Editorial: Don’t take fun out of trick-or-treating

Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2001 | 8:24 a.m.

Halloween has changed a lot over the years -- for the worse. What had been a night where children could roam for miles and cart away as much candy as their overflowing bags would allow, now isn't nearly as much fun. Part of the reason is that in our increasingly violent and sick world, people look for ways to harm children. That means children have to be kept on a tighter leash. This year, in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, it appears as if there will be even more of a clampdown on Halloween activities. Even the Meadows and Boulevard malls have joined other over-reacting malls around the nation in canceling their trick-or-treating parties.

Sure, parents should take precautions -- the children's costumes should be easy to see in the dark, all candy should be examined by an adult before it's eaten and parents may want to limit their children's trick-or-treating to neighborhoods they know well. But the bottom line is that parents should allow their children to go out and trick-or-treat. These are edgy times we live in, but there's no reason to unnecessarily stop children from sharing in what has been time-honored fun -- including the painful bellyache the morning after.