Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

[CptPatriot]

You have been called to work with a congressional committee to draft a Federal Law to make using superpowers illegal. How would you set up a law to do this? If you fail to help them, you risk a more extreme version of the law being enacted.

[bubba smith]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

first check the existing laws if super-human powers are classified as deadly weapons ala the fighters hands law if so the federal act would be redundant

[Ian Mackinder]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

Major need: Legally define what superpowers actually ARE.

 

This is going to be the real sticking point - how does one adequately delineate between people who can fly and/or throw energy bolts, and inventors, and top-flight athletes / martial artists or, indeed, people who are just incredibly good at one (or two?) particular things?

 

So, does ear-wriggling count? Or being able to belch the alphabet? Or stage magic?

 

Simple answer: Arriving at a one-size-fits-all legal definition for superpowers / paranormal abilities would be extremely difficult. If there is some kind of "tag" specific to superpowers (such as Marvel's rather idiotic Mutant thingie) then maybe there is some basis from which to start, but this then starts tripping up on civil rights big time - racial profiling and all that. Plus, what does one do about any superbeings somehow outside this definition - aliens, artifical beings, non-mutant genuises, time-travellers, rad-accident victims, etc.?

 

In short, it's an unholy mess, which gets even worse if one considers the whole "right to bear arms" aspect. I am absolutely certain that this alone would bring the entire process grinding to a complete stop.

 

A "more extreme version" of this law suggests to me the possibility of people being hauled away for doing ANYTHING out of the norm. Forget civil rights. In fact, forget being civil at all - any government group trying to go this way has abrogated any right to govern.

 

REVOLUTION TIME!

[Marcus Impudite]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

first check the existing laws if super-human powers are classified as deadly weapons ala the fighters hands law if so the federal act would be redundant

[knitpick]

Actually, the "Fighter's Hands Law" you speak of is a braggart's conceit and a myth, though authorities do sometimes keep closer tabs on someone with a sufficently long history of making trouble.

[/knitpick]

[Boll Weevil]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

first check the existing laws if super-human powers are classified as deadly weapons ala the fighters hands law if so the federal act would be redundant

Much like hate crime laws. Murder, intimidation etc are already illegal.

[Metaphysician]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

The very premise already pushes into unconstitutionality on numerous grounds, and any American PC I had would say it. Needless to say, the only 'help' they'd be providing is whatever public relations work needs to be done to remind the populace that, without superheroes, the planet wouldn't exist anymore.

[Hermit]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

You have been called to work with a congressional committee to draft a Federal Law to make using superpowers illegal. How would you set up a law to do this? If you fail to help them' date=' you risk a more extreme version of the law being enacted.[/quote']

 

Aquatic- Would make sure there were numerous exceptions, a good Samaritan proviso etc. If he couldn't do that, then he would protest it.

 

Mole-Being young (But legally an adult) would be surprised to be called on this duty. He would find such a thing fascist, and rather stupid "Congrats... you just cut your hero population in half while the supervillains will go merrily on. Add to that that now, technically, someone could be arrested for floating 4 inches off the ground on their own ability..." he'd take his chances and wouldn't be bullied into being part of a bad thing.

[hfergus]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

Volt - Would do a lot of what was already mentioned - point out it would not stop the villians and what the heck is a superpower. That could tie things into knots. Then ask what do they mean "using". Like the other post, would floating off the ground qualify? Would being stabbed and suffering no damage qualify? Would hearing a pin drop across the room qualify? Would picking up radio transmissions in your head qualify? (Volt has this ability and point it out that he does.) Would ask what this law does, other than being oppressive, accomplish that existing laws do not. If any law like this were passed, he'd campaign against it - and against those who voted for it.

 

Olorin would point out the above, and if they did not back off, actually grin and strive to make it more oppressive and ridiculous. Then grant all supporters (and the president if he did not actively veto it) obvious, usless, involuntary powers. (like constantly changing skin colors) Bet that would get it changed. If they went after him(even though they could prove nothing), he'd disappear. Lots of luck finding him in another dimension.

 

Black Tiger - You have to be kidding. He distrusts authorities. He'd work behind the scenes to fight it, even blackmailing if he could. He'd ignore it if passed.

 

Futurian - "Uh, you know I can't help this? Super is what I am. If I were not super I'd cease to exist. Using my powers keeps me alive. You guys are idiots, and I'll let your constitents know that." He'd do just that. This is something he would not forget. If it passed, he'd highjack the airwaves to discredit them - and then blame the highjacking on other villians.

 

Leadman - Point out that they are idiots and walk away. If asked, he'd point out the objections of Volt and Olorin. He'd disobey the law if passed, but quietly.

[Hermit]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

Banner- Is in a future Marvel Universe where the Civil War nonsense never happened, though mutant registration was tried. High Oratory to sway crowds in his hero id, and skill ful journalism on opinion pieces in his secret would combine to turn the public against this at all.

 

Goliath- Goliath is a forensic scientist with a sense of humor. He would take this chance to DEFINE Super power, and might word it so ANYONE who exceeded 'the average' would be classified under the law. Athletes would now have superpowers for being able to outrun most people, geniuses using their full IQ could be fined, and as the Average citizen has only one vote, all politicians in positions of power would have to immediately go to jail for the great power they had.

 

Then he'd start using his authority as an Avenger to arrest folks, apologizing all the way, and saying "This is the law I was told folks wanted..."

