I'm a dreamer and perhaps too much of an eternal optimist. I always try to look at the glass as half full. Defiant and ferocious towards those who would seek to unjustly harm others, I speak my mind...for better or worse. Where as some view compassion as a weakness I view it as a strength. I try not to live in the shadows of my regrets because doing so dims the light and the promise of a new day. I do not strive for perfection for this is the quest of fools and denies a man the blessings of humility. The bonds of true friendship and family are to be protected...sometimes by the cunning, stealth, and tenaciousness of a mouse but other times by the wrath and fury of the dragon. I am one and yet I am both. This is my truth.
I do not know the full details but it was brought to my attention by a mutual friend (and not the blog of that self-proclaimed bad guy) that Zetaman was the victim of vandalism. It turns out that someone or some persons went onto his property and slashed his tires. This is pretty bad as it is but what makes things REALLY screwed up is that they left a calling card on his windshield that read something to the effect of "Courtesy of ROACH." I find this matter alarming on so many levels. First off, we are talking vandalism / property damage. Secondly, this is a crime and while talking shit and hate mongering on the web is unsavory and IMHO as often been taken way too far by those that loathe the RLSH, what happened has crossed alot of very delicate lines. This is no longer a matter of a crew of punks from Texas making videos with shotguns, gang style appearance, and machetes threatening to take out Master Legend. This is no longer a matter of some so called RLSVs getting together and deciding to Google-bomb Master Legend and Tothian on the eve of the movie "Kick Ass". This is not longer a matter of libelous and slanderous claims made to destroy the reputations on good people like DC Guardian. This is no longer a case of so-called RLSVs pushing former members to commit near criminal or criminal acts in the name of their cause. This has officially moved into the realm of true criminal conduct.
Now it's very possible and probable that ROACH members did not have a direct hand in this ( I think they are sick and twisted people but I have always been reluctant to believe that they would ever cross this line). However, even if they did this incident bears to some degree a bit of their imprint. Those that did this specifically claimed to do this in the name of ROACH or as ROACH members. This means that they have been inspired by the abusive, inflammatory, and vile rhetoric that continues to be spewed against the RLSH in the name of the RLSV / ROACH. We do not know if ROACH actually did this or not but regardless they continue to inspire hatred and in the wrong hands this can be devastating. I have always said that they have been somewhat irresponsible with the way they address their sentiments against the RLSH and now we are seeing the sickening consequences of their approach bear their dark fruits.
Let's not kid ourselves. We know that there are some "eccentric" characters in the RLSH. We know that some of them can say some outlandish things. We know that you can't take the words or actions of a select few RLSH who do not always act or speak appropriately and paint the whole movement as wrong. The same can be said about this recent attack on Zetaman... and yes, I'm calling it an attack because it was a voluntary targeting of his property and it's subsequent destruction along with a calling card left behind. It would be unfair to put push this incident to the front lines and say "this is why all RLSVs and ROACH are nothing more than hate-mongering, irresponsible fiends". AS much as I dislike them you can't slap that kind of a label on them across the board. However, one thing is becoming apparent - ROACH is inspiring people to do some very seriously messed up shit. They like to say it's just satire. There is nothing satirical about what happened to Zetaman.
ROACH counts amongst it's ranks and it's allies people who are ex-felons, have admitted to frequent use of illegal drugs, people with anti-Semetic email addresses, supposedly ex-skinheads, those that believe in solving problems thru violence, those who proclaim with pride their love of hate mongering, and people who think kids with cancer should be exterminated so as not to contaminate the gene pool. Some have even gone so far as to say "it's nothing personal. It's just business."
What was done to Zetaman was not business. It was VERY personal.
Lord Malignance once said something to the effect of "evil does not promote violence." Well apparently evil promotes and inspires veiled threats and vandalism. Agent Berylium once said that she would never agree to a cease fire between RLSH and ROACH / RLSVs, even referring to the RLSH as "pigs". Right now it seems to me that pigs are alot cleaner than the RLSVs, even if they were found wallowing in mud and their own feces.
Zetaman did not deserve what was done to him and the hand of encouragement by ROACH in this regard was made abundantly clear. Yeah, maybe they didn't pull the trigger on the act but as long as they continue to glorify their hate mongering and pad their egos with one insult against the RLSH after the other inspired acts of criminal behavior like this will only get worse. I wonder how long it will be before videos of people threatening the RLSH turn into actual physical harm against a RLSH. Alot of RLSVs are sitting back and waiting for one RLSH to screw up bad so they can slam the whole movement and say "I told you so".
Well maybe I should sit back with a slab of cheese and wait for the same thing to go down with the RLSVs because from the looks of things it may be sooner than we think.
You inspired people to vandalism in your name ROACH. What else will you inspire people with bad intentions to do?
It's been a while since this wee little mouse wrote on his blog and this has been gnawing at me as feverishly as I gnaw on a slab of sweet cheddar cheese. The other day as I was getting in my car to work I came across a man in a beat up pair of blue jeans, white t-shirt, and an equally beat up old white work van outside of my yard and on the narrow strip of land that runs parallel to the street that I live on. He was going about the business of plucking a sizable amount of mangos off the tree just out side of our fence which, while not growing from within our property does have part of it which extends inward into our property. With a long metallic pole that had a hook at the end and a large green plastic trashcan he was gathering a great deal of mangos. I saw him and said "Good morning" and he said the same and I went about my business of driving to work. Oh if life were just that simple.
To understand where this story is going it's important to put the historic value of this tree in perspective. As a wee young mouse I used to practice my mad skills of tree climbing with it all the time - even now I remain fairly nimble and quick when it comes to scaling the tree and navigating through it's labyrinth of branches. In my youth it also served as my clubhouse of sorts for myself and my friends & cousins. Yes, a few planks of wood and some nails CAN be a clubhouse with enough work and imagination. Lastly, this tree has been a true survivor. It has had chunks of it ripped off my numerous hurricanes and even survived a collision with a driver of an 18 wheeler truck who apparently was unaware that drinking excessively and driving into said tree was an unwise choice of action. Needless to say this tree has character.
