2
Jan
2011
Ninjas and Drug dealers!
WBNS-TV is reporting that Clifton, NJ police have arrested two men claiming to be Ninjas!
Calling themselves ”Shinobi Warriors,” the 19 and 20 year old men were carrying knives, throwing stars, swords, nunchucks and a bow and arrows. The ‘Ninja’s’ were attempting to fight drug dealers in order to clean the streets of crime.
According to WBNS the two men accused drug dealers and users of having “committed sin of passing impurity” to others and that the “wind guides us to those of impure heart and intent.”
The bigger questions to answer here are:
- What is morally wrong (if anything) about these dorky Batman type figures to try to beat up some drug dealers, the scum of society?
- In an ordered society (one with a social contract), is it okay for ‘Ninjas’ to administer justice? (rather than the police)
- What would Hobbes or Locke think of the Shinobi Warriors?
- What are some other examples in Current Events of ‘vigilante-like’ people? Are these ‘Ninja’s’ different?
16
Jul
2008
Batman Begins to be Moral
I watched Batman Begins again for the 5th time last night and it got me thinking. Not about great cinematography, or comic books, or even Katie Holmes.
One of the underlying messages from the film: There arethings that are right and things that are wrong. And more than anything, there are things in the world that are SO wrong, they’re worth fighting against.
What then, is worth fighting against?
Perhaps you can look at this in the literal (vigilante) sense like Batman did. Fighting mobsters, villains, wacked out Psychiatrists, penguins, etc… But fighting doesn’t necessarily have to be physical. Lawyers fight for good (and bad) causes all the time. Legislators, lobbyists, celebrities, and citizens fight against terrible atrocities in the world all the time.
Look at Laura Bush fighting against illiteracy, Al Gore fighting against global warming, or Bill Gates fighting against disease in Africa. These people have chosen to stand up against something they truly believe is wrong. Agree with them or not, you have to respect the principled stand they have taken.
What then, do you think is worth fighting, and taking a stand, against?
Terrorism? Torture? Racism? Road rage? Bigotry? Jerks in the cafeteria? Bad jokes?
Update: All this makes me more excited to see the Dark Knight.