I remember those days when we were very young. We would always act like vigilantes in the neighbourhood, hiding under the staircase, waiting for someone to show up so we could jump out and punish them.
Another time was when I used to imagine being the hero in the house, hiding behind the door and creating an imaginary thief knocking at the door. Before they could have their way in, I’d already positioned myself with a big knife that I would use to stab as a form of self-defence before they could come in.
Another self-defence is pouring hot water or hot stew on them. It was always a perfect plan in my head, but in reality, it goes beyond that.
As I think about this today, it makes me realise how much our childish imagination shapes how we perceive danger and becoming a hero.
It’s not an easy job catching criminals, especially as a vigilante in the neighbourhood, ensuring everyone is safe in their houses. It made me remember a time when we heard of a thief who was caught red-handed at around 3 am by one of the vigilantes, and they beat him mercilessly, taking law into their own hands instead of handing him over to the police.
Of course, I wouldn’t blame them for taking the law into their own hands against these criminals because they know how the police sector has become today, with bribery and corruption. Or what do we say about some criminals handed over to the police by vigilante groups, but later were released because they were bribed? That would be unfair because it makes the vigilantes irrelevant.
Situations like this only expose how broken the system is and the extent to which people do not trust the authorities that are meant to protect them.
I don’t think I can ever be a crime-fighting vigilante because I don’t have the strength to do that. Even if I had the money and power, the only thing I would do is support those in it and make sure they comply with the law while enforcing the punishment deserved by the criminals.
Being a crime-fighting vigilante is a noble profession, and those in it should be highly respected for doing a difficult and important job, ensuring everyone in the community is safe and protected.
It wouldn’t be good for those working to protect the community from criminals to become criminals themselves, given how they’ve allowed their reputations to be dragged through the mud by greed and corruption.
Things can never get better in the hands of corrupt authorities, especially in the police sector. However, I might not be part of the vigilante, but I can definitely support with the money and power I have to make sure things are done in the right order and justice is served to those who deserve it.
In a world where injustice is the order of the day, it’s expected to uphold a high standard of integrity and shun crime in the neighbourhood.
People’s safety should be paramount and prioritised rather than trying to take advantage of the law for your own benefit, which doesn’t work in the long run because people’s lives would eventually be affected by such an attitude.
At the end of the day, we can only have a thriving community when justice is upheld, and everyone chooses to do what is right, no matter how small their role may be.
Image credit to Chatgpt