I get to work and around 45 minutes after I am working I get a call from my mom whom lives with my family. Even in her extended age she is a firecracker of a woman and while this is her strength sometimes it is what lands her in the most trouble. She asks me if I saw a man plucking mangos off the tree when I got out and I say "Yes". Then she proceeds to chastise me for not telling her about it or telling him to go away. I tell her that the tree does not grow from our property so it is not ours regardless of whether part of it extends inward into our house. She says I am wrong and that it is our tree and that when the leaves fall from it that it is our responsibility to clean it up. Whether the tree is ours or not is still subject to debate - I don't think it is but if I tell her this she snaps at me with a defiance that is something special to behold. So she proceeds to tell me that she berrated the man for "stealing" the mangos to which apparently the man responded with a flurry of filthy languages as nasty and offensive and Malvado and Agent Beryllium put together (no small feat mind you). He resorts to threatening her, telling her that he is out of work and needs the mangos to sell and that he lives only a couple blocks away. He tell her "I know where you live and this is not the last you will see of me." So what does my elderly mother do? She laughs in his face and tells him "Get the hell out of here before I call the cops. I am not afraid of your threats." She did indeed call the cops who came, filled out a report, and told her if the guy shows up to call them and they will handle the situation for her.
Now I appreciate my moms courage and tenacity but I told her she should have thought this thru. She is along in the house for the better part of the day since she is retired and my father passed away about 2 years ago. When she is not alone she is with my two kids, both under 10 years of age or with my wife. So if this guy does show up it, as I explained to her, at the wrong time it could be disastrous. Then she came at me with something that I have not been able to get off my mind and needed to blog about. She tells me (and this very close to an exact quote) "Son, if you allow people to put one foot on you an step hard on you with it then they will take the second foot and step hard on you as well. Before you know it, you will have people trampling over you your whole life, trampling on what you believe in most and the people who you care for. You can't let people do this. You have to stand up to people like this."
When I think about my life and the way I've lived it, less so in my youth when I was getting my bearings but more so in my adult life when I had to carry more responsibility on my shoulders I understand where she is coming from. Whether the tree is ours or not is not the point but standing up to people who threaten you or try to walk all over you is the point. You have to protect your ideals and the people you love in life or else you're just going to become a human doormat to every loud-mouthed, violence loving asshole out there.If you lay down then every jackass who thinks that spouting off with some highbrow Merriam Websters dictionary vocabulary, every crass chick with a bride of Frankenstein complexion, anti-Semetic prick or morally mediocre assclown will think they get a free pass in life to trash those you love and that which you believe in without repercussions or some form of response. The trick though is knowing what to do and when - easier said than done.
I've told my mom that we should cut the tree down in order to avoid any further problems. We would need consent from the city to do so but I don't think it's worth any continued trouble. I admire her for standing up to the situation the way she did even if I do not necessarily agree with her on all points. I can tell she does not lik the idea of chopping the tree down and while I think it would avoid alot of future problems deep down inside I don't like it either. The tree has character and history and it would be a shame to see it removed. It'sa tough choice but one I think I will have to make in the near future.
People often wonder where I get my fiery disposition, my defiant personality that refuses to stand by and allow people to treat others like victims within my presence. I hate bullies, always have and always will. I hate cowards who hide behind their fake words when going after people unjustly. Thinking about it I realize that there is alot of my mom and dad in me beyond just genetic code - they gave me the blueprint to stare people who would do wrong in the face and tell them "You are wrong. When you victimize people you are wrong. When you harass and unjustly vilify people you are wrong." So in this respect I am very proud to be their son. My mom is right. The moment you allow people to step on you once they will eventually try to trample you and I'm just not the kind of person to let that happen.
Local boy with cancer turns into a superhero for a day
Erik Martin, who is living with liver cancer, has always wanted to be a superhero. On Thursday, the regional chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted him that wish with an elaborate event that involved hundreds of volunteers in Bellevue and Seattle.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation made 13-year-old Erik Martin's dream of becoming a superhero come true.
DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Electron Boy lances Blackout Boy (Jake Anderson) before turning on Dr. Dark (Edgar Hansen) in the battle between good and evil at the Space Needle. Erik Martin's dream of becoming a superhero came true Thursday. At left is Lightning Lad, played by actor Rob Burgess.
DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES
A crowd of better than 200 gather outside Puget Sound Energy in Bellevue to cheer on Electron Boy as he saves a stranded worker in a bucket truck on Thursday.
DEAN RUTZ / THE SEATTLE TIMES
The Seattle Sounders are grateful as they meet Electron Boy, aka Erik Martin, who has freed them from their Qwest Field locker room Thursday. The Make-A-Wish Foundation arranged the adventure.
Thursday was shaping up to be just another school day for 13-year-old Erik Martin, but then something extraordinary happened: Spider-Man called.
Spider-Man happens to be one of the few people who knows that Erik, too, has a secret identity — he's Electron Boy, a superhero who fights the powers of evil with light.
And Spider-Man needed Erik's help.
Erik, who is living with liver cancer, has always wanted to be a superhero. On Thursday, the regional chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted him that wish with an elaborate event that involved hundreds of volunteers in Bellevue and Seattle.
The local chapter, which serves four states, grants more than 300 wishes every year to children with life-threatening medical conditions, but only a few of them involve so many participants.
Pulling off a wish like this one required a big story, and a lot of heart. And so, with a note of panic in his voice, Spider-Man explained the dilemma: "Dr. Dark" and "Blackout Boy" had imprisoned the Seattle Sounders in a locker room at Qwest Field. Only Electron Boy could free them.
Erik got into his red-and-blue superhero costume, and called on the powers of Moonshine Maid, who owns a DeLorean sports car. For good measure, more than 20 motorcycle officers from the Bellevue Police Department and King County and Snohomish sheriff's offices escorted Electron Boy to Seattle.
"They shut down 405 — they shut down I-90," marveled Moonshine Maid, aka Misty Peterson. "I thought it would just be me, in the car."
