My favorite SuperHero has always been Batman. I mean, how cool is he? He doesn't need any super powers to fight evil... he's just a tough-guy with an awesome uniform who fights crime.
While doing laundry yesterday I decided to watch my hero in action. I plugged in Batman, directed by Tim Burton, on VHS into my VCR (I know those words are ancient history, you might find them in books one day).
While I was watching Bruce Wayne fight for love and justice, I got to thinking... how is fear the basis for justice?
In the opening scene, two cracked-out criminals rob a family in an alley. While they are rolling in their new riches, Batman comes from the shadows and rocks their world (my hero!). While one of the men is crying for his life, Batman says "I'm not going to kill you... but do me a favor. Tell your friends about me." And he's off using his utility belt to fly away (am I getting into the character a bit too much?).
From that point forward, crime rates in Gotham City plummeted, all because of fear of being punished. The criminals wanted to do no wrong because they were afraid that Batman would seek justice and take out a can of whoop-ass.
Why can't we be this way with our criminals? I know there are a lot of petty crimes that just need a slap in the hand before the perpetrator can be returned to society, but what about major crimes? Murder? Rape? I hate to say it, but those crimes are irreversable. I hate to say it because I don't want it to be true. Unfortunately, it is. Murder does happen. Hate crimes happen; rape happens.
And why shouldn't those things happen? Our justice system is so lenient, why not give in to your most primitive desires and commit heinous crimes that will hurt tons of people?
There are a few cases in particular that stand out in my mind. But unlike the criminal masterminds in Gotham City, these criminals [apparently] had nothing to fear:
- Harrel Franklin Braddy who killed a little girl by throwing her in a bog in the Everglades and allowed Alligators to [quite bluntly] eat her alive. This same man tried to kill the mother by strangling her and leaving her in a sugarcane field. It turns out, this man had been in prison for attempted murder once before! He was let out for good behavior! Why wouldn't his subconscious be telling him "Go ahead, do it. You'll probably just get away again."
- My "favorite" story about Chester Arthur Stiles who was shown brutally molesting a 3-year-old girl. He had been accused of groping a six year old and nothing was done about it. And I've heard rumors that he had also been accused of inappropriately touching a fourteen year old. There was apparently nothing done to watch Stiles after he was accused of those crimes. His mind convinced him that it would be easy to reoffend.
These men were able to do what they did because no one stopped them. They had no fear of being punished because they've never seen punishment. Many people in our society have never seen punishment carried out. If we could strike fear in the hearts of our criminals, just maybe this world would be a safer place.
What we need in our Gotham City is our very own Batman: someone not afraid to stand up for justice.
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so is this one of those blogs where if I agree with it now, next you will say we should castrate sex offenders, cut off the hands of thieves, gouge the eyes out of..... people.. who use .. their eyes for crime?
I mean, the Constitution clearly protects against cruel and unusual punishment because, sure we COULD scare the crap outta criminals, and they wouldnt commit crime anymore, but what happens when someone isnt a criminal, when an innocent man is affected by this?
The reason America was started was becuase some king thought Batman-brutality (NEW WORD NEW WORD) would work too.
I realized after I posted that I should have been more specific with my description of "fear."
I am anti-death-penalty and anti-cruel and unusual punishment.
But I am all for putting someone in jail for the rest of their lives. Stiles should have been in prison. If he wasn't found "guilty" per say, he should have been watched with a closer eye.
Braddy should have still been in jail. I'm not sure I like the 'good behavior' rule. "I can commit a crime and go to jail but I know if I'm good I'll get out soon anyway so what does it matter?"
It's too easy to slip through the cracks in our society.
Sorry I wasn't more specific.
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Even though you could just click my picture :) http://progressiveu.org/blog/burningexample
Ever notice how there is next to no crime before the superhero and then all the sudden you've got prisons for "supervillions?" Look at Batman's Arkham. That place was built for the criminally insane, but, instead, houses all of his arch-enemies.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
Good point.
So maybe... if we got rid of the common criminals (like Batman did), we'd have Supervillians like Joker and Penguin and Hitler.
Oh wait, Hitler was real wasn't he?
Dang it. Well, regardless, something needs to be done. It's stupid that we allow such horrid things to happen.
Sometimes it's unavoidable, and it's ridiculous to say we can have a totally peaceful world... but wouldn't just a little justice be nice?
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http://progressiveu.org/003838-the-girl-who-cried-rape-or-in-this-case-d...
I'm all for justice, just not a super hero. And no utopias. I just found out the origin of that word and find it not to my liking. "no place" is no place I want to be.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
Understandable, and noted.
And I don't think we need a "superhero" per say... we don't need a someone because someone's are self-serving. We need a something... something needs to change to slow down our crime rates. And to punish those who offend and re-offend.
I see where you're going... I suppose a "utopia" wouldn't be very exciting at all :)
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http://progressiveu.org/003838-the-girl-who-cried-rape-or-in-this-case-d...
Besides, without criminals, who would unwillingly reinact Saw for me?
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
lol, good point. When it starts happening, you should make a documentary.
I mean, look how much money Saw raked in... and that was fiction. Imagine if it was real! You'd be rolling in dough!
On a more serious note, do you think something like that would scare people straight?? :)
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http://progressiveu.org/003838-the-girl-who-cried-rape-or-in-this-case-d...
Would you kill someone under threat of punishment like that? FUCK NO. You'll hear the screams of the people unwillingly reinacting Saw for me and immediately go "I'd kill you, but I don't want to be mercilessly tortured."
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion