Secret Identity

I have been asked a few times “but what about your secret identity”? Well let’s just say that:
1. Having done skip-tracing in the past, I know how easy it is for somebody to find you, whether you move ONCE, or 3 times within a year. All of my skip-tracing was done without the use of a computer at that. Just buy a book.
2. If you drive, use a cellphone or anything else…well you get the idea.
3. My voice is pretty damn recognizable unless you are at least 75% deaf.
4. I’ve been in documentary films, music videos, public access TV, 4+ music groups…who am I foolin’?
5. As far as I know we only live once. Well I never have been big on livin’ to be an old man. We all gonna die so no need to cry!
I love the luchador tradition of mask-wearing, and I love theatrics in general. I think everybody’s entitled to wear masks, costumes, make up, or what have you… as far as hiding though, you probably don’t leave the house in your uniform, there’s camera’s at the ATMs, the streetlights, squad cars, stores… There is also such a thing as corrupt cops for folks to get info from for the right price. There’s nowhere to hide.
For the RLSH Community, I see uniforms mainly as fucntional symbols augmented with gear that helps you to do your job. Good luck, and have a drink for me >:D
Respect.
~X
 

It's the 20th already!?? Anyway "I'm back"

Good old SBC tech support. No phone, no internet, but I’m “back in business” (internet-wise). I got the impression from a few messages I got that some folks thought thier “friendly neighborhood stupor-hero” (dubbed by a buddy of mine who remembers my past non-stop drunken adventures) was farther away than I really was.
Maybe my INTERNET went away for a while, but The Windy City sure as hell didn’t…and neither did I >:) Bein that I have never owned a cell-phone in my life, but bein hooked on the internet for the last 10 years, it’s crazy to see how much regular social networking has changed. I had begun to take for granted how much I depend on the ‘net. Funny huh?
Somethin to think about when you’re organizing w/ your comrades.
Respect.
~X
 

The Mask

I have taken to patrolling without the mask a lot more, and found some serious benefit in doing so. Ideally A dark green and black centurion-style helmet for the future (similar to the light green mask, but exposing the face somewhat like Magneto from the X-Men comics)
For now, I have been alternating between no-mask and the black mask.
But *pssh* enough about fashion for now…I mean…light green on black, omigawd what was I thinking…that’s SO “Spring of 1981”.
 

"The Jews™" Them damn capitalists!!! Greed is UnAmerican! (sic)

I just had this conversation w/ my ole lady yesterday, then I got a friend invite today from a guy who has this issue as the main thing on his page. Deja Vu.
A lotta our fellow citizens talk shit about Jews sayin it’s cause they are “money grubbin, they’re ‘shiesters’ (will do anything to get …money)”, but ain’t that what THESE CRITICS talkin shit are all about?
It don’t get much more American than bein greedy and obsessed w/ money. (Sidenote: I ain’t saying thats how all Jews are, I’m sayin thats America talkin shit about a race for having “our same top priority”, money.)
Money ain’t my top priority, but that’s just how the shit runs.
It’s like if Iraq had declared war on us for havin too many “oil barons”. It’s like Tom Selleck talkin shit about somebody for havin a big mustache. It’s THAT ridiculous!!!
Another thing too that popped into my head while we was talkin last night was:
THE NAZIS KILLED MANY MORE JEWS, OTHER NON-COMBATANTS, AMERICAN SOLDIERS, AND ALLIES, AND OTHERS THAN THE TWIN TOWERS COULD HAVE EVER HELD. (Not discounting 9-11, keep readin.)
Not only was the Holocaust so much bigger, w/ all the over-packed Concentration Camps, and over-packed mass graves, but think of all the OTHER groups the Nazis singled out and killed too….Germans who didn’t agree and tried to flee, the gays (shit let em be gay, YOU dont have to fuck em, ya know?), the other surrounding countries Hitler went off on…all the ALLIES who died in combat in WW II…
I don’t discount the loss of lives in the Twin Towers…but if we can get mad about THAT, then why critisize the Holocaust survivors for bangin survival into thier kids’ heads via $ and status?
 

