I have a ton of things to blog about and not near enough time. So please forgive me because I’m about to ramble, but hope to drive a couple of points into a few RLSH people’s heads. Most of you know this already, so I hope it doesn’t apply to you.
I’ve had fantastic patrols in Minneapolis with the Great Lakes Alliance and also in Madison, Wisconsin with the Challengers. There was a photograpy student who was working on her thesis and wanted to build it around Real-Life Superheroes. And she told me much later that she tried to contact every RLSH she knew of.
http://hydrogen-jukebox.org/portfolio/rlsh/
And then she said that no one other than me responded. I don’t know who else was contacted, but that really disappointed me that she hadn’t even heard back from any other one of us.
Are we that paranoid that you can’t help a student get her Masters Degree in photojournalism?
I look at being a Real Life Superhero as a mission of trying to help people. Anyone. Everyone. And we need to look at that from a lot of perspectives. You don’t just help people who are sitting on a street corner on the cold sidewalk wearing essentially rags. Of course, that’s an easy red flag for anyone of us. But it’s not the end.
You might also need to help someone in business dress-clothes who forgot their keys. You might help a woman who is in fear of walking down the street for the possibility of being raped. Is there an elderly couple you see going down the wrong neighborhood that they’re not familiar with? Just tail them from a distance, without freaking them out, but still watching their safe passage.
And if we can help a college student graduate…
THAT’S OUR JOB.
No related posts.
Agreed!
Though, that’s easy for me to say. She didn’t contact me, I’m nowhere near MN, and I wouldn’t be very interesting photographically, since I’m usually not in costume.
-Rook
Yes We must help innocent People. Like the blind Man waiting at the Bus Stop Who was mugged and robbed of His Laptop by 4-5 young thungs. Like the innocent kid who had His brains blown out in a drive by. Like the Pedophiles who break their parole and rape/kill an innocent child. Oh, sorry Me I forgot, the RLSH doesn’t go after These kind of Criminals.
I too agree with every word. But I too live way down in St. Petersburg, so I presume I am out of reach. I’d be happy to do any interviews via email if that’s possible.
Knight-Hood
Do you need a side kick
In this case, the student traveled from Ohio to meet us, so really, she was hoping to hear from anyone. I can’t remember if I asked her who else she contacted.
Some of her cool pics are posted at: http://hydrogen-jukebox.org/portfolio/rlsh/
Heya Gil: I don’t really believe in side kicks, Bud. I believe in partners and teammates, though!
Drunknown: I’m not sure if you actually know my history of having tracked serial criminals. Maybe you should read my old myspace blogs before you criticize my history. What you see here on this site is only what’s been happening lately. Stick around and check things out from time to time and then you might see what we’re all about over time.
Hi, I’m a fresh out of the oven superhero and I’m struggling with how to become a true part of the RLS community and learn the ropes. But I live in Chandler, Arizona and so I’m not near any superhero or superhero group that I know of. I would LOVE to meet with one of the experienced RLS members or watch them do their job for a while so that I can know where to start at in my new adventure, you guys are SOOOO cool!!!!.
Any suggestions????
Thanks,
The Blazing Blitz
When I started out, the Green Scorpion was in Arizona. Haven’t heard from him in years, but I know he was serious. Do you ever get over to Salt Lake City where you could meet or tag around with the Black Monday Society? They’re awesome guys.
no one tried me, i would be happy to ablige
KV My Friend,
I’m honored to call you a friend.
I’m surprised you weren’t one of those contacted, but also am reassured that you would help anyone in need, even from unexpected points of view. I know you and your beliefs for what we can do as individuals as well as a group of individuals. I know that you respect individual beliefs while you also see the need for the common good of everyone. In other words, “You’re Rockin’ On!” in my book, Knight Vig!
Any visit and voice of reason is always a good one from you, My Friend.
________
I don’t mean to dwell on this (as any of my momentary blog-points seem to do while hanging around online), but I’m basically saying is that we all might find that people in need of our help aren’t always what we’re looking for.
