The Danger Shop today was probably not what anyone might be expecting now that you were in the 'concerned individual' class in the rotation. Judging from the fact that the shop currently appeared to be a nicely furnished basement with snacks and beverages with plenty of couches and comfy seats, you might get the impression that this week's class would be about concerned individuals without the implied quotes.

Batman, for his part, was still at a podium. "I recognize that from my costume and from what I've said in class so far, you might be expecting more of a focus on vigilantism. We'll get to that. But first, some history."

"Vigilante is a Spanish word literally meaning 'watchman.' In 19th Century America, it came to mean 'member of a vigilance committee,' which is a kind of group that formed in areas where law enforcement was considered inadequate and ordinary citizens were forced to step in," Batman explained. "The meaning hasn't changed much over time. The main difference is that today the word vigilante generally refers to an individual without implying a group."

"But the root of the word is still 'watchman.' Not 'fightman.' Not 'defenseman.' At the root of being a good vigilante is the ability to watch. To look at what's happening. To process what you see."

"Community watch groups are a modern form of vigilance committee that traditionally stay true to the root," Batman said. "They literally watch the community for suspicious activity. If they have concerns, they call the police in to investigate more closely. Ideally, they work in pairs, both for protection and to have extra eyes and another brain involved in any watch."

"Unfortunately, there have been cases where community watch members have chosen more of a vigilante path when it was absolutely the wrong call," Batman said. "Doing that when you're not utterly prepared can be dangerous to you, and potentially dangerous to other people if you make poor choices."

"We're going to run through some simulations today. When you walk up those stairs and out of this basement, you'll have few blocks to explore as a community watch. Make note of suspicious activity. If there's something very suspicious, or if you run into trouble, press the button on one of these," Batman said, holding up a small remote, the size and shape of a cell phone. "This is your way of 'calling the police. At the end of class, we'll review."