My Evolution

I myself am finding less and less “need” to work in my costume, even as dangerous as it can be to do what I do. For one thing, I don’t drive. Therefore looking inconspicuous comes in handy more often than not when gettin to the site. For more “high profile” fuzzy wuzzy occasions (I almost threw up when I typed that.) I have devised a secondary mask that’s a little more colorful; pics comin soon. One more of many to come >:D
 

Vigilante? Nah.

I don’t take Law Enforcement into MY OWN HANDS, as far as bein “judge, jury, and executioner”. I just do what I can do. Therefore I ain’t sure if I really fit the dictionary definition of “Vigilante”. I think that’s more of the Guardian Angel’s category.
In the past I have fit that definition, but my new code is “stickin to the books” as much as possible. Therefore how am I a vig?
Besides fighting in self-defense almost a month ago, I haven’t “laid hands” on any “perps” whatsoever.
 

Good Press, Archetypes, and

There’s a saying in showbusiness that there’s “no such thing as bad press” (which of course is false, look at Michael Jackson but I digress.)
Being that this is not (entirely) showbusiness, in what cases would press NOT, be “good press” in your opinions? I’m speaking outside of the obvious such as accidentally destroying public property or somethin dumb like that.
My voice is VERY easily recognizeable and I specialize in dealing with crackheads, gang officers, etc…to bring down operations that terrorize neighborhoods in key spots of Chicago. These organizations are usually spread over the Chicagoland or Illinois area, or nationwide, and in some cases WORLDwide, consisting of hundreds of members in the city limits. My “codename” being mentioned in the media someday would be one thing. But I take certain risks to get the job done that could easily put an end to my work.
I realize awareness and “spreading the word” is important. But if you play it the way I do, or anything close…you might want to consider these points and evaluate the EXTENT to which you will “draw the line” when it comes to publicity.
I have no idea how Angle Grinder Man hasn’t been caught, but he’s lucky. Should “superheroes” only be neighborhood watchmen (and women), or is there a place in this “age of heroes” for people like Terrifica, Angle-Grinder Man and others who take that extra step?
There is a hero here in Chicago who only works alone because he works much along the same lines as me. I wont even mention his name right now, but suffice to say he has hits out of him.
As I was in the chat room tonight, I got the chance to talk to a few of our fellows, and the topic of Press came up. I’m not sure, but it seemed to me that after talking for a while, my stance on personal coverage not being something that each one of us should hunt down, the conversation quickly ended. I hope this was not the reason why.
Teams AND individuals might want to consider the corny slogan “What type of hero are you?” When teams are being constructed. There are different “specialties” for us to choose from.
We COULD stick to picking up litter and helping old ladies cross the street, but personally I see the potential for “SUPER” actions from Real Life “SUPER” heros.
The first time I designed a uniform, donned a mask, started a neighborhood patrol alliance and fought urban terrorism in this city was when I was about 15. My “legend” didn’t make it past the South East side ghettos but more than 10 years later it was surprising to find out that 2 friends of mine had heard about me (my codename) wearing the uniform and fighting for good in the middle of a 3-way turf war. They had no idea it was “a kid”. I look back upon the memories of the times that my missions went exactly as planned, the times I learned from mistakes and my heart racing when I was almost spotted doing surveillance 15 feet away from a drug spot…neighborhood thugs putting out a hit on me because I became a threat to thier dirty money, and the look of hope in the eyes of citizens who were made part of the neighborhood watch.
I always realized it, but I feel that it should be addressed that there are different archetypes at work in our community, and it’s probably in everybody’s best interest to pick one if you are starting out.
 

A small victory.

I managed to get a long-standing crackhouse (that was “doing GOOD business” I might add) shut down after trying for about a two months. Usually I’m faster than that. It’s now boarded up and being watched for a while by the local Task Force AND neighbors.
Might not sound like much, but my “secret identity” had to do a lot of work, and take a lot of risks to get this done, and location had been a “nice” lil link in a chain for the gang running it. At least this chapter of the gang. I can’t really give out any more details, but have a drink for me >:D
~X