Guardian Angels

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by emathias

"Slashed" sounds like a more accurate description than "stabbed."

That minor point aside, I was just telling a friend of mine last week that they hardly ever actually physically intervene in things and act more like a visible deterrence, so this was pretty surprising.

I'm glad they weren't injured to the point of having their health gravely threatened. I did a long report on the organization when I was in college 17 years ago. I hadn't noticed them in a while, but noticed a lot more after the stories about mob action last summer. While I generally have negative opinions of vigilantism, I'm much more ambivalent about the Guardians and actually made a $100 donation to them this morning after reading that story.

well, you know the press has to go the sensationalistic route!

very astute observations, I noticed the same - I think I did read that after the some of the incidents in Lake View last summer that the Guardian Angels were opening a small office in the rough vicinity.

and good on ya for donating.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by emathias

"Slashed" sounds like a more accurate description than "stabbed."

That minor point aside, I was just telling a friend of mine last week that they hardly ever actually physically intervene in things and act more like a visible deterrence, so this was pretty surprising.

I'm glad they weren't injured to the point of having their health gravely threatened. I did a long report on the organization when I was in college 17 years ago. I hadn't noticed them in a while, but noticed a lot more after the stories about mob action last summer. While I generally have negative opinions of vigilantism, I'm much more ambivalent about the Guardians and actually made a $100 donation to them this morning after reading that story.

Let's also be clear about what vigilantism is. Intervening in a crime in progress, or even being a visible deterrent, is within a citizen's right, albeit it at their own risk. Carrying out punishment as a substitute for the justice/legal system addressing the offense, that's vigilantism and something citizens do not have a right to do. And of course the GA's don't do anything like that, at least not officially (and I presume not "unofficially" either).

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Drover

And of course the GA's don't do anything like that, at least not officially (and I presume not "unofficially" either).

I'd imagine over the years the organization has attracted more than a few hotheads just looking for an excuse to start some fights, nothing the chapter can do except boot 'em out if that happens I suppose (I'm guessing their resources to do background checks and psychological evaluations are slim).

The Chicago GAs seem to be always portrayed in very flattering terms by the media, though.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Drover

Let's also be clear about what vigilantism is. Intervening in a crime in progress, or even being a visible deterrent, is within a citizen's right, albeit it at their own risk. Carrying out punishment as a substitute for the justice/legal system addressing the offense, that's vigilantism and something citizens do not have a right to do. And of course the GA's don't do anything like that, at least not officially (and I presume not "unofficially" either).

They have, in the past, closer to the time of their founding, done some things that were at least in the gray area around vigilantism. They were also much more controversial when they were founded in New York (at least partly due to Curtis Sliwa's not-quite-PR-approved approach to the press). These days, and particular the Chicago chapter, they are much more clearly like a neighborhood watch group than vigilantes, but there have been times in the past when that hasn't been as obvious.

[ToriaT]

I do not approve of vigilantes but I do like the idea of the GA. With stuff going down like it is in town it seems like there is a place for them. Of course we should not need them. If there were more beat cops and a police presence on the CTA we would not need them. I recall years ago when I took the L there seemed to be more of a CTA presence on the train. While they were not cops, they would try to help if there was a problem.