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Monday, October 4, 2010
The Watchman
That video is almost a year old, but the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online has a story about the Watchman today: http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/104252724.html. They also have a very nice video, but it can't be embedded: http://www.jsonline.com/general/37714089.html?bcpid=8725036001&bctid=619327446001.
I have mixed feelings about this. I like the idea of citizens taking a more active role in crime prevention, but I don't know if people wearing maskes or dressed up like a bird (check out "Blackbird" in the JSOnline video) is the way to do it. Perhaps more groups like the Guardian Angels would be appropriate.
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Very odd story. Kind of sad that people feel a need for this type of vigilantism. We pay the police to keep us safe, and evidently, corruption or apathy for the position keeps them from providing what the citizens feel they need to be safely covered.
Initial reaction is that this guy is a bit of an ego maniac or freak with the costume. I'm wondering what the city officially has to say about him and the blackbird...
I assume he gets into the role playing. That Blackbird costume is nuts - no peripheral vision. I suspect that the police would rather that these guys just didn't do it.
I understand how odd or even crazy this can seem. We can't just rely on others to take care of the world's problems though. Think of the world, or even just your neighborhood as your house. If you have a leaking roof, a broken pipe in your basement, or faulty wiring, you would likely hire roofers, plumbers, or electricians to take care of those problems. Hopefully the problems get fixed and you can stop worrying about them. Often though, the problem doesn't get taken care of. The problem was bigger than they realized, the company took longer then they should, they were under staffed, the needed supplies were too scarce, they were inexperienced, they just didn't care or tried to rip you off....whatever. Now you still have these problems going on. You can have the person(s) come back and try to get it right, you can get someone else and hope they do it better, or you may just have to grab some tools and supplies and work on the problem yourself. (OK, maybe not the best idea with the wiring.) The world works a lot like this. We have problems, so we hire other people and expect them to take care of it. It doesn't always work though, and so we have to try something else. That may just mean getting off our butts and doing something about it.
That's what I'm doing. I'm trying a new approach to solving some problems. Maybe it won't work. So what? At least I tried to do something rather than telling myself it was somebody else's problem and waiting for the roof to cave in on me.
The Watchman is just a name. The mask and the rest of my getup is advertisement. It is my way of letting people know that there is someone out there who does give a damn. It gets people asking questions and starting discussions. It gives me the opportunity to explain what I'm doing and why. It allows for a chance to inspire in others the desire and feeling of empowerment to stand up and do something themselves.
-The Watchman
I give you credit for trying. At least you are doing something. Thank you.
Thank you for your response and your interest in the JTI. Racine is following in the footsteps of Milwaukee. The crime here is certainly increasing.
While I do understand your frustration with the lack of safety, and the inability, or lack of urgency of the police to keep up with crime, it is my opinion that vigilantism is a very slippery slope.
You may be doing things in a safe way, I am not disputing that. However, when we must rely on the abilities and professionalism of those who volunteer to be "good guys," we can't be guaranteed that every volunteer will exercise good judgment.
What if the next guy goes too far? What if someone gets hurt? If this happens with a law enforcement officer, the city takes the hit and the police force must answer to the public.
I do recall back a few years to the Guardian Angels that rode buses in Milwaukee and protected the citizens. They were sanctioned by the police... I think?
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