Vigilantism: Difference between revisions

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It has been suggested that this article be merged with Vigilance Committee and Talk:Vigilante#Merge. (Discuss) Proposed since February 2008.

A vigilante is a person who ignores due process of law and enacts his 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.

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 frowned upon by official agencies, especially when it gives way to criminal behavior on the part of the vigilante.

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. police corruption.

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.

John Longenecker, author of The Case For Nationwide Concealed Carry of Handguns, has a different take, and explains why the term Vigilante cannot apply to individuals who resist in self-defense. Longenecker points to the underhanded activities that earned the Vigilantes their place in history by intimidating the abolitionists who opposed Slavery. Longenecker says what meets the test of Vigilante:

1. The acts would have to be outside the law, as in acting without court order or other lawful action. Legally, individuals may intervene to stop a crime in progress. But, where operating without authority was what Vigilante was all about, enforcing the law or responding in self-defense does have authority in the U.S.
2. The acts would have to be without a redeeming social purpose, i.e. cannot be a mistake, for instance.
3. The acts would have to be unrighteous, such as a wrong act fighting for a wrong cause. Keeping slavery alive would be one such example.
4. The acts would have to include a killing, and an unlawful killing at that.
5. The acts would have to be a conspiracy, or some sort of committee action which escalates the hasty, mob rule mentality with little restraint.

"Fundamentally," Longenecker explains, "Vigilante was killing to silence people for political purposes." Self-defense cannot be vigilante because individuals may use up to lethal force when in reasonable apprehension of grave danger. They are thereby not taking the law into their own hands when lethal force is allowed.

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 in 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.

During medieval times, punishment of felons was sometimes exercised by such secret societies as the courts of the Vehm (cf. the medieval Sicilian Vendicatori), a type of early vigilante organization, which became extremely powerful in Westphalian Germany during the 15th century.

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.

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]
• In 1868 between 60 and 70 vigilantes broke into the New Albany, Indiana jail and lynched three Reno Brothers.
• Active in 1883-1889, the Bald Knobbers were masked men who retaliated against invading marauders and drove out outlaws in Taney County.

• In the 1920s, the Big Sword Society of China protected life and property in a state of anarchy.
• Formed in 1977, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been increasingly active against whaling and fishing vessels which they see as violating international laws, regulations and treaties, particularly where whaling is concerned. It endorses an active policy of scuttling fishing and whaling vessels while in harbor, and ramming and sinking vessels engaged in the killing of whales. A tally on the side of the Sea Shepherd vessel Farley Mowat displays the ten whaling vessels (referred to as "Pirates" by the society) sent to the bottom by Sea Shepherds:

1979 – the whaler Sierra rammed and sunk in Portugal;

1980 – the whalers Isba I and Isba II sunk in Vigo, Spain;

1980 – the whalers Susan and Theresa sunk in South Africa;

1981 – the whaling ships Hvalur 6 and Hvalur 7 sunk in Iceland;

1992 – the whaler Nybraena sunk in Norway;

1994 – the whaler Senet sunk in Norway;

1998 – the whaler Morild sunk in Norway.

• 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 region's high crime when police were ineffective.

• 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.
• 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 had been released from prison early, kidnapped by a group of men dressed in black clothing and balaclavas, much like the Provisional IRA or UVF. He was stabbed twice, then, 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.
• 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.^[6]
• The Minuteman Project, a group created to deter illegal aliens and drug smugglers from entering the United States, was criticized for making citizen arrests.

The Hollywood vigilante had its development in the 1960s^[7] and 1970s^[8] at a time when the cop or detective story was popular and replacing the Western (genre) in popularity where vigilantism often occurred. 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."^[7] 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.^[7]

A prime example of vigilantism in movies is the film The Boondock Saints. It depicts the story of 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 spurs in viewers, and the fantastic violence which the vigilantes turn upon those they judge to be morally bankrupt.

• The Vigilante (1947)
• Jimmy Hollywood (1994)
• Coffy (1973)
• Walking Tall (1973 and 2004)
• Magnum Force (Dirty Harry 2) (1973)
• Death Wish (1974) and its sequels Death Wish II (1981), Death Wish 3 (1985), Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987), and Death Wish V: The Face of Death (1994)
• Street Law (1974)
• Taxi Driver (1976)
• Vigilante Force (1976)
• The Exterminator (1980)
• Vigilante (1983)
• Exterminator 2 (1984)
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
• Above the Law (1988)
• Batman (1989) and its sequels Batman Returns (1992), Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997)
• The Punisher (1989 and 2004)
• Falling Down (1993)
• Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
• Leon aka The Professional (1994)
• The Crow (1994)
• Eye for an Eye (1996)
• A Time to Kill (1996)
• The Boondock Saints (1999)
• Chopper (2000)
• Unbreakable (2000)
• Kiss of the Dragon (2001)
• Skins (2002)
• The Transporter (2002)
• A Man Apart (2003)
• Daredevil (2003)
• Suspect Zero (2004)
• Dead Man's Shoes (2004)
• Man on Fire (2004)
• Batman Begins (2005) and its sequel The Dark Knight (2008)
• The Devil's Rejects (2005)
• Sin City (2005)
• Hard Candy (2005)
• V for Vendetta (2006)
• Lucky Number Slevin (2006)
• Outlaw (2007)
• Hannibal Rising (2007)
• Hot Fuzz (2007)
• Death Sentence (2007)
• Shooter (2007)
• The Brave One (2007)
• TMNT (2007)

