creepy clowns across US college campuses

[mutantdonut]

I'm trying to understand what this creepy clown phenomenon is all about... specifically how this all started and what the motive is behind it. Now i've been hearing claims that it's just people trolling college students for a scare and their own sick amusement. Others are saying they're actually murderous and dangerous. It's bizarre how this has been a widespread phenomenon. Feel free to shed some light on the matter...

 

[JerryBoBerry]

I'm trying to understand what this creepy clown phenomenon is all about... specifically how this all started and what the motive is behind it. Now i've been hearing claims that it's just people trolling college students for a scare and their own sick amusement. Others are saying they're actually murderous and dangerous. It's bizarre how this has been a widespread phenomenon. Feel free to shed some light on the matter...

People are sick and unfortunately there's laws against shooting clowns. Thus, this.

 

[Gen]

I haven't heard any reports of them being murderous, haha. People were speculating it was a marketing tactic (maybe for the new IT movie?) but I wouldn't be surprised if it's taken on a life of its own and random people have started doing it.

Personally I'm not overly scared of clowns but I'd be creeped out if I saw one just lurking and I wonder how long until one gets beat up or worse.

Also wonder if there will be copycats like some giant dude in a Friday the 13th mask creeping around the woods.

 

[Worship Jaclyn]

I am not reading the stories about it because it enrages me. I don't think it'd be a wise marketing tactic because it was bound to take off and become perhaps a legal and definitely a publicity issue. Who's going to want to go see a movie that advertised by actually scaring real innocent children? Some people but a lot of people would be against it. I assume it's just something that has taken off and all these idiots think they're so cool and edgy for scaring people. I know in most situations they're just hanging around, being creepy but it really bothers me. I've always been someone who is really afraid of just about everything, I am not into being startled or watching scary movies and for as long as I can remember people would scare me on purpose just because they think it's oh so funny. So I'm a bit bias and sensitive. I just don't think it's fair to scare someone against their will just to make yourself laugh or in this case I'm assuming just to stroke your own ego.

 

[CharlotteLace]

It's bizarre how this has been a widespread phenomenon. Feel free to shed some light on the matter...

Not bizarre at all. A few people started it, and now with media reporting it and everybody losing their shit about it, fuckfaces are seeing those reactions and thinking they'll play along too. It's like a lighter version of copycat murderers. People riding the coattails of other assholes in order to get a rise. The creepy clown thing has been done for a few years now, I remember watching one of those stupid YouTube videos about "creepiest things caught on tape!" and there was footage at least a few years old of clowns on surveillance cameras just standing and staring at people.

Also, I don't think it's a marketing tactic, as Stephen King is trying to calm people the fuck down. Plus he doesn't need random weirdos in order to get attention for his works.

 

[JoleneBrody]

The problem here is that it's gone far beyond just being fun scary and people are starting to put people in real danger.

also dressing up like a scary clown is super douchey.

 

[Mila_]

This is Slender Man all over again.

> Forum board creates Slender Man meme and posts it to paranormal boards.
> Months later the story gets picked up by digital media (Kotaku et al)
> People talking about Slender Man.
> Two 12 year old girls stab their friend 19 times because they got obsessed with Slender Man.
> Slender Man gets even more press, this time it's mainstream media
> People go apeshit
> Kid in Ohio inspired by Slender Man stabs her mom
> Moar frenzy
> Moar frenzy
> Slender Man is forgotten and people move on to the next meme.

I really hope this clown bullshit doesn't end up inspiring some ill people into killing anyone. But it seems like it is more a matter of when.

 

[SaffronBurke]

I've seen people on Facebook going on rants about how if they see any clowns, they're shooting them because this behavior is unacceptable, and nobody better dress themselves or their kids as clowns for Halloween this year because they're going to be shooting any clown they see.

Overreaction much? I get that it's unsettling, and kinda a dick move, but that's just blowing it out of proportion entirely. I'm not saying that the people doing the clown thing are completely in the right - if you want to scare people, get a job at a haunted house, dude, that's really the only acceptable time and place for it - but they're (for the most part) not doing anything illegal, so maybe chill a little bit?

I'm someone who's a big proponent of not bringing people who can't handle it to haunted houses and then telling the actors "don't scare my friend" - it's my fucking job, dude, don't bring them you asshole - so I'm also team "don't try to scare people outside of the appropriate context". There's a time and a place, see above paragraph.

 

[Bocefish]

People have been shot for far less.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

 

[yummybrownfox]

http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/09/man_arrested_in_stabbing_death.html

And now it seems that, all throughout the U.S., people are making "clown threats" like it's the new cool thing. The local police officers are probably rolling their eyes thinking "Not this shit again..." every time they have to respond to a call about some punk-ass school kids making clown threats. I don't find it amusing one bit, and I'm not trying to hear any of that "Kids will be kids" B.S. either. That's fucked up to be getting a bunch of people (and their parents) fearing for their lives - for shits and giggles - and wasting police officers' time. And for what? Because you're craving attention? Dumb.

 

[eyeteach]

See here's my problem with this. Let's say one evening at dusk I see a creepy stranger at the edge of my property, I yell at said stranger to get him to go away (let's also say in this situation my property borders some woods.) Creepy stranger turns out to be a clown and won't leave, so I exercise my 2nd Amendment rights and properly protect myself and the authorities come out to investigate. With my luck they'll find the clown grasping a sack full of cheeseburgers and french fries and inform me that a brand new McDonalds is going up 3/4 of a mile down the road just passed the woods.

 

[dilligaf0]

How long would a fight last if everytime you punch someone in the nose, it beeps?