This is no time for clowning around people. There have been reports of “killer clowns” terrorizing communities nationwide. As of September this year, a running tally of clown-plagued states has been rounded to 21: Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Although the clowns’ motives are still unknown, these red nosed ghouls seem to come straight out of our childhood nightmares. The first clown was sighted in Green Bay, Wisconsin back in the beginning of August. This particular, less than jolly, clown wandered around Green Bay after midnight with a hand full of black balloons floating right above his head. It took only a few days for the Green Bay Clown pictures to become a trending topic. Conspiracy theories began to stir, 911 calls were made and reports were filed. Soon all of Wisconsin was sent into a panicked flurry as fear that the painted faced mystery man would pop up at any time, around any corner. Just as tensions reached their peak, PLOT TWIST! A local screen writer and producer Adam Krause from Green Bay came forward on all social media outlets and with the local news station stating that the elusive Green Bay Clown was actually a promotion for his independently directed short film entitled “Gags.” Although Krause owned up to his unsettling prank, the damaged had already been done.

Something about Krause’s clown struck a chord with a very small, very cynical group of people. Only a few weeks after the Green Bay Clown was unmasked, a slew of clown sighting, attacks and robberies began to flood in from seemingly unaffiliated states. In North Carolina, September 4, two kids told police that aman in white overalls, white gloves, red shoes, red hair and a red nosetried to get them into the woods by offering candy. The same events were depicted by some children in South Carolina; except this time the creepy clowns put childish things to bed and offered money instead of candy.

In one of the most horrifying incidents, a 16-year-old high school sophomore was fatally stabbed in Reading, Pennsylvania, by a man in a clown mask. A dynamic clown themed duo carried explosive into a Memphis, Tennessee bank on September 28. 500 miles north in Reading, Ohio schools were closed for the day due to a man making threats, and attacking a woman late one night on her front porch. How was this man described to police? White mask, red wig and striped costume. Correct me if I’m wrong, but that sounds awfully similar to a certain Ronald McDonald type fellow, wouldn’t you say?

At this moment no one but the clowns themselves could tell you their motives. As of late, unprovoked murder and senseless fear seem to be a theme in our country. America is like a clown stuffed to the bottom of a jack-in-the-box. If we keep forcing the crank around with our misconceptions, fear, selfishness and hatred, something's going to pop out – and we won’t like the surprise in the box.