Would you support superheroes?

[IronBrig4]

I was debating on whether I should put this in the General, Media, or Politics sub-forums. But this is probably the best spot for it.

Would you support superheroes and their activities? To make it more realistic, I'm only talking about characters who get their strength from intense physical training or technology. If an engineering genius decides to build an armored suit, a disturbed billionaire elects to condition himself to physical perfection and dress up like a bat, or a vengeful war vet carries out a vendetta against organized crime, why shouldn't they be allowed to? Superheroes would clean up the streets because they can go where the police can't. He's not a superhero in the traditional sense of the word, but I'd love to have a Dexter Morgan in every major US city.

The problem, however, is what kind of standards should there be? Should they be like Batman and pretty much operate as another branch of the police? What kind of legislation would govern their actions? Another problem is it also could start down the slippery slope of vigilantism. If somebody like the Punisher turns gangbangers into bloody giblets, a wannabe hero might decide to shoot a shoplifter or jaywalker.

I suppose we could register all superheroes, and hopefully without causing a civil war within their community.

 

[North_Ranger]

For me the question is moot, as the climate is against the most basic outward sign of superheroes. Running around in sub-zero temperatures in a leotard = one very nasty case of pneumonia.

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

Anyone that kills another human being should be put in jail, not idolized.

 

[AshburnerX]

Registration would only cause problems if it was put into place many years after groups of heroes had already been operating. If you started out with registration, it really wouldn't be too much of an issue and would keep most of the really hardcore types (I.E. The Punishers of the World) out of the business. I would make psychological analysis a standard part of the registration process though... you really don't want mentally unstable people choosing who is innocent and who is guilty.

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

you really don't want mentally unstable people choosing who is innocent and who is guilty.

and we've ruled out all "superheroes"

 

[Silver Jelly]

Superheroes have to be paralegal to work like a punisher or a batman. Part of the reason they woud be useful (and also inmensely dangerous) is that they are completely freelance*, with nobody controlling them.

That being said, I don't particularly like the idea of people going around doing "justice" (or rather, what they think it's justice).

*as IronBrig said, "Superheroes would clean up the streets because they can go where the police can't."

 

[AshburnerX]

you really don't want mentally unstable people choosing who is innocent and who is guilty.

and we've ruled out all "superheroes"[/QUOTE]

Pretty much, except for maybe the government sanctioned types like Nick Fury and SHIELD.

 

[Reboneer]

Superheroes would clean up the streets because they can go where the police can't. He's not a superhero in the traditional sense of the word, but I'd love to have a Dexter Morgan in every major US city.

What? Dexter doesn't kill other killers because he wants to "clean up the streets", he kills them because he likes killing people, and they're the least likely to be missed. Plus, he's gotten it wrong and killed an innocent man before, and got over it pretty quickly.

 

[@Li3n]

Obviously killing people etc. is out, there's a reason why due process exists, but leaving bank robbers or known criminals hanging on polls etc. (kinda like pro bono bounty hunting) would totally work imo.

Of course training and technology would also benefit the police, so unless we're talking gotham level corruption of the system keeping it to themselves would be a giant case of Reed Richards is useless!

would keep most of the really hardcore types (I.E. The Punishers of the World) out of the business

When has the Punisher ever cared about laws?!

Superheroes would clean up the streets because they can go where the police can't. He's not a superhero in the traditional sense of the word, but I'd love to have a Dexter Morgan in every major US city.

What? Dexter doesn't kill other killers because he wants to "clean up the streets", he kills them because he likes killing people, and they're the least likely to be missed. Plus, he's gotten it wrong and killed an innocent man before, and got over it pretty quickly.[/QUOTE]

What he got over was him breaking his code, not the actual "killing a guy that didn't deserve it".

Anyone that kills another human being should be put in jail, not idolized.

Your countries military says hi.

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

Your countries military says hi.

I am not one of those people that calls all veterans heroes and worships the ground they walk on.

 

[Timmus]

No.

For the most part the police do fine job. They may not get results as fast as some people would like. Some of it is that policemen have rules under which they are supposed to operate under by law. A vigilante would either not be subject to the same laws the police operate under which I would find very troubling or he would be subject to them in which case he's just another police officer with some cool toys.

