Vigilante

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For other uses, see Vigilante (disambiguation).
Image:Baldknobbersrr.jpg
The Bald Knobbers, an 1880s vigilante group from Missouri.

A vigilante is a person who ignores due process of law and enacts his/her own form of justice when they deem the response of the authorities to be insufficient. Several groups and individuals have been labeled as vigilantes by various historians and media. Vigilantes have been central to several creative fictional works and are often depicted as being heroes and retaliatory against wrongdoers.

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[edit] Etymology

The term vigilante is Spanish for "watchman" or "watcher," ultimately from Latin "vigilans"- the present participle of "vigilare" (to watch). It was introduced into English from the southwestern United States. Vigilantism is generally denounced by official agencies, especially when it gives way to criminal behavior on the part of the vigilante.

[edit] Vigilante behavior

An impetus of vigilant behavior must exist to facilitate a subjective definition of vigilantism.

"Vigilante justice" is usually spurred on by the perception that criminal punishment is insufficient or nonexistent to the crime. Some people see their governments as ineffective in enforcing the law; thus, such individuals fulfill the like-minded wishes of the community. In other instances, a person may choose a role of vigilante as a result of personal experience as opposed to a social demand.

Persons seen as escaping from the law, or "above the law" are generally the targets of vigilantism.[1] It may target persons or organizations involved in illegal activities in general or it may be aimed against a specific group or type of activity, e.g. corrupt police.

Vigilante behavior may differ in degree of violence. In some cases vigilantes may assault targets verbally, terrorize victims, perform inhumane acts, or may exhibit no violence at all, choosing other means of pressuring the target.

[edit] History

Vigilantism existed long before the word vigilante was introduced into the English language. In the Western literary and cultural tradition, characteristics of vigilantism have often been noted as folkloric heroes and legendary outlaws (e.g., Robin Hood[2]). Vigilantism in literature, folklore and legend is deeply connected to the fundamental issues of morality, the nature of justice, the limits of bureaucratic authority and the ethical function of legitimate governance.

[edit] Colonial era

Formally-defined vigilantism arose in the early North American colonies. In these instances, the line between "taking the law into one's own hands," and rebellion or tyrannicide (to destroy an abusive corruption of a legitimate government and vindicate moral ends) was not clear.

  • Established the mid-18th century, for instance, the Regulator movement of American colonial times was composed of citizen volunteers of the frontier who opposed official misconduct and extrajudicially punished banditry.

[edit] 19th century

Image:Lynching-of-casey-and-cora.jpg
A lynching carried out by the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1856.

Later in America, vigilante groups established themselves in poorly governed frontier areas where criminals preyed upon the citizenry with impunity.[3]

  • In the 1850s, the San Francisco Vigilance Movement was an example of secretive groups of vigilantes who cleaned up city streets of crime with a segment focused against immigrants.[4]
  • Active in 1883-1889, the Bald Knobbers were masked men who retaliated against invading marauders and drove out outlaws in Taney County.

[edit] 20th century

  • In the 1920s, the Big Sword Society of China protected life and property in a state of anarchy.
  • Founded in 1979 in New York City, the Guardian Angels is a recognized crime fighting organization that now has chapters in many other cities. It has sometimes been incorrectly called a vigilante organization. Safety Patrol members are instructed to call police, are trained in basic first aid, CPR, law, conflict resolution, communication, and basic martial arts, and are prohibited from carrying weapons.
  • Recognized since the 1980s, Sombra Negra or "Black Shadow" of El Salvador is a group of mostly retired police officers and military personnel whose sole duty is to cleanse the country of "impure" social elements. Along with several other organizations, Sombra Negra are a remnant of the death squads from the civil war of the 1970s and 1980s.[5]
  • In 1984, Bernhard Goetz entered a subway train in New York and was surrounded by a group. He shot all four, fled the scene, and was called "the subway vigilante" by some media.
  • Known since 1995, the Davao Death Squad of present-day Davao City, Philippines unleashed a killing spree aimed at the city's (supposed) notorious criminals (and children) by unknown motorcycle riding vigilantes.
  • Formed since 1996, the People Against Gangsterism and Drugs of Cape Town, South Africa fights drugs and gangsterism in their region.
  • Formed since 1998, the Bakassi Boys of Nigeria were viewed as the frontmen in lowering the regions high crime when police were ineffective.

