Shadowhare stands for hope
“A vigilante is just a man lost in the scramble for his own gratification. He can be destroyed, or locked up. But if you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal, and if they can’t stop you, then you become something else entirely.”
Ra’s Al Ghul (Liam Neeson) in “Batman Begins” (2005)
In a difficult world where true justice seems distant from the lives of those without the capital to keep it on retainer, what can be done to right wrongs? Clearly there are many ways to answer this question. It is equally clear that each answer raises its own set of questions. Is representative government and law enforcement enough to answer the cries of the oppressed? Will a moral system derived from humanity’s genetic imperative brace us against the cold, hard reality of a violent world? Will improved economies satisfy the lust of those who feel it is their right to take from the weak? Or will those fighting to survive between paychecks be forced by a deepening recession into a quick payday loan and debt relief dependency?
An urban superhero
There is a noble strength within us; all we have to do is find the courage. Then we can use it to aid those in need. That is exactly whatShadowhare is trying to do.
Eric Flack reports for NBC WLWT 5 that Cincinnati police have a new ally in their fight against crime named Shadowhare. However, they might prefer him to remain on the sidelines, regardless of the good he aims to do. Concealed by costume, he and a local Allegiance of Heroes has taken it upon themselves to fight crime and injustice.
“We help enforce the law by doing what we can in legal standards, so we carry handcuffs, pepper spray… all the legal weapons,” said Shadowhare. “We will do citizen’s arrests. We will intervene on crimes if there is one happening in front of us.”
Keeping hope alive
The man behind the mask is 21 years old and from Milford, Ohio. That is all that authorities currently known about him. He has revealed that he was abused as a child and grew up in foster homes. If this is true, it could begin to explain his motivation for wanting to help others.
“My message to Cincinnati is that there is still hope and all we have to do is stand together,” he said.
A team of heroes
Shadowhare isn’t alone in his mission. He counts himself the leader of an Allegiance of Heroes that currently consists of a group of men and one woman. Members including Aclyptico (Pennsylvania), Wall Creeper (Colorado), Master Legend (Florida) and Mr. Extreme (San Diego, California) remain in contact via online forums. They often patrol in pairs.
According to Flack, it is legal in Ohio and Kentucky to make a citizens arrest, but the arresting citizen must be careful when invoking that right. Why? Because the arresting party can face civil litigation if the accused is found not guilty.
Isn’t it dangerous?
Fighting crime can indeed be dangerous. Conventional law enforcement wouldn’t have you believe otherwise. Shadowhare claims he suffered a dislocated shoulder after attempting to aid a woman who was being attacked. Another time, he partnered with Mr. Extreme in an attempt to track down “a rapist.”
Unfortunately, as a citizen exercising his right to make his community a better place, Shadowhare hasn’t always been taken seriously by police. Perhaps this is understandable, as many would scoff at the idea of patrolling the city in a costume straight out of lucha libre (see Shadowhare’s MySpace picture above). However, I find the spirit behind what Shadowhare is attempting to do to be inspiring.
Whether or not you don a mask and cape, are you working to make your community a better place? If you have the ability to rise up and do more to help those in need, do you do it? Being an urban superhero is one thing, if it is within your power to do so and you obey the laws of your city. However, being a hero in any way improves our quality of life.
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