The Carny Code

By Erin in News on Sep 6, 2005 6:03PM

There are certain things in life that, in Chicagoist's opinion, are responsible for keeping the world turning. These are things that one can count on: Sunday comes before Monday, the sky is blue, Ben Folds and William Shatner's work together for Shatner's "Has Been" was a collaboration that produced underrated genius. Another is that carnivals are going to have more than one criminal working for them.

We're not saying all, but you people have been to carnivals. You've seen some of the dudes working the Tilt-a-Whirl: these are not necessarily church-going folk. Just say the word: carny. Tell us as it rolled off of your tongue you didn't feel just a little bit dirty.

Chicagoist isn't sure if this was a shocker to the folks in charge of it, but it turns out, SURPRISE! A recent background check performed by the Illinois attorney general's office and Cook County sheriff's department found that among 179 carnival employees, there had been 556 arrests and 125 convictions. The probe is a response to police officials and some lawmakers looking to legislate required background checks for carnival workers, a measure some in the carnival industry are calling "discriminatory."

Chicagoist has nothing against a law that protects kids, and certainly we're all for getting rapists and drug dealers off of the controls of the Himalaya and in jail. Just the same, is it just now dawning on people that there are some shady characters manning the Super Slides?

Mostly Chicagoist thinks it's more hysterical legal hoo-ha, and if nothing else, we're just happy to have yet another elected official quoted as saying something that you'd think you'd hear in an especially wacky episode of The Simpsons:

"I hope we get through this without somebody being killed or getting raped," said Rep. Bill Black (R-Danville)l. "I'd recommend you stay with [your children] every ride and every attraction on the midway. Your child could be getting on a ride that is run by Charles Manson."

At least someone is thinking of The Children.