At Qwest Field, Electron Boy was directed by frantic fans to the Sounders locker room, where the entire team was shouting for help behind jammed doors. With a little help from Lightning Lad, the alter ego of local actor Rob Burgess, Erik opened the door with his lightning rod. The Sounders cheered.
"Thank you, Electron Boy," said defender Taylor Graham.
"You saved us!" exclaimed forward Nate Jaqua.
"Good job, big man," said defender Tyrone Marshall. And forward Steve Zakuani mutely bowed his thanks.
Electron Boy seemed a little dazed by his powers. Out on Qwest Field, the Sounders gave Erik a hero's congratulations, posed for pictures and gave him a jersey and autographed ball.
Everyone was startled when, overhead, the Jumbotron crackled to life.
"Electron Boy, I am Dr. Dark and this is Blackout Boy," sneered an evil voice, as the villain — Edgar Hansen, and his sidekick Jake Anderson, both of Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" — taunted the young superhero. "We are here to take over Seattle and make it dark!"
On the Jumbotron, a video showed a Puget Sound Electric employee Jim Hutchinson trapped in the top of his bucket truck in front of PSE's Bellevue headquarters. Only Electron Boy could save him.
As Electron Boy's motorcade — the DeLorean, the 25 motorcycle officers and a white limo — rolled through downtown Bellevue, pedestrians stopped in their tracks and pulled out their cameras to take pictures. Clearly, somebody famous was in town. But who could it be?
"It's Electron Boy," Erik's older sister, Charlotte Foote, shouted out the window of the limousine.
More than 250 PSE employees gathered outside the company's headquarters and cheered as Electron Boy freed the trapped worker. "It was so loud, people in office buildings were looking out the window," said Make-A-Wish communications director Jeannette Tarcha.
But Dr. Dark and Blackout Boy were still at large. Electron Boy got a tip that the evil duo were at the Space Needle, where they had disabled the elevator and trapped people on the observation deck. Racing back to Seattle, Electron Boy stepped out of the DeLorean to a cheering crowd of dozens of admirers, and confronted his nemesis.
"How did you find us, Electron Boy?" Dr. Dark demanded.
Erik wordlessly leapt at Dr. Dark with his lightning rod, freezing the villain. Then he unlocked the elevator and freed the people trapped upstairs.
Bellevue police Officer Curtis McIvor snapped handcuffs on Dr. Dark and Blackout Boy, who couldn't resist some last words: "How can we thank you for saving our souls?"
A tiny smile played around Electron Boy's mouth. Just for good measure, he held his lightning sword to Blackout Boy's throat again. The crowd went wild. "Hip-hip, hooray!"
Seattle City Councilwoman Sally Bagshaw stepped forward with a key to the city and a proclamation that Thursday was Electron Boy Day. Afterward, Erik posed for the TV cameras, flexed his muscles and spent some time astride a Bellevue police motorcycle.
"He's over the moon," said Foote. "This is definitely beyond anything we thought it would be."
Watching her son run across the plaza in front of the Space Needle, mom Judy Martin said Erik goes to school when he's able, but is often too tired. "He hasn't had this much energy in a long time," she said. "They called it the power of the wish, and they're right."
Like any good superhero, Electron Boy kept his innermost thoughts to himself. But he did have one important thing to say:
"This is the best day of my life."
Erik Martin was born with only half a working heart, and recently was diagnosed with cancer. So when the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted his wish, the 13-year-old Bellevue boy wanted the things he has never been able to do: to run fast and be powerful and help people.
Erik Martin, 13, has been riding high ever since his Make-A-Wish adventure as Electron Boy last month, which has drawn international attention. Judy Martin and her husband, Jeremy, have fostered Erik, who has a variety of health issues, since he was 6 weeks old.
He was born with only half a working heart and a host of other health problems that leave him exhausted most days. Last year, he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.
So when the Make-A-Wish Foundation offered to grant his wish, Erik Martin didn't ask to go to Disney World, or meet somebody famous. The 13-year-old Bellevue boy wanted the things he has never been able to do: to run fast, be powerful and help people.
"I wish I was a superhero," he told them.
Two weeks ago, the foundation granted that wish with an elaborately choreographed event that involved hundreds of volunteers in Bellevue and Seattle.
In the days that followed, Electron Boy's story flew around the world faster than, well, a speeding bullet on the Internet. The foundation has been swamped by people pledging money and offering to volunteer.
"The response has been absolutely unbelievable," said Jeannette Tarcha, communications director for Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Erik has admirers across the United States, from Hawaii to New York, and around the globe, including England, the Czech Republic and The Netherlands. Comic-book artists have made covers for an Electron Boy comic and are planning to draft a series just for him. He's been on several local TV shows, and his story has run in newspapers in Australia and Canada.
By week's end, his story had been viewed more than half a million times on The Seattle Times website and was the most-read story for nine days in a row. The Fans of Electron Boy" page on Facebook had more than 8,000 members.
"Hey, Electron Boy, way to go!!" one Facebook fan wrote. "My son is fighting cancer too and stories like yours are just what we need for a little extra fighting power every day!!!!"
People said the tale of Electron Boy's big wish brought tears to their eyes. But the story of Erik's life is more poignant, and more heartbreaking, than almost anyone knew. Severe health problems
Erik Martin was born in December 1996 with a constellation of severe health problems, including a malformed heart that was missing its right atrium and ventricle and required several surgeries to fix. He had no spleen, and sensory problems made him extremely sensitive to touch. His mother was not able to care for him.
When he was 6 weeks old, Erik was placed with Judy and Jeremy Martin, a Bellevue couple who started caring for medically fragile foster children 15 years ago, after their own two children, Charlotte and Brian, grew up and left home. They have had 27 foster children over the years; most have gone back to family members or relatives, except for Erik, Kenny, 7, and Juan, 15.
The Martins fell in love with the tiny child, and often worried that someone in his extended family would come to claim him.
"He's very caring," Judy Martin said. "If he sees another person who's sad — he has so much empathy for everyone."
