“Halloween-Hell” on the Registry
I liked celebrating Halloween, the decorations, the costumes, handing out candy.
Then one Halloween nite some teenage vandals tore apart the lawn decorations as teen vandals often do on mischief nite and Halloween nite. Pumpkins got smashed, cemetary decorations and mummy parts got strewn throughout the neighborhood as young hoodlums participated in their idea of ” harmless fun”.
So, I stopped “doing” Halloween. No more decorating, no more candy. I was done.
Fast forward several years when I learn about “Halloween-hell” on the registry with all its rules and regulations disguised by the “we’re keeping kids safe” mentality of local officials. In some counties and towns, registrants are “prohibited” from celebrating Halloween. They don’t have a choice to decorate or not, their town prohibits them from decorating . Some town’s registrants are required to post a note on their door stating they are not participating in trick or treat. Some requirements go so far as to have registrants turn off their outside lights to discourage trick or treaters from knocking on their doors.
Where, I wondered, were the brains of those officials that came up with these rules and regulations?
Did they not put any thought into the fact that many of these registrants have their own children. Children who should be allowed to celebrate Halloween. These kids should be able to put the pictures of ghosts, pumpkins and black cats that they’ve made in school, in the front window of their home, just like any other kids. They shouldn’t have to “explain” to their friends, the reason for the note tacked to the front door of their home. And they shouldn’t have to sit at home in the dark on Halloween waiting for their home to become the target of not just teenage vandals but any crazed vigilante that decides Halloween is a good excuse for some mischief at a registrant’s home.
The registry serves no purpose. It is continued punishment not only for the registrant but for their families as well.
It’s time for the local officials to recognize that children of registrants have the right to be a kid, just like any other kid and that includes the right to participate in Halloween.
It’s time to let the registry R.I.P.
The media “hype” has begun! If memory serves in previous years it actually started a bit earlier so, I think WAR is beginning to see the fruits of our education strategy. Sending studies to media and commenting on articles where the public can learn the truth about the myths they are accustomed to. Keep educating the masses.