You didn't list your location so I was confused about your response.
Real Life Superheroes?
- Thread starter Yminale
- Start date
You didn't list your location so I was confused about your response.
Aw, man... I already don't like going to Seattle. One more reason to avoid.
No offense, ObiWan, but I'm REALLY glad I don't work there. Lynnwood's cool though.
No offense, ObiWan, but I'm REALLY glad I don't work there. Lynnwood's cool though.
As I wrote originally, if people go out and fight actual criminals, they are stupid. Regardless if it is a neighborhood watch or not (which was clearly not what I was referring to), engaging a criminal is a stupid thing to do, especially if you are an average person with little-to-no training (which, if I were to guess, applies to most of these people).
Haha from Arlington? Yeah that would be quite the commute. Our bookkeeper commutes from Bellingham, buy she only comes down once or twice a week.
Not just the commute. Driving in Seattle is a nightmare for me and probably would be even if I lived there. (Not that I want to live there either). I can't figure it out. The roads go every which way. I get lost every third time. Maybe I need the help of a friendly super-hero?
I've done the equivalent of your commute already, too. Lynnwood to Redmond for 4 years in the 1990s. No more. That's why I moved here.
I've done the equivalent of your commute already, too. Lynnwood to Redmond for 4 years in the 1990s. No more. That's why I moved here.
These people for the most part aren't vigilantes. At most they confront criminals which is pretty dangerous in itself. They only fight when they or someone else is in danger.
Personally I respect their moral integrity. It would be easy for them to run around with guns but they won't cross that line (thank Batman).
I wouldn't call them average and many do have training in martial arts and all have some way to defend themselves
That's what's interesting about them. They aren't delusional. In fact they are very rational and are perfectly happy with whatever success they have (they aren't interested in escalation or grandiose gestures).
It does make me wonder why they wouldn't apply to join the police force. Were they rejected or what?
Some of them can't because they have criminal records or they found their "calling" late in life but most just want the freedom that being a superhero gives them. No one gives you orders and you are not accountable to anyone and you have freedom of action. They also seek anonymity and a cool costume is a plus.
I'm sure there's other ways people with criminal records could aid law enforcement... probably.
And that's Dexter Morgan sans the actual killing people bit. Would be creepy if it wasn't so ridiculously harmless.
You didn't read my initial post, did you? My first point refers to those who act as low-level icons (for lack of a better term) rarely engaging in actual crime fighting.
My second point, while broad (which, I thought was clear), I was referring to those who don't fall into the "most part".
Which is still fucking stupid.
They guy who claims to have super speed and super healing indicates otherwise.
Well who wants a panty-waist for a superhero?
I'd say it's fucking civic minded. I've assisted in a few arrests in my time. True, I didn't wear a mask or tights...
...til the nighttime, anyway....
There is a difference between assisting with arrests and attempting to do it outright by yourself.
Plus, calling the cops when you see criminal acts is civic minded. Engaging someone directly is just asking for your brains to end up on the pavement.
Example: Yesterday, I saw across the street from work I saw two guys threatening each other that went into a full-on fight. Did I call the cops? Yes. Did I approach the situation to stop them. Nope; I'm not stupid.
True but regardless of their initial motivation they do prefer to be independent.
It's creepy because we've been indoctrinated since birth to obey authority and to confirm. When we see people act counter to our expectation, it unsettles us. Plus they are running around in neon costumes.
A fight is a fight. But if it were an innocent being mugged, I think a lot of people would step up.
I think he was joking. He clearly didn't have super speed or healing. One of his colleagues did feel he had some form of extrasensory perception.
Sadly I don't think this true but I disagree with the supers. It's not that people are apathetic. It's just that they are afraid.
Yeah Broccoli call the cops and then wait 15-20 mins for them to arrive if at all. That's a great plan when someone is getting beaten up.
No, it's creepy because we have those laws and regulations for a reason. A world where people run around punching people up over hunches is not particularly inviting. This is less about being bothered by someone's lifestyle choices and more to do with amateurs doing the job of the police.
Who says that's what's happening?
I grew up in Washington Heights, NY - at that time the drug capital of the United States. Crime was a daily part of life. It isn't a hunch when someone has a knife to your throat.
When you see someone running from the police, there's nothing wrong with tackling them.
One day when I was still in law school, I was walking down the street, and a Chinese delivery guy, who barely spoke three words of English, ran up to me in a most agitated state. he pointed to three teenagers across the street, and said they had taken his money.
I knew the precinct house was two blocks away. Should I have told him to go over there, and pray that the cops could spare someone to come out and look for the teens, who would have been long gone?
I should add that I've been a competitive weightlifter and have had more than my share of streetfights (as has anyone growing up in that neighborhood), so I'm probably more street-savvy than most. So I looked the teens over and decided an inquiry was reasonably safe and certainly warranted.
"Gentlemen," I boomed out, approaching them, the delivery guy behind me.
This got their attention.
"This man says you had some sort of altercation with him."
Yes, I really talk that way.
"We didn't take nothing," one of them answered.
"Who said you took anything," I asked. I turned to the delivery man.
"Who took your money?"
He pointed to the teen who had mouthed off.
At this point that teen tried to duck and move to get away from me. Recognizing that he would get away if I allowed this, and taking it as an indication that further inquiry was warranted, I grabbed him, spun him around, and ordered him to "assume the position." I ordered the two other teens to step back, which they did.
I then commenced a "pat-down" search of the exterior of the teen's clothing to ensure that he did not have a weapon. Keeping my hand on his shoulder, I told him we were going to go to the police station to get this sorted out.
One of the other teens piped up, "We were just messing around!"
"We?" I responded, which had the intended result of making him aware that he could share his compatriot's fate. He decided he didn't want that.
And so, with my hand on the one, and the other two tagging along, and the delivery guy, we headed to the police station.
It turned out the kid had a rather long rap sheet for this sort of thing. I told the cops what had happened, they thanked me for bringing him in, and I spoke to the A.D.A. about it a few weeks later. The kid took a plea.
As I said, I know how to handle myself. Where I grew up, most people do. And the weightlifting surely helps - I'm an imposing, scary guy. I assessed the situation and chose my course of action, based on the physical situation, my experience and my knowledge of the law. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Certainly the cops and the ADA didn't think there was.
To wit, Broccoli, when observing that there are apparently people who undertake vigilante action against criminals.
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