Because of his medical conditions, Erik is developmentally disabled. He goes to school infrequently and is often in the hospital. He can never be out of sight of an adult caregiver.
It takes Judy Martin 20 minutes each morning to mix his medications. Erik is unable to eat through his mouth, and is hooked up to a feeding tube attached to a portable machine that delivers his nutrition. (On his Make-A-Wish day, he carried the machine in a special "Electron Boy" backpack.)
Two years ago, doctors at Seattle Children's found a tumor the size of a lemon on Erik's spine. After 13 hours of delicate surgery — made more complicated because all of Erik's organs are on the wrong side of his body — they removed the cancerous tumor.
The Martins brought Erik back for regular checkups at Children's. One day last year, a test came back flagged with unusual results. Erik returned to the hospital for more tests.
A few days later, Judy Martin got a call from Children's. The cancer had returned.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," the doctor kept saying over the phone. But Judy Martin was confused. The last surgery had been successful; couldn't they do it again?
It is not that easy this time.
The cancer, a rare type called paraganglioma, has spread to at least eight different places in his body, and neither surgery nor conventional chemotherapy can stop it. (A Make-A-Wish news release incorrectly identified the type of cancer as liver cancer; one of the tumors is located in his liver.)
The tumors secrete proteins that play havoc with Erik's blood pressure and heart rate. The only way to treat them is to keep Erik alone in an isolation chamber for four or five days while a radioactive isotope is delivered to the tumor sites. But because he suffers from severe separation anxiety, doctors told the Martins that treatment would be emotionally cruel. And because of his weak heart, Erik might not survive the care.
The Martins take hope that the tumors are very slow growing. In the meantime, perhaps medical science will catch up and find another way to cure the disease. Creating a wish
Not long after they got the cancer diagnosis, one of Erik's former nurses called the family and told them about the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Erik's doctors determined that he was strong enough to qualify for a wish, and the foundation went to work.
At the Make-A-Wish Foundation's Seattle office, Jessie Elenbaas' title is Wish Manager — "almost as good as a fairy godmother," she said. Right away, Elenbaas was captivated by Erik's wish. She spent hours collecting the little details that would make his wish come out just right.
"He wanted to be able to fly, to have big muscles, to be able to run really fast," Elenbaas said. He wanted a sidekick, and he wanted to ride in a DeLorean.
But he was also afraid of heights, and he tired easily. How could she give him all of those experiences in simple ways that would not exhaust him?
Elenbaas and volunteers Heidi Hardy and Lisa MacKay put their heads together and invented Electron Boy, a superhero who loves to help people and has lots of energy.
They called on local comic-book stores to design a logo. They asked the Seattle Children's Theatre to find a sidekick and make a costume. They went looking for other characters and got commitments from Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and the Seattle Sounders to play roles. "Everyone wanted to participate," Elenbaas said.
Rigmor Vohra, the head draper at Seattle Children's Theatre, visited Erik in the hospital. "It was totally his design," she said of his superhero outfit. "It was very specific — we had crayons, and we colored in this and that. He was just so enthusiastic and sweet."
Edgar Hansen and Jake Anderson, who star on the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch," agreed to be the villains. Lightning Lad, aka local actor Rob Burgess, answered the call to be Erik's sidekick. ("I just want to make it clear — Lightning Lad is 51 years old," the good-humored Burgess warned the foundation.)
At PSE's Bellevue headquarters, employees held sign-painting parties and came up with dozens of slogans, including Erik's favorite: "Marry Me, Electron Boy!"
A squad of motorcycle officers from the Bellevue police and King and Snohomish county sheriff's departments agreed to escort Erik and his motorcade. The squad escorts visiting dignitaries, and already had plans to do a training run that day. "I told them how big I wanted it to be, and they made it even bigger," Elenbaas said.
Then, the big day came. Erik, who had no idea what awaited him, got a phone call from Spider-Man. A DeLorean pulled up in front of his house. The motorcycle squad escorted them to Qwest Field.
At first, Erik seemed stunned by the hoopla and the crowds that were involved in his wish. Lightning Lad tried to help Erik understand what was going on.
"Here's this little guy who was totally overwhelmed," Burgess said. "He got into it more as the day went on. I said, 'I'm right here, Electron Boy, just stay with me, buddy.' "
Erik's wish was one of the biggest the Seattle chapter has ever done. And it was also one of the least expensive, because nearly everything was donated.
Days later, some of the 250 PSE employees who cheered Electron Boy's heroics were talking about how Erik's wish had affected them — as if, by turning Erik into a superhero, they had all been touched by some of that same magic.
"Some things just have a magical connection ... bigger than the parts you put in," said "Energy Jim" Hutchinson, who played the part of a trapped PSE worker.
Said Elenbaas: "It's a great wish — I knew it would be." No cape needed
A week after his big wish came true, Erik is back in his Electron Boy costume again, bouncing around his Bellevue home with foster brother Kenny. The boys wrestle, gently, for a moment and then Erik rests next to his mom, leaning his head against her. The next minute, he jumps up to show visitors a Spider-Man clock he got from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
He's shy, but also goofy and spontaneous. He likes to color and play with action figures, and he loves superhero movies, especially "Spider-Man." He points out that his costume does not have a cape because, as anyone who saw "The Incredibles" knows, capes are nothing but trouble for supers.
He shows off a sign made by PSE employees that says "You rock, Electron Boy," and then turns it over, where he has added his own words: "Yes, I do."
He confesses that he's got a girlfriend — maybe two — but then grows coy about who they are. "Them who shall not be named," he finally says.
The Martins know harder days will come. But right now, these days are all about Electron Boy.
After his big wish day had ended, Make-A-Wish coordinator Elenbaas said to Erik: "You do realize you're a superhero."
"Yes."
Elenbaas continued: "You do realize another superhero power you have — you're making a lot of people smile."
And that made Erik smile, too.
Sounders FC went through the usual drills at Qwest Field on Thursday. Some passing work, then some full-field 11v11 scrimmages, followed by some corner kick practice and finishing.