• The Equalizer (1985-1989)
• Bubblegum Crisis (1987)
• Tales from the Crypt (TV series) "The Man Who Was Death" episode (1989-1996)
• Bubblegum Crash (1991)
• Dark Justice (1991-1993)
• Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)
• Swat Kats (1993-1995)
• Bubblegum Crisis 2040 (1997-1998)
• Mezzo Forte / Mezzo DSA (1998/2001)
• Vengeance Unlimited (1998-1999)
• Angel (TV series) (1999-2004)
• Dark Angel (2000-2002)
• 24 (TV series) (2001-Present)
• Birds of Prey (2002-2003)
• Death Note (2003-2006)
• The 4400 (2004-Present). Season 1, Episode 2. Improved Carl Morrissey cleans the Bradley Park in order to bring it back to its old state.
• Supernatural (TV series) (2005-Present)
• Jericho (2006-Present)
• Dexter (2006-Present)

• The Virginian by Owen Wister (1902) is the first American western novel based on the theme of "frontier justice."
• Blue Belle (1988) by Andrew Vachss
• Without Remorse by Tom Clancy is explicitly about an ex-US Navy SEAL wiping out a gang of drug dealers.
• Darkly Dreaming Dexter (2004), Dearly Devoted Dexter (2005), and Dexter in the Dark (2007) by Jeff Lindsay, with adapted TV series Dexter (2006), are all about fictional character Dexter Morgan who by day is a blood splatter expert for the Miami-Dade Police Department and by night hunts down and kills those who he feels "deserve to die."
• A Stout Cord and a Good Drop by James Gaitis (Globe Pequot 2006) is a lengthy literary work of historical fiction based on a rigorous analysis of the facts associated with the Montana Vigilantes, the infamous Montana hanging spree of 1863-64, and the foundation of the Montana Territory in the midst of the American Civil War.

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.

• Batman
• Daredevil
• Death Note
• Doc Savage
• The Punisher
• The Shadow
• Spider-Man
• Superman
• V for Vendetta

• Renegade (1986)
• Double Dragon (1987)
• Vigilante (1988)
• River City Ransom (1989)
• Final Fight (1989)
• Streets of Rage (1991)
• Final Fight 2 (1993)
• Final Fight 3 (1995)
• Max Payne (2001)
• Dead to Rights (2002) and it's sequel Dead to Rights II (2005)
• The Punisher (2005)
• Assassin's Creed (2007)

• Anti-hero
• Assassination
• Bounty Hunter
• Guerilla warfare
• Internet vigilantism
• Lynching
• Outlaw
• Pixelante
• Rebellion
• social bandit
• Terrorism
• Tyrannicide
• Vendetta - Now-illegal form of non-governmental interpersonal violence practiced by feudal chieftains and currently by organized crime gangs

• Lyrics to Vigilante Man by Woody Guthrie.
• Historical Deadwood Newspaper accounts of George Keating and O. B. Davis hung by vigilantes for stealing horses 1878
• Comfort Ero, “Vigilantes, Civil Defence Forces and Militia Groups: The other side of the privatization of security in Africa,” Conflict Trends (June 2000): 25-29.
• Martha K. Huggins, editor, Vigilantism and the State in Modern Latin America: Essays on Extralegal Violence, Praeger/Greenwood, 1991.
• Bill Ong Hing, “Vigilante Racism: The De-Americanization of Immigrant America”, Donkeyphant, Vol. 9 (Summer 2002).
• Tom O’Connor, “Vigilantism, Vigilante Justice, and Victim Self-help”
• Stephen Faris, “Nigeria’s Vigilante Justice,” Mother Jones (April 25, 2002)
• EyeWitness to History, “Vigilante Justice, 1851”.
• Steven F. Messner, Eric P. Baumer, and Richard Rosenfeld, “Distrust of Government, the Vigilante Tradition, and Support for Capital Punishment,” Law & Society Review (September 2006)
• Vincent Moss, “The Paedo Vigilante”, Sunday Mirror (June 25 2006)