Background
Started in 2010 by community-minded comic book enthusiasts, The Michigan Protectors have seen their share of media accounts, trials, and tribulations. While the associated members have never adopted a central leadership, small groups still continue to serve their communities, in some capacity, all across the state.
Some of the different groups that associate themselves as "Michigan Protectors" do not have correspondence or association with other groups. The division that defines this separation has been along the lines of "humanitarian aid" versus that of "crime prevention" or "crime fighting". The division has not so much been about what one is willing to do to help others, but what one is not willing to do.
For more information on the different activities that are going on around the state, or to learn more about the groups that are still operating in a capacity to serve the public, please visit the Michigan Protectors - Detroit page on Facebook.
Some of the different groups that associate themselves as "Michigan Protectors" do not have correspondence or association with other groups. The division that defines this separation has been along the lines of "humanitarian aid" versus that of "crime prevention" or "crime fighting". The division has not so much been about what one is willing to do to help others, but what one is not willing to do.
For more information on the different activities that are going on around the state, or to learn more about the groups that are still operating in a capacity to serve the public, please visit the Michigan Protectors - Detroit page on Facebook.
Super Heroes? Vigilantes? Comic book geeks?
Some of us are associated with an online community that is often referred to as "Real Life Super Heroes". Although many of the people in the community have some unique or special abilities that they have developed over time (like emergency aid, martial arts, etc), no one has any "super"abilities. Those that "dress up" believe that the wearing of a mask/costume serves several purposes: it helps draw awareness to the things that we do, it helps maintain anonymity (especially for those who are reporting, and if necessary, fighting more dangerous crimes), and it helps promote the idea that the person behind the mask COULD be ANYONE. Anyone can do something kind for someone else. Anyone can keep a watchful eye out. Anyone can lend a hand. Anyone can give some moral guidance to another person.
Being a "vigilante" is illegal, and the illegal aspect of it lies in "dealing justice outside of the legal system". This is something that we do not do and do not condone. Looking for opportunities to help people, observing and reporting crime, and even stopping crime is NOT vigilantism.
Being a "vigilante" is illegal, and the illegal aspect of it lies in "dealing justice outside of the legal system". This is something that we do not do and do not condone. Looking for opportunities to help people, observing and reporting crime, and even stopping crime is NOT vigilantism.
"Ok, so you're just dressing up, and you're not Super in any way, right?"
If we help a homeless person, even with so much as a bottle of water, a blanket, a sleeping bag, a snack, a meal, or simply a kind word, isn't that more, maybe even extraordinary more, than 99% of the public is willing to do? Yes, of course it is. Is it practically unthinkable that 99% of the population avoids the problems of crime or social destitution, and literally steps over the bodies of homeless people on the ground? YES, it most certainly is. Is it morally corrupt and detestable that a community can stand idly by as the safety of their neighbors lies in peril at the hands of criminals that conduct themselves knowing damn well that no one will so much as say "No, NOT on my street you WON'T!" ??? YES! So if simply doing a little SOMETHING can possibly be so much more powerful than doing absolutely nothing, does that make the extraordinary acts of a few costumed citizens worth of being called "Super" ? It very well may. It is up to each person to interpret that for themselves.