But toward the end of training, the team got to help fulfill the Make-A-Wish of Bellevue 13-year-old Erik Martin, who has kidney cancer.
Martin, who wished of being a superhero for a day, "saved" the Sounders FC players and coaches who were trapped in the dark locker-room. In exchange for the "rescue," Martin (the alter ego of Electron Boy) got some memorabilia.
After taking some pictures, a video message played on the Qwest Field screens from his nemesis Dr. Dark and henchman Blackout Boy. The villains had trapped a Puget Sound Energy worker and off went Electron Boy to the rescue.
You can see the Electron Boy stickers on the players jerseys (and, yes, I am still wearing mine).
* * * 1. Here is Electron Boy himself with Sounders FC players and coaches.
<< End >>
What's that about costumes being unnecessary?
I guess if RLSV and ROACH boot-licker Black Sun has seen this he is probably cursing in rage because
here is is young boy WITH CANCER living the dream of being a superhero and having an entire community behind him to help and support him. You do remember what Black Sun said don't you guys? He's the same idiot who said young people with cancer should not be allowed to breed or live too long because they will eventually contaminate and weaken the gene pool? The only thing that contaminates anything is filth like that that comes out of the stank moths of RLSVs and their brown nosing lackeys.
I especially like t his part...
After his big wish day had ended, Make-A-Wish coordinator Elenbaas said to Erik: "You do realize you're a superhero." "Yes." Elenbaas continued: "You do realize another superhero power you have — you're making a lot of people smile." And that made Erik smile, too.
Special thank to the Make a Wish Foundation and everyone who put their time and effort together to make this possible. I have always said to never underestimate the power of the costume and the mystique of the superhero. It can have a profound effect on the lives of people around them in a very positive manner. Alot of haters out there spend their time trying to tear down the RLSH or people who believe in the RLSH cause. It's pretty sad that some people choose to spend their time seeking ways to degrade, humiliate, and bring ruin and animosity down upon people who are choosing, as my friend Captain Black has often said, creative ways to help their community. Furthermore, as Peter Tangen himself said recently, the costume wearing RLSH are indeed in the business of self-promotion... they are promoting good deeds and the tremendous effect be it inspiration of actual change for the better that it can have on the lives of people that they help. Electrons Boys story is a microcosm of one of the fundamental aspects of the RLSH community/movement...flaws and all- the ability to inspire hope. So while the foes of the RLSH movement are busy trying to tear them down the RLSH will continue try and build people up and lift them from despair. And then you wonder why people consider the majority of RLSVs/ villians/ "obnoxious antagonist to the RLSH bloggers" to be an after thought at best... a nuisance at worst.
My apologies to my friend Captain Black as I have been negligent in posting his
many pearls of wisdom. Take heed both friends and foes of the RLSH movement - you
should learn something from what he says and if you don't then I'm not sure what to
tell you.
<< Start >>
Creative Homeboys, Homegirls & Hometown Security
Who secures our hometowns after the police and private officers are counted? The short list stops at us. We, the general public, are society's last ( and largest ) line of defense, but not in the crazy militia sense that's been making headlines.
One form of hometown security I especially love promoting is creative concerned citizenship, particularly what the media calls the real life superhero ( RLSH ) movement. Comprised of unconventional homeboys and girls of all kinds, we use comic book/pulp fiction as inspiration to lead fantastic lives.
The RLSH approach to hometown security pumps new blood into the veins of community emergency management. After 9/11 you'd think the ranks of part time EMTs; volunteer fire fighters; police auxiliaries and other citizen servers would have swelled to new highs. Even innovations like Community Emergency Response Teams ( CERTS ) tasked with deploying trained citizen search parties are undermanned.
Sadly, after the smoke clears and adrenaline wanes the public ( society's last and largest line of defense y'all ) returns to business as usual. Would-be crusaders return to slaying more mundane dragons: namely earning livings and raising families. Real life superheroes spark great interest in the otherwise unglamorous work of doing good. For free! Out of your own tight pocket! Hometown security needs inspired citizens otherwise our towns become increasingly insecure.
This weekend I provided two very able members of my Street Team to provide security for a hip hop non-profit I've donated to. It uses creative writing and performance as juvenile rehabilitation. This kind of crime fighting is very RLSH-friendly because the founder, himself a former juvenile probation officer and rapper, considered me an ally who knew intimately the power of creativity in public safety. He knew if anyone could honor a last minute staffing request it was Capt. Black. It feels nice having friends like my Street Team with whom you can help save small parts of folks world. Hometown security was served not only by protecting his patrons but also the venue- an American Legion post.
My brand as a RLSH made him seek help so he could safely raised funds to help others- a win win for all involved.
Many members of this Movement have similar stories. Creative hometown security means being an unconventional helper folks can contact. A costumed participant at a walkathon or in commercials for charity can transform apathy into action. Our hometowns have hunger, hopelessness and crime to tackle. If we can inspire and more importantly organize people to see hometown security as extensions of their own then our job is done.
Failing to provide hometown security means eventually failing to provide homeland security... that's where creativity can save the day!
B.L.A.C.K Power Anybody?
I recently posted this status on my Face Book page, " B.L.A.C.K.= BROTHERHOOD.LOYALTY.ABILITY.COURAGE.KINDNESS.- REGARDLESS OF COLOR, ARE U MY B.L.A.C.K. SISTER OR BROTHER? "
B.L.A.C.K. power is what I promote. It's not color based but is based upon the five principles comprising the acronym. It's a code of conduct for people wanting to be more than their resumes. The individual has to decide his place in society, regardless of opposition. When selecting a real life superhero name, I created " Capt. Black " as my contribution to this movement. Obviously I'm Black, but these five principles are common to good folks of any color. While an advocate for inner city safety and success, safety and success anywhere is my overall concern. My bittersweet experience with American racial attitudes informed choosing the " Black " in my Capt. Black brand name in this way. Our fight against racism has involved at least these five principles. They're also present in any group promoting decency and self-development.
