In Puerto Rico, the murder rate is 3 times as high as the most murderous state in the US, i.e. Louisiana. Will the crime situation in Puerto Rico turn into a situation of Vigilante Justice? Is there any remedy available to the Puerto Rican government? Can USA authorities help? Does anyone have any intentions of doing anything?
Will the crime situation in Puerto Rico turn into a situation of Vigilante Justice?
Charles Bronson in Death Wish
During this past week, I watched the 1974 Charle's Bronson movie called "Death Wish" which got me thinking about Puerto Rico's issues with crime. Bronson plays a family man working as a land development planner. The plot setup is that crime is high in New York, especially mugging. Not much creativity required there, particularly in the 70s.
After Bronson's daughter is sexually assaulted and his wife killed by street thugs, he starts to take matters into his own hands. Starting out by busting up the face of a mugger with a couple of rolls of quarters inside a sock, he quickly graduates to shooter, and starts walking the streets of bad neighborhoods, waiting for muggers to target him... and waiting for his chance to exact deadly revenge on anyone intent to victimize others. He has a Death Wish.
In the movie, the police are on their game, quickly identifying him. But a surprising occurrence stops them from prosecuting him: Crime starts to drop substantially... Muggers are fearing for their own safety. Bronson's Death Wish has become a crime deterrent. So the District Attorney directs the Chief of Police to give him an unofficial pardon, and make him leave town in exchange for letting him go free from prosecution.
Now, of course, this is a movie, pure Hollywood fantasy. However, vigilante justice is certainly nothing new in the real world. And it is precisely times when things get out of control that these anti-social actions start to occur.
It is precisely times when things get out of control that anti-social actions like Vigilante Justice start to occur.
I do not have any reports of vigilante justice in Puerto Rico at this time, other than perhaps what many called an "FBI assassination" of Filiberto Ojeda Rios, and I'm going to be quick to provide the following disclaimer:
I am NOT advocating anyone to take matters into their own hands if it violates ANY law. I am NOT advocating anyone reading this to play Charles Bronson in the real world! Of course, activism within the law is certainly a great idea provided you take all reasonable precautions for your own safety. Example: It's probably not a good idea to picket outside a known gang/drug house, while tossing rocks at the windows. You get the idea.
You can be damn sure that Puerto Rican machismo men (and even women alike) during their conversations have MANY times verbalized their thoughts about vigilantism: "this is what someone should do", or stuff similar to "too bad someone wouldn't just... { insert vigilante action here } ..."
These types of comments remain in the realm of fantasy most times, but they start to become reality only in desperate times. The hardcore junkie turns to God, the husband shoots up the family after the wife leaves, the bullied kids shoot up their classmates, and the vigilante starts sniping the gang members. These are just generic examples of extreme motivators or situations that often follow desperate ones.
In general, when a person feels that they have just as much chance of dying by doing nothing as they do by taking an extreme action, the principle of self-preservation (all other factors being equal) sometimes drives a small percentage of the population to the extreme. It's like a poker decision when it's time to go all in. Is it really gambling when you've got good pot odds? For some, it's what the Bronson movie labeled a "Death Wish".
How much more has to occur in Puerto Rico, before one or more people develop their own death wish and decide to go vigilante, taking matters into their own hands? What is the formula or perfect storm that creates a vigilante?
Rumors abound. Is it police that drive with lights on to alert criminals to their presence rather than apprehend them? Is it the growing # of cocaine and other illegal drug shipments passing directly through Puerto Rico? Is it the deteriorating state of Puerto Rican government bodies? Is it the gun smuggling that puts AK47 firepower into armies of Puerto Rican gang members? Is it the total disregard for life itself, as evidenced by the pet massacres?
A lot of factors out there make Puerto Rico seem like it's in a bit of a *state* of desperation. In fact, if Puerto Rico has statehood status with the United States (notwithstanding the current impending devastation of the US economy) we can be pretty sure that United States Federal funding would be in greater supply here to help clean up this mess before it becomes more like what we see in the Sudan or Haiti. The United States doesn't like their tenants setting a bad example in the World, at least in comparison to standards in the rest of media visible mainland USA.
Someone like the Jenius would probably tell you that we don't need vigilantes. All we need is people who can read, I.e. be aware of the issues, and vote appropriately.
Force political bodies to represent the issues people want addressed, in the manner they want them addressed. If my assumption of his position is correct, then I think he's right. But, I have to admit, that something like a vigilante justice situation is the type of bold and impactful wake-up call that would get people to start talking and perhaps start paying attention. We don't need politicians with great suits. We need politicians with great brains. Hopefully we can find some lawful solutions that do NOT put blood on the hands of someone with a Death Wish.
So if you are reading this and you, as a Puerto Rican or someone with concern for Puerto Rico, want to either (a) prevent vigilantism from occurring, or (b) stop things from getting so desperate that people with Death Wishes feel that they are getting good odds on taking action... then start paying attention, start talking, and start voting.
You know you don't need to just vote for your the options on the ballot. The people can create a voice in the media, and a healthy dose of flattery can help motivate those "better" leaders out there to consider their "social aspirations" (NOT political; politics is about suits; social is about giving a damn) and accept your nomination to run as *your* true representation in government.
So the best case scenario is that we address this in a real way before it we get really desperate. You don't want a bunch of John Allen Mohammad's or Lee Boyd Malvo's riding through your neighborhood with the cross hairs trained on anyone wearing too much bling or Hector El Father t-shirts do you?
You might NOT be too sympathetic with gang members getting dropped (possible exceptions for your family gangsters) UNLESS you see a risk of becoming a casualty of war, getting dropped accidentally by *friendly* fire? If we do continue to deteriorate, and something more common in the world of movies/fantasy like vigilante justice or the Washington style snipers materializes, we might end up finding a lot more guys dead under a bridge.
If those with the inner spirit of the warriors of Puerto Rico of old, like Combate ("mata con hacha", i.e. "those who kill with axes") or Cabo Rojo ("tira piedras", i.e. "those who throw stones") decide they do not like the situation, the gang members could end up with some powerful competition.
Some questions for readers:
- How do you feel about vigilante justice? Would you welcome it, or fear it?
- How desperate is Puerto Rico, particularly in reference to crime?
- What can we do to help reduce crime in a lawful way?
The Insider
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