BEFORE: Well, this is where I would have preferred to watch the film "Kick-Ass", but no premium channel has run it yet - is it because of the word "Ass" in the title? Because I've seen movies airing with saltier language in their titles... Anyway, I'm dropping this documentary in as a substitute and suspending the linking for today.
THE PLOT: A journey inside the world of real life caped crusaders. From all over America, these self-proclaimed crime fighters don masks, homemade costumes and elaborate utility belts in an attempt to bring justice to evildoers.
AFTER: This will be my 10th year working at San Diego Comic-Con, so I know a thing or two about the world of costuming, and its connection with comic book and sci-fi fans. And often there is a charitable element involved - the 501st Legion is one group of Star Wars fans who do a lot of charity work while dressed as Imperial stormtroopers and officers. More power to them.
But some people apparently take it to the next level, they see a gap in what the police can and should be doing in their neighborhoods, and find a way to don a costume and mask and go out on patrol. Sometimes they're armed with a taser or pepper spray and are aware of the civil rights of ordinary citizens, other times, not so much. In many of these cases they cite the loss of a family member, or the bad experience of a friend in trouble to justify their vigilantism, but if all else fails, they can fall back on the Kitty Genovese story. (A NYC woman who was murdered in 1964 while people within hearing distance did nothing, giving all New Yorkers a bad rap)
This film focuses on those people who, whatever their reasoning or excuse, adopt superhero personas and go out at night and fight crime at street level. You could say that they're doing what every person should be doing - giving help where it's needed, helping other humans who are down on their luck, or trying to stop (or at least move) the selling of illegal drugs. For the most part, these seem to be highly motivated and (more or less) athletic people who believe they can make a difference, upholding the law while also acting outside of it.
The downside is, they're also putting themselves in harm's way. From what I hear, drug dealers might be people that you don't want to mess with. Drunk and disorderly people, same deal, especially if they're behind the wheel of a large automobile. And I get the reasoning here, the only thing worse than saying "Someone should DO something!" is to have to say that in past tense - "Someone should have done something." But there's also a liability issue, as seen in recent news stories like the Trayvon Martin case, where a neighborhood watch volunteer shot an unarmed teen and felt he was doing "the right thing". One of the worst things I usually say about people - "he meant well", which really means "he screwed up".
However, there are many, many ways to make a difference in this world. You can pick a charity, there are hundreds of them, and send them a check twice a year or whenever you can. You can volunteer at a hospital or rest home, deliver meals to the home-bound, or donate your time to a cause that you feel strongly about. You can donate blood, or hair, or just check that organ donor box on your driver's license - it takes almost no effort, and it won't even hurt.
There are many religious and non-religious organizations which could use your help - the Red Cross, Meals-on-Wheels, and a foundation for any organ or disease you can think of. But maybe, like me, you tend to avoid organized religion (I still haven't forgiven the church for the Crusades, Spanish Inquisition and the persecution of Galileo) or you may feel that charities devote too much money to their overhead and fund-raising costs and are essentially ineffective. In that case, you can give food to a stray animal, or a homeless person, or donate to a food bank or clothing drive.
My dad used to collect furniture for the poor (after driving a truck all week for his job, he drove on the weekends for charity) and, in addition to his church-work, has gone to disaster areas to help rebuild homes, and I greatly admire that. I know that my parents tithe, which is admirable, but I wish they wouldn't give it to the church, which I think is rich enough already. I've tried to give food to hungry street-people, and sometimes that works and sometimes it's been problematic. My support of charities these days is mostly financial - last weekend I attended Beer For Beasts, a beer festival that raised money for the Humane Society. Hey, if there are walk-a-thons and dance-a-thons, why can't there be drink-a-thons?
My point is, you don't have to put on a costume to be a hero. I almost want to question the people who think that you do - it makes me wonder if they're doing it for the right reasons, with egomania being one of the wronger reasons. Sure, we look up to Spider-Man and Superman, who operate on one level. But you can give your time and resources on YOUR level. So please do what you can.
RATING: (and this is purely based on whether the subject matter makes for a good film, I'm not judging the efforts of the people profiled) 4 out of 10 skateboards
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