For those of us watching Smallville this season, one of the ongoing story lines is public and government reaction to masked vigilantes. As young people growing up and into their abilities, we’ve witnessed every day people like Clark Kent, Oliver Queen and Arthur Curry take on the mantle of justice fighters, defending people in the name of Truth and Justice. In previous seasons, we saw the Justice Society of America and the scandal that put them out of the superhero business and now, as a new Justice League is forming, we see similar rumblings both pro- and anti-vigilante.
In a case of life imitating art here in my home state, a group of citizens has banded together to create their own team of superheroes patrolling the streets of Seattle. The Rain City Superhero Movement is a collection of masked vigilantes with military, martial arts and other special abilities. Seattle isn’t the only place you’ll find these Real Life Super Heroes, and it’s not a new movement. Heroes from all over the world are taking an active part in trying to improve the life of citizens in their communities, not only by fighting crime but hunger, disease, poverty and every other blight on humanity. Sometimes these heroes are praised for their efforts, and other times they are criticized or even mocked.
In a time when governments are failing to protect us, the interests of corporations have more weight then the needs of people, and apathy rules supreme, maybe now, more than ever, Real Life Super Heroes are needed. Maybe you can’t immobilize a thug with two fingers or take down a purse snatcher with a bola, but you can get involved and do something, however small, to improve the lives of the people in your community. From donating your time to feed the hungry at the local food shelter or helping build a home for a low income family, to raking an elderly neighbor’s lawn or participating in an AIDS or Cancer Walk, there are many things you can do to help improve someone’s life, not by spending money, which most of us don’t have much of, but time, which we spend too much of on frivolous things.
Have you thought about embracing your inner hero?
You can learn more about Real Life Super Heroes here:
The Real Life Super Hero Project
Real Life Superheroes.org
The Real Life Super Hero Project on Twitter
The Real Life Super Hero Project on Facebook
Real Life Superheroes Registry
Real Life Super Hero Manual
If you are looking for ways you can be a superhero without taking on an alter ego, check out these sites:
Rebuilding Together
Habitat for Humanity
AIDS Walk
Feeding America
Teachers Without Borders
MAP International
American Wildlife Foundation
Adopt a Highway
These are just a few of thousands of organizations, both local and international, that are doing good things that you can be a part of. Maybe you aren’t ready to save the world yet, but doing something in your own neck of the woods is a good place to start.