Hello, my neighbors. I've invited you here through social networking and localized media sites, because I value your keen Riverwest instincts and opinions.
Welcome to my blog, where I'm blogging material for my book, Heroes in the Night. It's about "real life superheroes"(and similar people) who adopt a persona and hit the street doing foot patrols, charity events, and other activities. There are a number of different approaches, ranging from active "crime fighting" to picking up litter, and public awareness.
In Milwaukee we have three "RLSH." The Watchman has been involved with this scene for awhile. He does "safety patrols" on foot and car. He tells me that he is looking for crime, but that he will first phone things in to the police before he gets involved. He also does charity missions- for example he donated toys to a local charity around Christmastime.
Blackbird is newer to the scene and is profiled below.
We also have the MoonDragon, who I haven't been in contact for awhile. Last I heard he does street patrols in Walker's Point/ South side area.
Now, the reason I asked you to read this, is I detailed a Riverwest patrol with Blackbird and the Watchman in three parts.
The background PART 1 and PART 2 is probably not news to you at all. In it I express my feelings on crime in the neighborhood.
PART 3 details the patrol itself. I end it with some questions I am posing to you, because the Milwaukee RLSH would like to possibly do a series of Riverwest patrols in the future. I would like to get opinions from the community. Opinions from elsewhere are also welcome, of course, but I want to here as many comments from Riverwest as possible.
Honestly, how do you feel about real life superheroes walking the streets and alleys of Riverwest?
Do you support them, or do you think they should "take a hike?"
Please comment below or anywhere in the 3 part series, and thanks for stopping in.
--Tea Krulos
p.s. Stop back next week for "Law and Lawlessness Week," where I'll be posting material daily.
Monday- A report on my meet up with a RLSH in Chicago, set for this weekend.
Tuesday- Legal questions are answered by Zack Levine, a lawyer who has practiced theories of law applied to comic book heroes.
Wednesday- A look at the history of vigilantes, their appearances in real life and pop culture, why they are celebrated, and criticisms.
Thursday- Hero Profile (tba)
Friday- I detail police reactions to RLSH, through firsthand experiences and stories relayed to me.
So check out the blog and buckle up...it's the law!
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I look forward to a full week of reading.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's right Riverwest. There are people running around at night dealing out "justice" on blind-faith alone without even the slightest care for due process of law. Most of them carry weapons, some weapons even deadly. There is a word for this kind of behavior and it's called 'vigilantism'.
ReplyDeleteVigilantism is illegal.
Don't believe people like Tea Krulos, someone who has something to gain out of sugar-coating this community all for the good of selling his book, do your own research. Find out first-hand how these "heroes" function and learn for yourself the true hypocrisy in the fact they insist on calling themselves by that title.
Don't believe the hype,
-Malvado The Sound Vandal
Hmmm...
ReplyDelete1. "Malvado" isn't from Riverwest.
2. Malvado hasn't read my book. And why would sugar coating it make it sell better? Quite the opposite.
3. Malvado has done little to shoddy research on this subject, making his use of words like "most" uninformed. He's telling you how these people act, based on stuff he's seen on the internet. I've seen it first hand.
4. More on "vigilantism" next week.
5. Malvado claims to have a persona of 1-3 imaginary apes.
P.S. And I guess he was trying to insult me (not sure) by saying that "only Brits and Faggots like Tea."
ReplyDeleteHow do you like that line, Riverwest?
I think Tea is a pretty cool guy, he puts up with crazy RLSHs and doesn't afraid of anything.
ReplyDelete(Srsly, he's gathered mind-boggling information at a fairly dear price (his sanity). If we were a postmodern artsy comic book? He'd be gonzo-esque title character. It's kind of scary.)
I'd like to point out that of the three RLSHs in the Milwaukee area, none of us are carrying deadly weapons and we act completely within the law. We have spoken to the police and have been assured that we are doing nothing illegal.
ReplyDeleteI believe the people of Riverwest are intelligent enough to do their own research, Tea. They don't need you to hold their hand and show them only the bright, pretty side of this "movement".
ReplyDeleteI really could care less how you try and slander me, Sasquatch. It's more important to me that your neighbors get information first-hand and do their own homework on this subject instead of having it spoon-fed to them by someone trying to hype up their soon to be dollar-bin book.
Be smart, Riverwest. We have police departments for a reason.
-Malvado SV
Grodd, you've been aware of and talking about the RLSH community for what, all of a month now? At most?
