# Every Man Who Ever Wore A Superman Cape As A Kid, Honor This Brave Little Hero. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 30, 2006, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405 "2006-11-30T23:37:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/1 "2006-11-30T23:37:51Z")
When his family was held at gunpoint by 2 armed men, a 4 year old boy picked up a plastic toy sword, and ran to defend his family. And he won. [http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/515756.html](http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/515756.html) > [@](#): > > DURHAM - The robber was holding a gun to 5-year-old Mary Long’s head when a 3-foot-tall Mighty Morphin Power Ranger leapt into the room. > > “Get away from my family,” 4-year-old Stevie Long shouted, punctuating his screams with swipes of his plastic sword and hearty “yah, yahs.” > > The robber and his accomplice, who was waiting outside the apartment Friday night, fled with credit cards, jewelry, cash and other items that Stevie’s mother, Jennifer Long, dumped from her purse. > > … > > “During the robbery, a … boy snuck into his bedroom, dressed himself in a Power Ranger costume and armed himself with a plastic sword,” police said. “The child then exited his room and approached the armed suspect, in an attempt to protect his family.” > > Relatives said the robber abandoned plans to take Stevie’s mother to an ATM to withdraw cash when he saw Stevie. A brave kid. They hardly make em like that, anymore. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/2 "2006-11-30T23:52:12Z")
:eek: OMG! The chances of the robber just blowing the kid away, were alot higher than what actually happened. He wasn’t brave, children have little or no concept of mortal danger. That’s why we don’t turn them out into the street at four years old. I once cared for a three year old who jumped off a roof while wearing a Batman costume. I had a long. serious talk with him about make believe and reality. At the end of my monologue, I asked if he understood that Batman can’t fly. He nodded solemnly, but as I walked away, I heard him say, under his breath, “But Superman can.” See? No concept. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/3 "2006-11-30T23:55:24Z")
I hope they catch the crook and then spread that story among the other inmates. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/4 "2006-12-01T00:00:35Z")
There are no words for how lucky that kid is. By all rights, he and his whole family should be dead right now. Those crooks didn’t run away because the kid fought them off. They ran because they had at least enough human decency not to shoot a four year old in the head. _Damned_ lucky. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/5 "2006-12-01T00:08:19Z")
Reminds me of the scene from **Crash** when The little girl jumps into her daddy’s arms when the shopkeeper was about to shoot him because she had the special invisible blanket protecting her. That scene had me jumping out of my chair :eek: ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/6 "2006-12-01T00:20:32Z")
Holy cow, that is a scary story since it could have so easily turned out to be a tragedy. Since the robber was willing to put a gun to a FIVE year old kid’s head, I am really surprised he didn’t just shoot the little boy. Thank goodness they’re all safe now. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/7 "2006-12-01T00:43:00Z")
[QUOTE=picunurse] I had a long. serious talk with him about make believe and reality. At the end of my monologue, I asked if he understood that Batman can’t fly. He nodded solemnly, but as I walked away, I heard him say, under his breath, “But Superman can.” [/QUOTE] Reading this, I am forced to agree with children everywhere that, in fact, adults _are_ stupid. His logic is impeccable: Superman _can_ fly! (neener-neener) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/8 "2006-12-01T01:07:18Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] There are no words for how lucky that kid is. By all rights, he and his whole family should be dead right now. Those crooks didn’t run away because the kid fought them off. They ran because they had at least enough human decency not to shoot a four year old in the head. [/QUOTE] I think you give them way too much credit. I suspect that they were just thrown off by the Everything-Stopped-Going-According-to-Plan element. A 4-year old attacking you is something you don’t expect to deal with, so maybe give them credit for not acting on the basest of impulses, but I don’t think they spontaneously grew a conscience–I think they simply bailed because things got weirder and out of their control. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/9 "2006-12-01T01:50:47Z")
[QUOTE=picunurse] He wasn’t brave, children have little or no concept of mortal danger. That’s why we don’t turn them out into the street at four years old. [/QUOTE] I disagree. He may not have understood that he could have died…or even what death really means…but he had to understand that a “bad man” was threatening to hurt his family, that the “bad man” was much bigger than he was, had a gun, and the little guy still fought as hard as he could to save them. That’s brave, any way you slice it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/10 "2006-12-01T02:05:13Z")
[QUOTE=Oakminster] That’s brave, any way you slice it. [/QUOTE] I must agree with picunurse. He probably thought he really was one of those power ranger thingies. 🙂 I am glad it ended well. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/11 "2006-12-01T02:18:12Z")
I don’t see that it matters if the kid believed he was Godzilla, Cowboy Bill Watts, and Batman all rolled into one. He saw a threat, and he acted. As adults, yeah, we know he didn’t really save the day, and could have made things worse…but that does not diminish the courage shown by the little guy. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/12 "2006-12-01T02:26:32Z")
Who the hell is Cowboy Bill Watts? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/13 "2006-12-01T02:45:37Z")
I agree with **Bosda** & **Oakminster**. Things could have gone bad, but they didn’t. I wouldn’t recommend other 4 year olds rise up and attack evil doers, but he got away with it and deserves kudos, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/14 "2006-12-01T02:53:52Z")
Cowboy Bill Watts is best known as a former pro wrestler and promoter. Also played football at Oklahoma and professionally. Now retired. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/15 "2006-12-01T03:00:03Z")
[QUOTE=Oakminster] Cowboy Bill Watts is best known [/QUOTE] Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/16 "2006-12-01T03:54:04Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] There are no words for how lucky that kid is. By all rights, he and his whole family should be dead right now. [/QUOTE] This may come as a surprise to you, but not all burglars are so criminally sociopathic as to blow away a 4-year-old kid with a plastic sword. They rely on intimidation and fear to get what they want. If something doesn’t go to plan, they’re more likely to turn tail and run. And since the burglars got away, with lots of money and stuff, it doesn’t sound like anything turned out different. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/17 "2006-12-01T06:21:26Z")
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that this kid is picking up an invulnerability complex that will result in his gruesome death, maybe multiple times \*a la \* Mr. Bill. For the time being, though, he’s damn lucky and damned cute. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/18 "2006-12-01T07:41:46Z")
[QUOTE=KGS] This may come as a surprise to you, but not all burglars are so criminally sociopathic as to blow away a 4-year-old kid with a plastic sword. They rely on intimidation and fear to get what they want. If something doesn’t go to plan, they’re more likely to turn tail and run. [/QUOTE] Sure, but scared people do stupid, impulsive things. Count me grateful that it all turned out ok. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/19 "2006-12-01T10:12:24Z")
I’m with **Oakminster** on this one. The kid had the same mature judgment about danger of every four-year-old, but what he did was unquestionably BRAVE. He saw evil people threatening those he loved, and he took action. Whatever we may think about the wisdom of his action (and when did we start judging the wisdom of four-year-olds by adult criteria, anyway?), he hit the dictionary definition of bravery square on. (And in Durham, you probably _need_ to take an aggressive response in order to survive.) ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2006, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405/20 "2006-12-01T11:24:09Z")
I bet Bruce Wayne feels pretty dumb when he finds out about this. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/every-man-who-ever-wore-a-superman-cape-as-a-kid-honor-this-brave-little-hero/382405.md?page=2)