The 1960s Black Power movement gave America one definition of this phrase. It fought that era's Apartheid and inspired generations of activists afterward. My definition of B.L.A.C.K. power was born in late 20th century urban challenges and also celebrates anyone using these five principles to combat today's problems. My color has been used as the basis for receiving very evil treatment. It has also been a ringside seat for learning how to fight crime and promote self-development in the shadow of hostile institutions. These are the lessons I share with like minded people who want America to be more than what we see daily.
If you want a safer, more prosperous country for everyone that makes you B.L.A.C.K. in my book.
B.L.A.C.K. power anybody?
Superheroes Aren't Always Costumed
Long before I thought real life superheroes ( RLSH ) could actually exist I contented myself in the exploits of exceptional people without fancy names or outfits.
My list of real life superheroes is always growing and accommodates diverse folks like Alexander Dumas; Toussaint L’Ouverture; Booker T. Washington; Frederick Douglas; Theodore " Teddy " Roosevelt; Douglas McArthur; the Tuskegee Airmen; George Patton; Harry Truman; Paul Robeson; Hosea Williams; Joseph Lowery; Medgar Evers; Noble Drew Ali; the Honorable Elijah Muhammad; Malcolm X; Muhammad Ali; John F. Kennedy; Robert Kennedy; Benjamin Hooks; Colin Powell; Clarence Thomas; Earl Winthorp De veaux ( maternal grandfather ); Gloria Evelyn Wilson DeVeaux ( maternal grandmother ); W.W. Law; Sam Jones; Adeeb Shabazz and others. They may not have the same politics but they inspire me nonetheless. Inspiration comes from many directions and I'm always on the lookout for it. The real world can drain the heart of wonder. It can be a depressing place made even more so by todays headlines. That's where studying great lives famous and not-so-famous helps self-motivation keep going.
Wesley Autrey is one not-so-famous real life superhero who leapt onto a New York subway and shielded someone who'd fallen onto the tracks with his own body! As heroic as when service members throw themselves on enemy grenades to save their comrades-in-arms, I always reflect upon Autrey's astonishing courage.
Google his name and give your spirits a much needed treat: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Autrey
Someone like him and everyone mentioned boldly says just how great we can be. Wesley Autrey and the others remind the world real life superheroes aren't always costumed!
Crime fighting for Purpose or Profit
One phase of my stealth " real life superhero ( RLSH ) " activities before the Movement was keeping tabs on suspects and/or declared fugitives. Information gathered was forwarded to the appropriate agency. As a dutiful bounty hunter earning rewards drove this alongside civic duty. I'm not opposed to catching criminals for pay; law enforcement does it every day. Opponents of bounty hunting should be able to magically make policing pro bono and watch officers surge to resign!
RLSH normally don't fight crime for profit. Many feel it's anathema to the Movement's overall altruism. Others reply any monies accepted should be used to fund homeless outreach or equipment needs. Real life superheroes, overtly or covertly, have access to information police would find interesting. As a RLSH whose background includes bounty hunting and security consulting I've made a living from what we usually do for free. Reconciling the two is easy, because I genuinely enjoy contributing to public safety. The bulk of my efforts, stealth and openly RLSH, is freely given.
Deciding whether crime fighting should become a revenue stream is a personal choice. I fight crime for a purpose: to help people help themselves become safer and alternately, persuading criminals to become their higher selves. Self-development is an even more effective crime fighting strategy than patrolling and even RLSH-inspired community coalitions ( RICCs ). The worst crime in my " Crime ISN'T A Civil Right! " conversations and presentation is working against being your better self. That's what drives my activities past, present and future.
Money's nice, but the above reasons are reward enough for me and real life superhero es generally. We fight crime for a higher purpose not merely for profit!
Pardon Me While I save The World
e greatest beauty of the real life superhero ( RLSH ) movement is no permission is needed to become one. There's no board of examiners; background checks or other hurdles to leap.
There are several manuals and one school out there for the preparation of experienced and neophyte RLSH. The point is each of us is free to become his or her vision of what a " superhero " or related figure should be. That's very liberating in a world preaching limits, even when limitation largely contributes to needless misery. We show more conventional concerned citizens that they can make folks sit up and take notice.
He only has to give himself permission to do so.
RLSH philosophy may one day take its place alongside Abraham Maslows hierarchy of needs or even something esoteric like Law of Attraction. real life superheroism celebrates how big individual imagination stretches someones life. We have within our ranks people more weird than even the wildest fictional characters. We also count men and women whose stature approaches being legendary. Such scope is a case study in human potential waiting to be done.
We provide eloquent testimony on how amazing life becomes when someone first gives himself permission.
Or said another way, " Pardon me while I save the world! "
Communication: A RLSH Necessity
You know you're living right when young people ask you for career advice. In a days time two aspiring members of the real life superhero ( RLSH ) movement approached me- the first on line ; the second by phone.
This is an unexpected bonus to living my dream come true: advising others how to do the same... in their own way. Last year saw me regularly e-mail; chat and talk with fellow RLSH.
I've communicated with some of the big names in the Movement. I've done the same with not-so big names and people from related groups. As of this writing I haven't personally met any RLSH but look forward to that footnote in my history. While most of us are solo acts, communication assures success as individuals and as a subculture. I know only too well the highs and lows of visionary living. Toss in this unconventional take on concerned citizenship and there's a definite need for dialog.
This Movement is too precious to hoard to ourselves. Having experienced its scope I know the temptation to be latter day Lone Rangers. Alot of us are the only RLSH within respective city limits. My hope is we'll reach out not only to each other always to more conventional concerned citizens. Whether you're a cyber crusader or actually get out publicly, building rapport helps get the job done. Our impact grows with the amount of relationships created. We're a broad coalition of very creative ( sometimes cantankerous ) folks who use fiction to leverage fantastic results from ourselves and everyone we meet.
Any real life superhero checklist would be woefully incomplete if it doesn't include communication as an absolute necessity.
