Entry#6 I'm BatMan

 Oh boy, do I have a story for you. I can guarantee you have thought about what it would be like to be a superhero who fights crime and saves innocent people from evil. You might have been in bed one day when you were still in middle school and thinking about fighting bad guys that came to your school and had to fight them off in your head. Maybe you thought it would be fun. Maybe you also thought you would become super famous and rich and everyone would love you. As you got older, you probably stop thinking like that and just move on from those silly daydreams about becoming Batman at night. Most adults, if they see something bad happening, will either ignore it and leave the area with their heads down, or they will call the police. Ladies and gentlemen, let me present to you the man, the myth, the legend... Phoenix Jones. *Insert cool hard rock music here*

Yes, ladies, I know, I know, control yourselves. This is Phoenix Jones, the man who literally fought real criminals with nothing more than his background in mixed martial arts. He took it upon himself to cleaning the streets of Seattle Washington. With nothing more than his fists and some homemade gadgets he made to fight off crime, Jones says he wanted to take policing matters into his own hands after a few incidents changed his mind about Seattle. The first was when Jones says his car was broken into and his son was injured by glass falling from the broken window. Jones was told that several people saw the break-in happen but did not intervene. So, like all great superheros, he took matters into his own hands. and decided to clean the streets of Seattle. Please watch this video of him It's so crazy to see this. He is Batman.

After months of these videos spreading like wild fire, he quickly gained followers, but not the followers you think. He gained allies to fight alongside him to protect the innocents. These people were called the "Rain City Superhero Movement." (I swear I'm not making this up). But before you dismiss these "geeks," keep in mind that these people will actually kick your butt. All of them have a legit background in fighting or military service. It was composed of costumed activists who describe themselves as a "crime-fighting brigade." The names of these people that they picked to be known as were Thorn, Buster Doe, Green Reaper, The Mantis, Prodigy, Gemini, No Name, Catastrophe, Thunder 88, Penelope, and Phoenix Jones. These people often clashed heads with the police because the police didn't want them to get thrashed or killed. They would often get arrested. Once they were let go, they would go right back to fighting crime. 

But not all heroes live forever...

Have you ever heard the phrase, "You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." The man who would dedicate his mind, soul, and blood to fighting criminals was a criminal himself. I'll let you take a moment to process this...  In November of 2014, police said Jones was caught selling MDMA, also known as ecstasy, to an undercover officer. He was sent to jail, and the Rain City Superhero movement disbanded, turning their backs on their leader, who was a criminal the whole time. (I swear I'm still not making this up.) This actually happened. So after the news came out about his arrest, his online following felt betrayed by this, and Phoenix Jones was left with a distant memory in people's minds. He never gained the trust of the people again. After this happened, he kept getting arrested on and off again, further ruining his legacy of being a hero to the people.

If you want to know more about this whole story, there are videos of him legit fighting bad guys who have knives and bats. It is definitely pretty cool. Of course, he was protected by his suit, which he made himself to defend himself from attacks. His whole story could be made into a film. It is so fascinating how a man who would risk his own life to help innocent people was also a menace to his people. It also makes me wonder, "What happened?" Did becoming a super hero change his mind along the way and give in to the life of a criminal, or did someone persuade him that what he was doing was wrong? Did the stress of fighting crime make him think, "I can win this war"? So many questions, all never to be answered. Going back to the point I made at the beginning, dreaming of becoming a super hero sounds awesome, but people don't take into consideration the mental stress it can cause and the mental battles you have to fight. Phoenix Jones is a great example of how people will change when following something they deem to be correct and righteous can make them blind to logical decisions. They became the very thing they hated.