We all need to be ready to help in unexpected ways.
A couple of years ago, I was being tracked by a couple of student filmmakers. They were in my car. We hadn’t traveled more than six blocks while our introductions were still underway and I spotted something. Not huge, but something that I could help with. There was a “gracefully-aging” lady trying to load a large piece of furniture into the back of her vehicle by herself.
I pulled the car over. One of the student guys said, “Wait! I’m not finished loading the camera.” I had time to reply, “Guys, if you’re with me, you’re going to have to move faster than that. And I ‘m not about to let you slow me down.”
I ran out in full-costume and helped the lady with her heavy furniture and she thanked me. I said something like, “I’m Geist. I’m a Real-Life Superhero and I’m here to help.” and she said, “I know, I’ve heard about you.”
For me, that was like a “Wow” moment. But I got over it fast and with humility.
The point is, that we often look to fight Dr. Octopus and don’t see the need to help the person who needs help lifting something. Helping is helping and still heroic work to those who need help.
I fully expect RLSHs to engage in these types of activities. You’re a good man for not disregarding this. I respect you.
Thank you. It’s very kind of you to say.
If/when I am a Real life Superhero, I could only hope to be contacted by someone in need of a report, and while it does make sense to help her out, I would still be slightly paranoid about it, after all, who knows what could happen.
I’m sorry, but I think that’s part of the problem, really. I mean, realistically, what could happen? Too many of us think that there might be supervillains out to “get us.” That’s really far from reality. I’ve yet to regret working with anyone I’ve had a good feeling about as a person.
Hey Geist, I gotta say. Your, like, the coolest superhero out there. Even better than batman! I’m 12 years old and my parents don’t believe in you guys. But I look up to you so much. Someday, when I’m a movie producer, I’ll make a movie about you called, The Geist: Revenge of The Black Moth!
Cool! Make sure to get me a ticket and some popcorn!
I would deffenitly go and watch a R.L.S.H movie any day.But,they’ll probably make a Pheonix Jones movie before any of us…considering how popular he is,and that they know his I.D. It’s hard to make a movie about someone that you don’t know half their life.Especialy since backstories are so important to super hero movies.
hay guys,blackdog phantom here.just to say keep up the good work.
I think I am too late for interviews heh. But I agree with you.
I agree Geist. We RLSH shouldn’t restrain ourselves to only one type of heroic action.We have the potential to do so much good in the world.It could be from stoping car-jackers to saving a cat stuck in a tree,from catching purse snatchers to finding out where a drug deal is taking place,from feeding the homless to just asking someone how there day is going.It only takes one man to make a difference.Good job Geist for being one of those men who makes a difference in peoples lives,keep up the good work.
Geist, you are truly too kind. First I should say that there are incredibly more wonderful RLSH around than I first realized. Second, I think I found the absolute perfect group to hang out with for that project. I had an absolutely phenomenal time, it opened my eyes to so much, and an A- on top of that!
Hey, that’s great, Heather! Awesome work. I’m so glad.
Hey I might not be a active hero yet but I try without my costume and I have to say, you are the coolest RLSH I have heard about!
I have to ask what started this whole thing? When I was a kid my friend Frost and I were planning on becoming RLSH but we never knew about this until last year…. Idk if Frost even knows about this but he has my back.
Is there any advice that you can share with the new guy?
Always remember to never stand inbetween your enemy and your freind. If the assailant is carrying a gun and fire your direction.Then your partner will not see it coming.Causing him or her to get shot.So never stand between your partner and the crook.
Cool, My Friends.
Heck, I’m just a guy doing what I can do.
Hmmm… DarkTiger asked what started this whole thing? That’s hard to say and I think the answer is probably different for each of us. And I have like a dozen reasons and they’re each true, each part of the puzzle. But I think in the months and years after 9/11/2001 a lot of us realized that we couldn’t sit around and do nothing anymore. Apathy was no longer an answer nor excuse.