 

[MindDetective]

I don't think so. I don't really feel like crime is running rampant, though. A lot of crimes are committed in the heat of the moment. Batman and the Punisher don't really seem like they are geared towards domestic violence to me.

 

[Chazwozel]

Your countries military says hi.

I am not one of those people that calls all veterans heroes and worships the ground they walk on.[/QUOTE]


Putting oneself at immediate risk for the prosperity of others doesn't make one a hero anymore? Damn.

 

[Iaculus]

A good point - if what makes these superheroes 'super' is their gadgetry, why not have 'em supply it to the local police force? Otherwise, they're just vigilantes with very dangerous toys.

 

[@Li3n]

A vigilante would either not be subject to the same laws the police operate under which I would find very troubling

I order to be a vigilante he/she'd need to take the role of judge, jury and executioner too, it's in the definition, and that is always way too dangerous without any oversight.

Your countries military says hi.

I am not one of those people that calls all veterans heroes and worships the ground they walk on.[/quote]

No, you just want them thrown in jail...

Putting oneself at immediate risk for the prosperity of others doesn't make one a hero anymore? Damn.

Yeah, just look at all those great heroes from Abu Ghraib, they where totally torturing those people for YOU.

 

[phil]

to me it would largely depend on the additional contributions of the superhero. Beating up some criminals and leaving them outside of the police station would do jack shit except let a lot of criminals the police might have been gathering evidence against possibly go walk because they can't face their accuser or anything. How many times has spiderman just left a guy there and the only note he bothered to leave was "from your friendly neighborhood spiderman!" notice how the note never even says what the guy was doing when spiderman gave him a concussion and left him tied to a flagpole 3 stories up.

If the superhero were to make advancements to better mankind, instead of dealing with just crime issues, I'd be more likely to support them in their actions. If Tony Stark built ark reactors to solve the energy crisis, or if Batman used his detective skills on matters of a larger scale than just Gotham, then I'd be more likely to support their habit of beatin' folks up.

Registration would be kinda pointless though, seeing as the point of Batman and Iron man is that they can go places the cops/military can't and do what needs to be done. If they were regulated, they would just be supercops and have the same kind of restrictions that all branches of law enforcement have. How would Batman still be Batman if he had to get a warrant to climb into a window, or if the joker went free because Batman didn't read him his rights?


I guess I just think that with great power comes great responsibility, and so when you're dealing with a power that these heroes boast the responsibility becomes so much greater than just street crime. Often it seems like they just treat the symptoms when they need to deal with the disease itself such as poverty, hunger, and radicalism. If they dealt with the issues that can spawn crime, they could lower it on a wider scale than just nabbing a few crooks every night who probably go free anyway.

 

[CynicismKills]

I wouldn't, after all that working out they'd be very heavy.

 

[Cajungal]

I couldn't support a vigilante who killed people before they could go to trial. No one's perfect. What if they made a mistake about who was guilty? Everyone should have a fair trial. Now if a civilian helped to bring someone in, that's another story for me. But I don't think any of us are above the standards we've set. The justice system isn't perfect, but trusting some most-likely crazy person isn't the answer.

Also, CK:

 

[phil]

I wouldn't, after all that working out they'd be very heavy.

What about financially? Would you give 40 cents a day to help feed your friendly neighborhood spiderman?

 

[Cajungal]

Less than the price of a cup of coffee...

 

[RocketGirl]

Would you support superheroes and their activities? To make it more realistic, I'm only talking about characters who get their strength from intense physical training or technology.

In that case, no.

I WOULD support those with unique powers, like Superman, simply because they and only they can do what they do. But someone who trains or builds a suit of armor or whatever is nothing more than a vigilante who should join the proper authorities if they really want to do the good that they do.

 

[HowDroll]

Who watches the Watchmen?

 

[Denbrought]

Police-like activity outside of the police? Hell no. Get them into a government program so they're used like they should be, not jumping around being assholes and breaking the law for 'the greater good.'

 

[@Li3n]

Again, the definition of a vigilante is that they are judge, jury and executioner...


Oh, and the conceit behind Iron Man is that the suit would cost too much for cops, and he doesn't want the Army to use it.