ReplyDeleteYou're the authority on a community that you don't even bother to research yourself? I love you guys that think you're so radical and informed, you guys who only do just enough research to win an argument that you start in the first place to make yourself look like you're actually doing something, ANYTHING other than sitting on your ass and type type typing, harassing people online ONLY because you can't stand the rest of your crappy, limited life.
And YOU are the one that put yourself there. There is a real world. Quit your bitching and go do something nice for someone, it'll make you feel better, I promise.
As for the good people of Riverwest being informed, I stop and talk to people all the time while on patrols. In discussing what we'd like to accomplish in Riverwest, I've brought up talking to people in the community. We want to speak with these people, and if people want to meet with me to find out what I'm all about and discuss what we can do together to better the community, I'm all for it.
ReplyDeleteWatchman, you keep your superhero wits about you and don't lose your cool like our friends here. For that, you have my respect.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm afraid I don't have any respect for are people like Z and Tea (hey that rhymes, maybe you two should finally get married) whom nag-nag-nag-nag about my "lack research" when they know absolutely nothing about me or my exploits. I understand that is the best weapon you two have against me, it's just too bad you're shooting blanks. :)
I still love you, though.
-Malvado SV
It's not a weapon, bozo. It's us pointing out the obvious.
ReplyDeleteMan, you are thick.
I am Captain Australia, and I was surprised to learn about other people around the world creating uniforms and sharing my Quest.
ReplyDeleteWhy waste our time arguing and debating when we could be fighting the good fight ?
There is great hubris in taking the title 'hero' onto yourself, and in many cases it would seem that the label is undeserved.
Do you think a hero would sit around on the internet debating and bandying insults with a so-called villain who has too much time on their hands ?
If you're genuinely interested in joining my Quest, contact me at helpme@captainaustralia.net.
Your friend,
Captain Australia
Just to correct you, slander is spoken, libel is written.
ReplyDeleteI think all this started because I told you to "grow up."
But after reading this line:
"Z and Tea (hey that rhymes, maybe you two should finally get married)"
I got to ask- are you actually a 15 year old kid? Because if you are, I feel bad for riling you up.
Oh, and G'day Captain! Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteG'day Citizen Tea
ReplyDelete(Personally I like your name, it strikes me as unique and stylish).
Directed at the 'heroes' in dialogue with the 'villains':
When dealing with Grodd/Maldavo and other so-called Villains, my personal suggestion is honesty and courtesy. Certainly, they will go out of his way to insult you, but I'd pose a very important question:
Should you really lower yourself to the level of your assailant ? (Being a hero is not about the-ends-justify-the-means, its about holding the moral high ground and always being held accountable for your conduct as a role model).
Treat him with honesty and integrity and you might just win him over.
Unless, of course, you're not serious about what you are doing - if you're just playing games, by all means continue to do so.
Otherwise, join me in my Quest, lets team up and change the world.
Your friend,
Captain Australia
I think that these superheroes are very brave! Taking this kind of action & not simply complaining about crime is admirable.
ReplyDeleteI worry about their safety, however.
What a great idea--my life is inspired!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWow, you are really taking the concept of RLSV to a new low.
ReplyDeleteI'm so shocked!
ReplyDeleteOh wait, no I'm not, because calling someone a pedophile when you have no idea who they are is pretty stupid.
I do have a serious question though- how is "sugar coating" this story going to help sell it? I really, actually would like to know. Because you know what sells? Tabloids. Stories about Britney Spears looking fat, or drunk celebrities, or machete style unauthorized biographies and tell alls.
Tea and others, I would not allow yourselves to get too riled up over the words of the Babbling Baboon (or the Limp Chimp... I have not decided which one to go with yet). I mean how sad is it that he has to turn to these chronic lack of information attacks against the RLSH community and a writer who has GONE OUT ON THE FIELD AND DONE HIS RESEARCH. Hell, as distasteful as it is to me he even went and interviewed the Potentate, Agent Berylium, and the Aluminum Chef about the movement and they are RLSVs. What the Baboon clearly seems afraid of is that their are alot of positive elements within the RLSH community that he does not want the book to reveal because that weakens his "villain" stance regarding the matter. As for his research I have yet his research, unless he considers research to be venomous name-calling, cheap verbal theatrics, and constantly falling back on the "oh but I'm a villain so I can do whatever I want" premise.
ReplyDeleteTea, good luck with your book my friend. Do what makes you happy and tell your story. Do not let desperate, scared, and ill-informed simians whose pattern of logic seem barely intelligent enough to peel a banana deter you. I'm not so delusional as to think that I will like everything said in the book but I am confident that you will tell your story with honesty and integrity.