[edit] 21st century (present day)

  • Formed since 2000, Ranch Rescue is a still functioning organization in the southwest United States ranchers call upon to forcibly remove illegal aliens and squatters off their property.
  • In the early decade of 2000, after the September 11 attacks, Jonathan Idema, a self-proclaimed vigilante, entered Afghanistan and captured many people he claimed to be terrorists. Idema claimed he was collaborating with, and supported by the United States Government. He even sold news-media outlets tapes that he claimed showed an Al Qaeda training camp in action. His operations ended abruptly when he was arrested with his partners in 2004 and sentenced to 10 years in a notorious Afghan prison, before being pardoned in 2007.
  • Operated since 2002, perverted-justice.com opponents have accused the website of being modern day cyber vigilantes.[6]
  • In 2005, vigilantism was observed after the destruction of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina, as individuals took vigil over their private homes to protect them from looters, since local police were preoccupied dealing with large numbers of displaced citizens.[7]
  • In late 2006, reports began to surface in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania of criminal activity being subjugated through vigilante style justice rumored to be linked to activist/hip-hop group "Truth Nation".[citation needed]

In Northern Ireland Vigilantism has been observed against drug dealers and Paedophiles. In one such case a known Paedophile who had been released from prison early, was kidnapped by a group of men dressed in black clothing and balaclavas, much like the Provisional IRA or UVF, stabbed twice, put in the back of a Ford Transit van where four Bull Mastiff dogs were waiting for him, he was then driven around Belfast and Derry for two hours, while the dogs mauled him, he was then dumped in the verges of a dual carriageway. He survived.

  • On November 14th, 2007, in Pasadena, Texas, 61 year old retiree Joe Horn shot and killed two men who were burglarizing his neighbor's home while a 911 operator begged him to stay in his home and wait for police.
  • In 2007, religious vigilantes in the southern Iraqi city of Basrain warning against "violating Islamic teachings" killed at least 40 women not wearing traditional dress and head scarves.[8]

[edit] Works of fiction

[edit] In cinema

The Hollywood vigilante had its development in the 1960s[9] and 1970s[10] at a time when the cop or detective story was popular. There was a change in the film industry, change in self regulation in the industry, and change in American values all which opened up production to violent content without completely banning it or censoring it to viewers making way for a "vigilante cop."[9] These cops are said to express unrelenting and uncompromising violence towards anyone who got in between both the vigilante cop and criminal that broke laws to accomplish their objectives.[9]

A prime example of vigilantism in movies is the film The Boondock Saints. It depicts the story two enraged Bostonian Irishmen who, believing themselves to be on a mission from God, indiscriminately kill anyone involved in organized crime. This film has become something of a cult classic because of the righteous indignation it often spurns in viewers, and the fantastic violence which the vigilantes turn upon those they judge to be morally bankrupt.

[edit] In television

[edit] In literature

Hard Candy (2006) film

[edit] In comic books

Vigilantism in the comic book arena has its basic concepts in several fictional genres, including stories published in dime novels and comic books. Many of the heroes of pulp fiction and comic book superheroes are vigilantes because they operate outside the law in order to combat lawlessness. In fact, virtually any superhero can be considered a vigilante if he or she is not acting under the direct authority of a law enforcement agency or other government body.

A key example is Watchmen, a DC Comics limited series of the late 1980s written by Alan Moore, in which superheroes are portrayed by society and government as illegal vigilantes. Also of note is the DC comic book character of the 1940s and revived in the 1980s, the Vigilante.

[edit] In video games

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Harris, Bronwyn (May 2001). "As for Violent Crime that's our Daily Bread": Vigilante violence during South Africa's period of transition.
  2. ^ Mark D. Meyerson, Daniel Thiery (2004-11-01). A Great Effusion of Blood?: Interpreting Medieval Violence.
  3. ^ Mullen, Kevin. Malachi Fallon First Chief of Police.
  4. ^ Hine, Kelly D. (1998). VIGILANTISM REVISITED: AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE LAW OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SELF-HELP OR WHY CAN’T DICK SHOOT HENRY FOR STEALING JANE’S TRUCK?.
  5. ^ Gutiérrez, Raúl (2007-09-04). RIGHTS-EL SALVADOR: Death Squads Still Operating. Inter Press Service.
  6. ^
  7. ^ Koritz, Richard A. (October 2006). Hurricane Katrina Revisited: Twenty-first Century Lynching and Land-stealing. Greensboro Times.
  8. ^ Vigilantes Kill 40 Women in Iraq's South [1]
  9. ^ a b c Gates, Philippa. A Brief History of the Detective Film.
  10. ^ Gates, Philippa. Cop Action Films.

[edit] External links

fr:Auto-justice id:Vigilante it:Giustiziere ja:自警団 no:Selvtekt sv:Vigilant

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