There’s nothing wrong with a little scary Halloween fun… but when you scare the kids so bad they cry, maybe you’re taking it a little too far. Β And even then it’s one thing when they walk up for candy. Β That’s like an agreement to accept whatever happens. Β But what if you’re scaring them when they just look at the house?
This week the news is full of stories about people taking heat for their Halloween spirit. Β Like James Creighton of England. Β He puts up everything from disemboweled corpses to finger-eating skeletons! Β He also takes donations to raise money for charity. Β But neighbors say it’s so scary, kids walking to school actually cry when they pass it.
It happens here in the U.S., too. Β Jonnie Mullins of Mustang, Oklahoma put dummies out in his driveway and made it look like they had been crushed by the garage door. Β It scared neighbors so much that one of them called 911 thinking it was a real accident.
Of course, neither of those guys did anything illegal. Β But was it wrong? Β The props are getting more and more realistic. Β You might even see some of them in one of the haunted houses that you pay to go see. Β But these neighbors are saying their kids don’t have a choice in the matter. Β They have to walk past them to get to the bus stop, and see them when they play outside.
The property owners may have the right to decorate the way they want, but do they have any civic responsibility to their neighbors? Β Particularly in neighborhoods with kids, should Halloween-lovers scale back the scary?
