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Don't we have enough
terror in the world already?
By ANDY MURCIA
of TheColumnists.com
Halloween is a holiday that we all could do without.
When you think of all the good reasons to make a day special, especially for kids, there just has to be a better reason to celebrate. Why do we celebrate the gothic look? Images from the crypt or skeletons galore?
A 16-year-old young man in California recently was charged with murder for allegedly beating to death a neighbor's wife while dressed in his all-black “Goth” look. Can’t we really get a better holiday that has more cheer attached to it? I’d even go for calling it simply, “Candy Day”! We could all send a bag of tooth-rot to school with our kids to share with each other. This would spare us having the kids go to strangers or neighbors they barely know, begging them for candy.
I mean, we always cautioned our kids not to take candy from strangers, didn't we? Then we turn around and say it’s ok on October 31st. No wonder some kids are confused.
I hate thhis business of having people ring your doorbell for hours. walk all over the lawn, breaking sprinkler heads, maybe even casing your house for a future burglary. It’s just not safe.
In my decent neighborhood, I would not mind giving candy to the neighbor kids. They're good kids. I like how their parents accompany them for safety (as they should). But, it seems that after about 9 we get roving gangs of grown thugs who I KNOW do not live in my neighborhood, ringing our bell, demanding something. Many don’t speak English, the one’s that do are pushy and seem to be eyeballing the interior of the house. I refuse to open the door after 9. I think it’s just too dangerous. I put a sign outside saying we stop giving at 9.
Call me cheapo if you wish, but I’d rather keep my family safe from a home invasion robbery. Sure, I’m a retired cop and I have a weapon handy, if needed, but why should I open my door and increase the opportunity for those with something on their mind other than a Hershey bar?
Each year on Halloween at least one kid is killed and many others become harmed from either a pervert snatching them into their homes or just giving them old candy that’s been in their cabinets for God knows how long. I know a lot of people go the extra mile and do make up nice handouts for the kid--my wife, Ann, does--but many just pick up a bag from Walmart cheap and have no knowledge of how old that candy may be. I keep telling Ann not to be so generous as that’s why the line keeps getting longer. We’re fortunate that there are no sidewalks in front of our house--the sidewalk is across the street--so we don’t get too many small kids. It’s too dangerous for them to cross.
We’ve all heard the horror stories each year about some sick person passing out razor blades in apples or some rotten home made something or another, so why do we continue to risk our kids?
There’s nothing wrong with having
a house party, dressing up silly and having fun, but when we
see Wolfman driving the getaway car from a liquor store stick
up, perhaps it’s gone too far.
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dress up like a bunny on Halloween, Phil. Don't let Mr. Murcia intimidate you. I hear he still likes to dress up like a cop and scare kids on Halloween!" |
Police have to contend with this “holiday” and they know the danger it presents better than anyone, so can’t we get rid of Halloween?
I say if you are still thinking “no,” then perhaps you might need more than just one day of dressing-up as the opposite sex or pretending you’re some politician or movie character. In fact, why don't you become an actor and wear a costume every day?
Go ahead, fulfill your dream! Go for it! But don’t rag on me that “Halloween is for the kiddies.” If it were just for the kids the day could be celebrated like it is at my son’s school, where they exchange candy, wear costumes, join in the little parade around the schoolyard and call it “celebrated.”
The truth is, it's really for the big kids, as in adults who each year use it as a reason to dress funny, get loaded and then try and drive home. How dangerous is this? Real dangerous, as each year many accidents are caused by those leaving after-work parties while intoxicated. Stop the madness and in the current world, we just don’t need any more reasons for horror or terror. Isn’t that what we have Al Quaida for?
©2005 by Andy Murcia.
The caricature of Andy Murcia is ©2003 by Jim Hummel. The
top illustration bonds other elements with a cartoon by Jim Hummel.
The bottom cartoon is from IMSI's Master Clips Collection, 1895
Francisco Blvd. E., San Rafael, CA, 94901-5506, USA. This column
first posted Oct. 31, 2005.
You
can comment on this column online. Please address your message
to either "The Editors" or Andy Murcia. To send an
email, click here and don't forget to mention Andy's name: talkback@thecolumnists.com
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