Control: Masked Vigilantes

I, Dalton Lewis, love the idea of superheroes. Brazil does not agree with me. Apparently a number of people walked into a bar wearing vigilante gear. They drew weapons and shot up the place, killing eleven unarmed people. The kicker? They were cops saying that they were cleaning up the streets.

Is there such a thing as a real-life superhero? Superheroes fight countless battles. In real life such people would probably go to prison for fighting people outside the law. Vigilantes sometimes ask for protection money. Vigilantes attack people regularly. They equate violence with stopping crime, and I think that’s a mistake.

People think that they are heroes for killing people — rapists and gang bangers and the like. They don’t, however, give these people trials. Also the vigilante lifestyle leads to torturing and stealing from drug dealers. This sort of against the law behavior spirals into something terrifying.

Why? Why do we not have superheroes? I am going to guess that, within the next fifty years, someone will become a real-world, real-life superhero. I think that someone will actually do it — actually save a number of lives somehow, probably involving violence. That person will become an internet celebrity for his or her actions and will matter to people — people who want to believe in something. Then there will be copycats and hangers-on who will sometimes succeed and sometimes fail.

I don’t think that masked vigilantes save lives, but I can be convinced. I remember when I was younger and more fit I really wanted to do something to save lives and be a hero. I think that everyone wanted that to happen. I think that some people already try to save lives and dress up in costumes, but I think that someone will actually succeed.

What does this mean? It means that I should have tried to do something other than have the simple, quiet life of a writer. I should have done forensics science or something like that. Working as a police officer would have let me try to save lives.

I will die anyway. Why not try to die doing something with myself? If we learn how to overcome death in the future so much the better. I would be able to risk my life to learn how to get to be a better quality of writer. I want to write better, and that might mean going out into the scary real world to learn about how fucked-up reality has become.

I think that we need superheroes. With all the violence and climate change and mistreatment of people we need someone to stand up as a beacon of truth and justice. I’m waiting for the next real superhero. Are you with me?

Thanks, and take care, friends.