By the way Tea when you get a chance take a look at something called the "Bystander Effect" and consider it with regards to the concept of RLSH and patrols. And I agree with Agent Berylium Tea in that you're a pretty cool guy. I mean, you put ridiculous RLSVs, including crazy angry spiteful male RLSVs who pretend to be apes.
And really Malvado, congratulations. You really are making the RLSV community look even more absurd than it already is. It didn't have alot of credibility to start with and the more you say the more credibility you chip away.
As a Riverwesterner, I'd like to thank the heroes for patrolling. Anyone walking around at night with other people's safety in mind is good for the neighborhood, masks or not.
ReplyDeleteGrodd, for real, you aren't a teen? I'd love to unleash blog comment mayhem on you, but I hate to think of you sitting at your little desk in homeroom, sobbing your eyes out because of cyber-bullying.
Nice work on the blog, Krulos!
-Beth
You can all be better than this.
ReplyDeleteCA
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete@Tea: You're my hero!! <3
ReplyDelete@Grodd: Eat a big bag of dicks.
Tea. Just erase his comments, now. He's just a rude prick, there's nothing to be gained here other than understanding the turmoil caused by flame wars.
ReplyDeleteDon't even give him the space to talk, man.
Comments from "Malvado" containing sexual harassment and most likely all future comments will be deleted.
ReplyDeleteThis is because someone from Riverwest told me that they would have commented here but were concerned Malvado would follow them and sexually harass them elsewhere online.
That really is unfortunate since I would much, much, much rather hear those opinions. I should have put a halt to this flaming earlier.
P.S.
ReplyDeleteI was reluctant to this earlier because I hate deleting comments, blocking people, etc.
However I also don't want people visiting this site to feel intimidated to share their opinions.
I have no issues with people sharing opinions, even unpopular ones, but there's a difference between sharing opinions and straight up harassment.
You do see the glaring contradiction in censorship with the intent to foster open communication, I hope ?
ReplyDeleteThat said, you probably made the right decision. It's a shame that strife and politics bubble up wherever people gather.
If only we could resolve our differences with a frank exchange of views .. but I will admit that some problems are only solved by repeatedly punching somebody.
Your friend,
Captain Australia
Captain,
ReplyDeleteI do see the contradiction. I do not like censorship.
However, my blog is not a litmus test to see how many stupid, obscene sexual comments can fit into a comment section.
Thank you, though, for bringing optimism and enthuiasm with you. It is great to hear from you.
Minor clarification regarding a comment above made by the bitter simian.
ReplyDeleteVigilantism is illegal. However, the RLSH by and large do not practice vigilantism. They stay within the boundaries of the Citizens Arrest and Good Samaritan laws which ARE legal. Therefore as long as they act within the boundaries of these LEGAL parameters their conduct in the eyes of the LAW is LEGAL. But I've mentioned this countless times to the big ape but he seems driven to ignore anything that would defeat his already weak argument.
And Tea, I do not like censorship anymore than you do. However if someone takes it upon themselves to be abusive just for the sake of being an ass and offers nothing redeeming to a conversation then you are well within your right to remove their comments from YOUR blog.
And Captain Australia, good luck up there friend. I doubt you will be able to reform RLSVs like the simian simpleton but your desire to do so is admirable.
I would also like to mention that during Malvado SV's last blog talk radio show he was 1/2 an hour late to his own show. The reason for this which he admitted openly and on the air was that he was too busy getting blasted drunk and smoking pot and forgot at what time his show was starting. So Tea the next time he comes at you riding on his moral high horse take this into consideration. I mean you just gotta love a monkey who complains about RLSH activity and calls it illegal and yet he admits to being intoxicated and smoking pot on a live internet blog cast. ;)
ReplyDeleteI thought I would share the 5 comments left on a Riverwest social site to lighten the tone. I just deleted the people's names.
ReplyDeleteRW poster 1: I wouldn't want to be a criminal in Riverwest if it meant that Tea might jump out of the shadows dressed as Batman at me.
RW poster 2: lol @ (RW poster 1)
RW poster 3: clay. the first supahero (note: That’s a Riverwest inside joke. Clay was a familiar face in the neighborhood; an elderly man usually found hanging around Center street. He died a couple years ago.)
RW poster 4: i support! & would offer refreshments
RW poster 5: I love this idea. It would make me feel safer.
Clay *was* a superhero. He held his territory together.
ReplyDelete