Communication is a super power unto itself, comforting fellow RLSH and inspiring fellow citizens to become champions in their own right!
-NADRA AKA CAPT. BLACK
URBAN TEA PARTY ADVOCATE
NADRACAPTBLACK@YMAIL.COM ( Pay Pal address ).
http://reallifesuperheroes.org/wiki/index.php?title=Captain_Black
(912) 272-2898
The Fall of a Hero: Rest in Peace Nightcrawler
It’s rare for me to actually blog about a specific hero, especially one from the wondrous mythical world of comic books but I’ve always been a fan of the X-men. Having been created as a metaphor for the struggles of minorities both racial and religious towards civil rights and a counter to the racism, they were a bold new step in the world of comics. The terms “feared and despised by the world they swore to save” became the common theme of the X-men. All of X-men have died in the line of duty, sacrificing their lives for the dream of Professor Xavier that in many ways mirrors the famous words of Martin Luther King Jr. when he said “he had a dream”. Professor Xaviers dream was that mankind and mutantkind could someday find a way to coexist, to put aside their differences and work with one another for a better tomorrow. Most recently the X-men lost one of their most popular characters, that being Nightcrawler. It was his impact to the X-men and his astounding nobility both in the way he lived and the way he chose to die that moved me to write this blog.
Nightcrawler for those that are unaware of it, was born a mutant with a very bizarre, almost demonic appearance; fine blue-black fur covering his body, two fingers with an opposable thumb on each hand and only two toes, each longer than a normal human being's, on each foot and a third toe-like projection on his heel, as well as pronounced, fang-like canine teeth, yellow eyes, pointed ears, and a 3 1/2 foot long prehensile pointed tail which can support his weight. He also had the ability to teleport, wall crawl, shadow stealth, supernatural agility, and had an untapped but ongoing attunement to magic. He was also a superb fencer.
Perhaps the most intriguing facet of his character was that despite his demonic appearance he was a devout Catholic. When the X-men were implanted with the Brood eggs inside them Nightcrawler spent much to the time praying to God for salvation, even encouraging Wolverine to do the same. When Nightcrawler asked Wolverine, who is an Atheist who he believed in if not God, Wolverine responded by saying “I believe in you Elf”, this response being a microcosm of how all of the X-men drew faith and inspiration from Nightcrawler. At one point in the comic books Nightcrawler even attempted to leave the world of super heroics and become a Catholic priest. This caused a great stir amongst the established religious order and tested them in terms of tolerance. The scriptures said to accept those who come before God with humility and truth and yet many priests and members of the Catholic church found themselves unable to do so, too caught up in what Nightcrawler looked like to care for the noble soul that resided within him. There was also the famous storyline where at the height of anti-mutant sentiment the X-men, especially Wolverine, convinced Nightcrawler to dispense with the holographic projector he used to hide his appearance and walk down the street in his true form. Despite almost being attacked by a scared mob of humans I believe he did so nonetheless. It was this courage and his personal convictions and faith that made him perhaps the most noble and one of the most beloved X-men of all.
In a recent storyline Nightcrawler and Rogue found themselves protecting the young mutant girl called Hope, the supposed Messiah that will usher in the reignition of the mutant race. For those not following comic books, in a fit of madness Scarlet Witch unleashed a wave of reality alteration that shut down the mutant gene across the whole planet, perhaps even the whole universe. Despite this the mutant girl Hope was born, a birth so powerful that it caused the Cerebro mutant finder machine to explode. The mutant named Bishop however, who comes from the future, believes that Hope will lead to the decimation of the mutant race and has chosen to try and kill her. Currently there are less that 200 mutants alive on the planet and unless something it done the calculations say that the mutant race will reach the point of no return in 7 years. So one way or the other, Hope will be the doom or the rebirth of the mutant race. But back to the story..
As Rogue and Nightcrawler stood with Hope the evil human hybrid Sentinel Bastion appeared before the. Bastion is a combined organic merger of the techno virus, the sentinel Master Mold and the sentinel Nimrod from the future. He is perhaps the pinnacle mutant hunting and destroying being and a metaphor for the hatred and intolerance that a person can have against a race, religion, or even physical imperfection that would drive someone to a killer state. A fight occurred and even with Rogue absorbing the powers of at least 6 X-men and using them all at once against Bastion, he soundly defeated her. Then as he reached out to grab Hope a crush her in his hands Nightcrawler made the ultimate sacrifice – he teleported in the way and into Bastions are, thus impaling himself but protecting Hope. Then, in what I believe is one of the most heroic deaths in the history of the X-men he says something to the effect “Dear God, please give me the strength to teleport one last time” and is able to teleport with the little girl Hope to Utopia, the island of the X-men. It was there, on it’s cold rocky shores and with his dying breath that Nightcrawler looked up at Hope and said “I believe in you” and then died.
His death has been a major shock to the X-men. Nightcrawler was always sure if Hope was indeed the mutant Messiah but towards the end he held on to his faith because ultimately that was who he was at heart – a man of profound faith. Wolverine even went so far as to say that he respected Nightcrawler and loved him as family because Nightcrawler “always talked to me as a man and not an animal even if what he said wasn’t what I wanted to hear.” Wolverine then turned to Hope and said “you’d better be worth it.” Harsh words indeed but that is Wolverines nature, his way of expressing how deep his love and friendship with Nightcrawler was.
Pulling away from the comic book storyline but not the underlying theme behind Nightcrawlers passing, his death really had an impact on me. It’s been gnawing at me over the past few days since I found out about it. Nightcrawler held on to his faith when most others abandoned it. He loved a world that would sooner hunt him down as they did when he was born and burn him at the stake as a monster. He looked like a demon but was far more noble and compassionate than most normal humans. When the world feared and despised him, he met that antipathy with courage and love. He inspired others and built them upward to reach for something greater than themselves even as a world full of spite tried to tear him down pretty much every day of his life. Yes he was a cartoon character but cartoon world aside, how many of us can really say that we could be that noble? Most of us in life will never know when we will reach our curtain call so most of us might probably never have a choice to decide how we will leave this world. Nightcrawler knew that his final act of heroism would cost him his life. He knew that what he would be doing would take him away from his family and loved ones. He knew that he was saving the life of a girl who while many thought was the salvation of the mutant race there were some who thought that she would be its end. Despite all of this he acted without hesitation and made the ultimate sacrifice. He chose the way he would die and that was to die a heroes death in one final act of astounding bravery and nobility. True to the way he lived, he died the same way, uttering words of faith and telling a young girl hunted for the majority of her life by villains and monsters of all kinds that “he believed in her”.
