Jonathan Copeland (lightofday_) wrote in musings, @ 2010-10-25 22:51:00 |
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Entry tags: | bela talbot, blossom, j. jonah jameson, joker, lois lane, news, scarecrow, superman |
INSIDE THE MIND OF VIGILANTES Vigilantes are a conundrum for me. What I love about them, is on par with what I hate about them. On the outside we may see those that stand for truth, justice, and the American way. We see symbols of fair play, symbols of everything that is supposed to be good about mankind. Men, women, and children making the ultimate sacrifice for Dick, Jane, Jimmy and Susie; a pure example of selflessness. The masked heroes who stand up for what is right, and say no to corruption and violence, people who take matters into their own hands when law enforcement has failed us all. No one is denying that the system is broken, no one is denying that it can be refreshing to see these “heroes” taking up the mantle and protecting us all from corruption. But lets pause for a moment and think about the kind of person that becomes a serial savior. Since the beginning of time almost, humankind has put their faith in fairy tales. In myths and folklore going back into ancient times people have always put the “masked vigilante” up on a pedestal. They are the stuff legends are made of. Of course, critics have accused them of everything from endangering the populous to behaving like madmen. Is it possible that Seattle's greatest heroes, like so many of the people they’ve taken off the street, are psychopaths as well? Dr. Gretchen Scherer a Psychiatrist from the University of Washington says that people who are considered to be psychopaths or sociopaths generally suffer from antisocial personality disorder. This is a psychiatric condition characterized by chronic behavior that manipulates, exploits or violates the rights of others. This behavior is often criminal. Antisocial personality disorder can be clarified by some of the following symptoms: failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest, recurring difficulties with the law, Tendency to violate the boundaries, and rights of others, Aggressive, often violent behavior; prone to getting involved in fights, Irresponsible work behavior, Disregard for safety, deceitfulness, as indicated by repeatedly lying, use of aliases, or conning others, and reckless disregard for safety of self or others. I am sure that every hero on the streets tonight as I write this is falling into one or more of those categories. One such hero, the man without the mask, known on the street as Sentinel fits plenty of them. A man who can manipulate memories, give any random person a skewed vision of who he really is, and uses this to his advantage is surely manipulating and exploiting the rights of every person around him. At least the Bat, and the others have the common decency to actively hide their faces. If a bank robbery was committed by a giant bat, we’d sure know it, but an average Joe who can look like anyone? What is to stop Sentinel from committing crimes and framing others? Who’s to say he’s not behind the sudden surge in crime, he could be anyone. He could be serving you coffee, or stealing your wallet. Surely any group that consistently gets one over on the Seattle Police Department must have connections in the criminal underbelly that is slowly but surely beginning to rear it’s ugly head louder and stronger than it has in decades. It may not be quite the coincidence others seem to think it is. Seattle, weigh all sides of this situation. As a society we’re being asked to trust a group of people who refuse to trust us. (CON'T page 2) → |
POLICE BAFFLED BY UPSURGE IN CRIME, page 10 → FREE IN SEATTLE THIS WEEK, page 15 → |