Get them into a government program so they're used like they should be

Assassinating people in 3rd world countries?

 

[Espy]

Putting oneself at immediate risk for the prosperity of others doesn't make one a hero anymore? Damn.

No, you have to have made giant stupid movies to be peoples hero's these days.

Go live in a shithole, separated from your family and life and have constant threat of death hanging over your head every time you drive your damn Humvee, have rockets shot at you, watch your buddies die around you, etc, etc and you are barely worth a thought to way to many americans, many who probably consider you a murderer anyway for serving your country and risking your life.

I'm really more curious as to what people consider "worship"? I see a lot of respect for veterans (at least from people who aren't total assholes) but I haven't seen any "worship" or alters set up.

 

[Iaculus]

Again, the definition of a vigilante is that they are judge, jury and executioner...


Oh, and the conceit behind Iron Man is that the suit would cost too much for cops, and he doesn't want the Army to use it.

Dude's the richest man on the planet, and his company's already taken a serious charitable bent. What's one more armed-to-the-teeth donation?

 

[RocketGirl]

Get them into a government program so they're used like they should be

Assassinating people in 3rd world countries?

That sounds a bit limiting, dunnit?

 

[Heavan]

Anyone that kills another human being should be put in jail, not idolized.

Wait, aren't you the guy who gets into RAGE mode the second anyone is being oppressed? Why are soldiers an acceptable target?

 

[Denbrought]

Get them into a government program so they're used like they should be

Assassinating people in 3rd world countries?

If that's how you think a government should be using its special forces.

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

Anyone that kills another human being should be put in jail, not idolized.

Wait, aren't you the guy who gets into RAGE mode the second anyone is being oppressed? Why are soldiers an acceptable target?[/QUOTE]

Yes. I wholeheartedly oppress their right to kill innocents.

 

[SpecialKO]

I think the extent to which they can act matters a lot in this question.

Are we talking about a more better-trained, better-equipped version of the Guardian Angels? Or are we talking the Punisher without deliberately killing people?

 

[Espy]

Anyone that kills another human being should be put in jail, not idolized.

Wait, aren't you the guy who gets into RAGE mode the second anyone is being oppressed? Why are soldiers an acceptable target?[/QUOTE]

Yes. I wholeheartedly oppress their right to kill innocents.[/QUOTE]

omigosh I live with a killer of innocents. aranoid: Should I turn her in?

As to the superhero thing, I think if I had to put it to a vote I would probably not support them if they were of the more extreme end, but I wouldn't freak out if there was a Batman or Spiderman saving the day I suppose.

 

[Heavan]

Anyone that kills another human being should be put in jail, not idolized.

Wait, aren't you the guy who gets into RAGE mode the second anyone is being oppressed? Why are soldiers an acceptable target?[/QUOTE]

Yes. I wholeheartedly oppress their right to kill innocents.[/QUOTE]

So, you're in favor of foreign soldiers coming in and killing a bunch of your innocents on purpose to keep your soldiers from killing a few innocents by accident? Because there's no way other countries wouldn't attack a fantasy land pacifist utopia and conquer the hell out of it if one ever existed.

I know you don't like innocents dying, I don't either. The soldiers who do it didn't mean to, and they feel bad too.

 

[Espy]

Anyone that kills another human being should be put in jail, not idolized.

Wait, aren't you the guy who gets into RAGE mode the second anyone is being oppressed? Why are soldiers an acceptable target?[/QUOTE]

Yes. I wholeheartedly oppress their right to kill innocents.[/QUOTE]

So, you're in favor of foreign soldiers coming in and killing a bunch of your innocents on purpose to keep your soldiers from killing a few innocents by accident? Because there's no way other countries wouldn't attack a fantasy land pacifist utopia and conquer the hell out of it if one ever existed.

I know you don't like innocents dying, I don't either. The soldiers who do it didn't mean to, and they feel bad too.[/QUOTE]
You must be one a'them soldier worshippers. We don't take kindly to your kind round these parts.

 

[RocketGirl]

[snip]

Aaah!

...aaah!

YEHAT!

I adore your StarControl 2 sig! *bouncebounce*