Deaths in comic books are rarely final – many who have perished have somehow found there way back to the land of the living. That’s always been the way comic books work. For now however, I find myself thinking about the X-men and feeling a sense of emptiness within them. Nightcrawler was not just a mutant member of the team. In many ways he was their heart, the epitome of their faith in each other and in a dream that seems to be so far away from fruition but one worth fighting and in some cases dying for. For all his monstrous appearance he was anything but a monster – he was a noble man who stood for something even when the world around his screamed for his extermination. Again, taking this to the real world I just have to ask, could any of us ever be this strong?
So to all of you out there who fight the good fight and cast aside the barbs and darts thrown at you even as you carry forth your mission of helping better the world and the people in it gather strength from the character and man known as Nightcrawler. When people laugh at your appearance or look upon you with fear or suspicion do not be afraid to tell them who you are, what you stand for, and that you stand ready to offer them a helping hand when needed. It is an inherently human quality to fear or despise the things we do not understand or we ostracize the unusual or cast odd thoughts to the realm of “gibberish” but in doing both of these things I think we make the world a poorer place. We should all take a page from Nightcrawler, not only in the way he died but the way he lived. We should all strive to be so strong of faith, so resolute in our convictions, and always willing to heal wounded hearts and ease the suffering of those around us instead of taking every opportunity to hurt one another for some form of sick amusement of egomaniacal inclinations ( and yeah, you damn well know who I’m directing this last part to).
God bless you Nightcrawler and as Wolverine would say “we’re gonna miss you Elf.” You were in many ways perhaps the finest of them all. Rest in peace Kurt Wagner, dear friend because you have surely earned it.
When a woman wants to drop a hint they are often not subtle at all. So began my quest for Mothers Day which I dubbed Operation: Get That Dress.
It began weeks ago really. A local movie theater me and my beloved go to quite often is situated inside a small
shopping center. Within this small shipping center is a very small store that sells womens dresses, jewelry, and purses. Now what they lack in size they make up for in quality of product. Their stuff is nice. For weeks now my wife has stared at this one dress worn by the center mannequin as we passed by bu it was only last week that she came out and said "Wow that dress is beautiful. I really like it."
Ladies and gentlemen that is what is called...the hook.
So as Mothers Day approaches and we give thanks to those mothers we love I felt that getting this dress would be the best way to show her how much I care. So one week ago from this past Thursday I drove from work straight to the store (without telling her until I was getting there). When I arrived a bit past 6 the store was closed and oddly enough there were no signs in the store or on the door as to what their normal operating hours were. Needless to say I was quite disappointed. I called my wife and spilled the beans - there was her dress, so close and yet so far, staring at me through the glass and I could not attain it. But you see, once this little rat embraces a mission his determination is the stuff of legends. Give up? Yeah, like that will ever happen.
Today I renewed my quest. At 10 AM I drove to the store, thinking that it would be easier to catch them on Saturday. I got there... and they were closed. I waited a bit and then I walked over to the hair dresser across from the dress store and asked when she would be opening. Her answer was "Well they keep odd hours. They come in some Saturdays and other times they don't When they are here however thy are open around 11-11:30 AM." My heart tumbled to despair. Then she gave me her card and said "call me and I will let you know if Chantel, the store owner is there so I can tell her you are looking for that dress." So after waiting about 45 minutes I left and went to the local casino about 2-5 minutes away. I played some blackjack, won about $12 after being up and down and then left, making my way back to the store. When I got to the store...it was still closed.
Now I was getting a bit frustrated. But give up.... of course not.
After waiting a bit longer I asked the security guard and he said "Well they don't always show up at consistent times so I'm not sure what to tell you." Then a small miracle happened and hope was renewed. As I sat on the bench waiting for the store owner to arrive the hair stylist lady came out and said "You know I was moved by your persistence in trying to get your wife that dress. So much so that I called Chantel and told her about it. She says she should be here shortly."
My heart pounded with jubilation.
Fast forward about 45 minutes more and by I was starting to be doubtful again. So I walked into the hair
dresser place and asked if Chantel had given an approximate time she would arrive. She said "No but she did tell me she was definitely coming." As I was walking out of the store and preparing to wait SOME MORE I see a man walking towards the store with a woman. The woman had some keys in her hand and as she got closer to the store she reached out with the keys to open the door to the DRESS STORE!!!! The hair dresser came out and said "Oh Chantel this is the guy that has been waiting for you to arrive." I got up and walked into the store praying that the dress was still available in my wifes size, especially since the mannequin that had been wearing it was now wearing another dress. Chantel smiles at me, apologized for making me wait, and showed me that she did indeed have the dress in the size I wanted. So I whipped out my credit card and paid for the dress (it cost less than I thought so I have enough left over to take my beloved to a nice dinner as well) and left the store with my spirit soaring. I called my wife and said "Honey, mission accomplished." She was quite happy!!!
So my mission to get the hearts of my beloved's desire was complete. It cost me less than I expected, leaving me room to sweeten the gift and I even made an extra $10 while waiting for the store to open thanks to the blackjack tables. All in all it took me about 2.5 hours of waiting and three trips to the store but ultimately my persistence paid off. Now I gleefully await the day that my wife wears the dress as it is both beautiful yet provocative...much life she is...so that I can fully take in the fruits of my labor.
Happy upcoming Mothers Day to all the ladies out there who have struggled and put up with some of the insanity that we guys put them through. And last but not least, go the extra mile for the one you love - if they love you in return they will appreciate it.
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