In a time when the average community, family unit and individual is increasingly at risk of acts of injustice,  intimidation, and violence by third parties; in a time when we find ourselves increasingly concerned for our own safety and security; in a time when people start to work their way around individuals, places and times out of fear; that is a time when a protector becomes necessary.

The legacy of the vigilante has taken many forms throughout history. Most forms have been typified by an element of vengence or retribution. Some have been solitary while others have formed groups. Some are real while the more famous remain fictional, such as the “dark knight” Bruce Wayne or Batman.

More often than not the vigilantes of reality exert control over perceived threats through the wielding or use of force. They also tend to be unpaid for their efforts and operate outside the confines of any official law enforcement institution, which is why police officers and soldiers tend not to be counted amongst the ranks of the vigilante.

In truth vigilantes tend to act to fill gaps left over by official justice institutions, which can have positive and negative effects. On the one hand a vigilante can seek to counteract pockets of corruption, such as in the instance of an official law enforcement institution turning a blind eye to a particular organized crime institution, suggesting corruption or lack of resources. On the other hand justice dealt by a vigilante tends to be arbitrary with no nicety of a trial or such. Such is a slide towards a war zone and hence why vigilantes are of mixed popularity, their role recognized but their function too chaotic to instill an air of reliability.

Still, in a society of increasing dangers, the context of which is exploited by governing bodies wishing to whittle away to civil and political rights  of the general populace in the name of a reinstatement of an order and security which never lasts, are the grounds for the next emergence not ripe?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 4th, 2007 at 10:51 pm and is filed under Contemplations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.