 2016 Presidential election season. It appears that the Deep

State social engineers who use fear for social, economic and political gain, that use

our compliant media to continually bombard us with alarm stimulants, have gone

overboard this year with claims that our country is being menaced by an epidemic of

killer clown sightings. And no, I am not making this up. This latest psy-ops divide

and conquer, strategy of tension was likely launched with confidence that panic and

paranoia would soon ensue following mass media reports of scary clowns jumping

out of bushes to abduct children and terrify ordinary citizens. Better still, multiple,

moronic ,copy-cat incidents of prowling clowns would surely follow.

As predicted, uproar ensued and along with a "public safety crisis" generated by

multiple clown sightings, which in turn gave rise to a sinister clown jamboree of

clown- related threats gone viral on social media sites. While there was some

concern expressed that this new threat of "clownism" was just another case of easily

terrified middle-class white people getting all worked up over the fear of anyone or

anything that is not a middle class white person, school districts announced lock

downs, closings and concerned parents kept their children at home. Some schools,

now moving beyond those good old fashioned bomb threat scenarios, and being

determined to remain open, have nevertheless, called upon police in order to make

sure that their "perimeters were secured" = (clown-free ) Yes, really.

Throughout the country, sheriffs' departments talk of canceling Halloween during

this clown generated "stranger-danger " previously presented in the guise of razor

blades in apples ,poison candy and LSD laced cartoon stickers handed out to young

children. Never mind there have been no verified cases of any such nefarious

activities. Draconian anti-holiday measures are strongly supported by legions of

backwoods evangelicals who believe that all costumed merrymakers are rightly and

surely destined for Hell. As a result of these multiple concerns, many schools,

churches and communities have banned clown- wear along with scary- vampire,

witches, demons, and evil space-alien outfits for festivities surrounding October 31st.

At this point, one wonders if this matrix generated mass hysteria is nothing more

than a pile of steaming click bait or if there might actually be some reality to this

Killer Clown phenomenon. A much needed reality check with the Center for Disease

Control provides us with the following facts concerning the leading causes of death

in the USA.: ( Rachel Vorona Cote, jezelbel.com)

Heart disease: 614,348

Cancer: 591,699

Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease: 147,101

Accidents: (unintentional injuries) 136,053

Stroke: (Cerebral vascular Disease)133,103

Alzheimer's Disease: 93,541

Clowns: 0

So, what's really going on with this current outbreak of Coulrophobia (fear of

clowns)? As you may well imagine the ongoing spate of Killer Clown articles,

popping up throughout mainstream media, has provoked something like a riot in the

comment sections. Here at last, some truth may be found in the near consensus

among multi-national contributors that this phenomenon has something to do with

our current presidential election. These perceptive readers maintain that there is, in

fact, a boorish, crypto-fascist clown in orange face paint and fright wig comb-over,

menacing America, who seems to be everywhere on TV. This observation makes

real sense since politicians are viewed by many as clowns wearing disguises, while

displaying artificial emotions that likely hide their true feelings and you can't tell who

they really are and what all that means behind the mask. (Rami Nader, NBC news,

com, April 20, 2012)

In all fairness to Mr. Trump, who has opened the door for many other clowns to take

center stage in politics, the dangerous clown is an ages-old figure dating back to the

jester, fool and more sinister trickster figures. Our contemporary Evil Clown

archetype came to the fore during the 1980s, popularized by Stephen King's novel

IT, in which a terrifying demon attacks in the guise of Pennywise the clown. This now

classic horror was perhaps inspired by the infamous real life case of serial killer

John Wayne Gacy (1942-1994) dubbed " The Killer Clown", a genuine registered

clown, who entertained under the name Pogo. King's novel was soon followed by

"Killer Klowns From Outer Space" (1988) as well as the Joker character in a Batman

movie representing a terrifying force of unpredictable anarchy. The Simpson's TV

episode " I Can't Sleep. The Clown Will Eat Me" also gained popularity. Web sites

dedicated to evil clowns began to appear during the 1990s and then appeared a cult

horror film "Clownhouse" featuring escaped mental patients masquerading as circus

clowns. (smithsonian.com, July)

At this stage of life, clowns now count among the fears that I don't have, and

rumors of clowns kidnapping children fail to convince; given that anyone intent on

abducting children is not likely to do so wearing something as conspicuous as a

colorful clown costume. And yet, upon reflection it has been my experience that

there may be risks in getting too close to a clown since they have been known to

sport water spouting artificial flowers and may be armed with paint ball ammunition.

Custard pies are out of fashion. Logic suggests that in the event that you are

actually attacked by a clown, you should immediately go for the juggler. However,

personal safety experts advise that your best option is to simply run away, since

clowns cannot run very fast in those floppy shoes and their vehicular reliability is not

the best. Bonus tip: concerned citizens should carry a bag of banana skins, just in

case, and just to be sure you can also carry one of those giant cork guns that when

you pull the trigger, shoots out a small flag with the words "Bang! " written on it.

Bear in mind that this news is not all bad, and there are always those who will profit

from crises. Vulture capitalists might take note that if these evil clown concerns

continue there will likely be a lucrative market for expensive, defensive "clown

spray", although consumers might soon realize that generic seltzer water works just

as well, at least until a mandatory anti-clown vaccine is ready for market.

Hyperventilating conspiracy theorists, probably driven mad by loud calliope music,

together with distant honking sounds, fear that this rampant clownism may be only

Phase II of Mc Donald's world domination project. While concerned citizens have

called upon Federal Agents, and local police have been dispatched to investigate

phantom clown sightings, their searches for clown-related evidence report no real

red rubber noses left behind at the scene; nor were their oversize footprints, over

sized shoes, silly string or buckets of rainbow glitter, for their forensic teams to

analyze. (Kali Holloway, alternet.org, October 10, 2016).

Nevertheless, a number of community organizers, and neighborhood action groups ,

not reassured by these lack of findings, are demanding legislation to round up all

suspected, potential and actual clowns, their family members and accomplices for

deportation. In the interim, measures should be taken to build a wall around their

tents for which the circus is made to pay.

These are tough times for bewildered and upset clowns and these highly skilled

performers and inheritors of a time honored profession are asking "Why do they

hate our troupes?" As one disheartened professional explained: "It’s not easy being a

clown. You get kicked by kids, bit by dogs and only admired by the dyspeptic

elderly". This sad plight has touched the hearts of sympathizers and pro-clown

activists in Tucson, Arizona, who have organized a "Clown Lives Matter", October

march where participants are encouraged to dress in circus costumes , meet a

clown , get a hug and the message that clowns are people of all colors, and these

harmless fun-loving entertainers are not monsters to be feared. (azcentral.com).

All in all, it is likely that this Halloween season hysteria will pass, and clown

costumes will soon become passé. After November, Brown Shirts will be the new

now, while those wearing bed sheets and burning crosses will retain their timeless

appeal. Enough for now and I will probably continue to sleep with the light on, at

least until this election is over.