[Clonus]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

You have been called to work with a congressional committee to draft a Federal Law to make using superpowers illegal. How would you set up a law to do this? If you fail to help them' date=' you risk a more extreme version of the law being enacted.[/quote']

 

Well first of all there's a world of difference between registering superpowers and making their use illegal. You couldn't get much more extreme than making the use of all superpowers illegal. I wouldn't waste my time.

 

That being said, the first thing to consider is not "What is a superpower" but what kind of superpowers you actually are going to want to keep track of. Trying to register all paranormals is just pointless bigotry. So what I'd ask them is what specific goals they are trying to achieve. Are they just trying to soothe public alarm at some recent incident? Then rather than superpower registration they might be better advised to create a properly funded and organized system for reporting and quickly responding to paranormal incidents with appropriate counter-measures, up to and including teams of professional superheroes.

 

But if they are actually intent on some kind of registration scheme then the thing to do is to register people not based on blanket dehumanizing categorization but on how troublesome it can be for someone to have these powers unknown to the authorities. The order of concern might go something like:

 

 

1. Mental Coercion,
   
2. Impersonation powers
   
3. Telepathy
   
4. Teleportation
   
5. Ranged damage inflicting powers
   
6. Strength capable of shattering concrete
   
7. Durability capable of resisting conventional firearms
   

[Vulcan]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

I'm stuck in a campaign based on this whole premise. And it sucks...

 

I agree that a superpower registration act could easily lead to discrimiation - or even a 'round-up and eliminate' order. However...

 

In Marvel, young mutant's powers emerge spontaneously - even dangerously - in their teenage years. And because the young mutant has no experience with this new capability, he has very little to no control over it. This very thing is what brands Marvel's mutants as being so 'dangerous' - because one day the kid down the block explodes into flames and burns half his class. Now everyone things he's a villian, because a 'good person' would have controlled himself...

 

IF the technology exists to detect these 'prepowered' mutants, then isn't it the responsability of the govenment to find these kids and arrange training for them before their powers emerge, not just or the sake of public safety, but for the sake of the kids themselves?

 

Of course, once any sort of 'metahuman paranoia' sets in, this is a practical impossibility. This sort of thing is best done quicky (Gold/early Silver Age), before the public gets the chance to settle into a Bronze/Iron Age view of supers. Once that happens, well, there is not going to be any right answer for a superpower registration act. Criminals won't willingly register, heros might not register out of fear their sercrets will be betrayed, and no matter how draconican you make the laws, some super somewhere will slip through the cracks and cause problems...

[ghost-angel]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

Our campaign just finished a large story arc with this idea.

 

Superpowers weren't illegal - USING them on the other hand...

 

Normally, it just fell into laws already around:

Assault, Robbery, interfering with police work, etc. . .

 

Basically, anything a normal citizen can't do - doesn't mean because you can shoot eyebeams you're exempt.

 

Registration itself wasn't mandatory, if all you did with your amazing powers was heat your toast in the morning, or if you used your strength to do construction work no illegal activities took place, and no laws were needed.

 

The game focused on the idea that you needed to be a sanctioned enforcement officer (Local or Federal) to use your powers in any kind of crime investigation/prevention level.

 

Really, the laws we used focused on activities - not the actual presence or absence of powers. As, I believe, it should be.

[bubba smith]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

I'm stuck in a campaign based on this whole premise. And it sucks...

 

I agree that a superpower registration act could easily lead to discrimiation - or even a 'round-up and eliminate' order. However...

 

In Marvel, young mutant's powers emerge spontaneously - even dangerously - in their teenage years. And because the young mutant has no experience with this new capability, he has very little to no control over it. This very thing is what brands Marvel's mutants as being so 'dangerous' - because one day the kid down the block explodes into flames and burns half his class. Now everyone things he's a villian, because a 'good person' would have controlled himself...

 

IF the technology exists to detect these 'prepowered' mutants, then isn't it the responsability of the govenment to find these kids and arrange training for them before their powers emerge, not just or the sake of public safety, but for the sake of the kids themselves?

 

Of course, once any sort of 'metahuman paranoia' sets in, this is a practical impossibility. This sort of thing is best done quicky (Gold/early Silver Age), before the public gets the chance to settle into a Bronze/Iron Age view of supers. Once that happens, well, there is not going to be any right answer for a superpower registration act. Criminals won't willingly register, heros might not register out of fear their sercrets will be betrayed, and no matter how draconican you make the laws, some super somewhere will slip through the cracks and cause problems...

why not leave the campaign you can honestly saythe storyline isn't you cup of tea

[CptPatriot]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

The intent of my question was to inspire debate. I know that there are a lot of issues related to superpowers and the like, but since the supposition is that if you don't help to draft such a legislation to deal with the problem, the paranoia might make them panic and they'll draft an extreme version of the law that the hero community would not like.

 

For instance, do they just make potentially hostile powers illegal to use? Under what conditions to they allow the use of powers?

[Houston GM]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

You have been called to work with a congressional committee to draft a Federal Law to make using superpowers illegal. How would you set up a law to do this?

This is easy.

 

By the way the invitation is worded, it's obvious that the political/popular will is there to make usage of superpowers illegal. This will be nearly impossible to directly combat.

 

As a metahuman involved with the congressional committee, I automatically get publicity. I give some interviews with reputable news agencies in order to get more publicity, making certain my views are reasonable.

 

As Ian Mackinder and hfergus suggested, I would begin debates in the committee over the definition of "superpowers" and "using", and use this to stall the committee as much as possible.

 

Using my newfound fame (and perceived political power), I would open discussions with a few foreign countries: United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Since the committee is in Washington DC, I would have easy access to their embassies and ambassadors.

 

I would point out to the ambassadors that metahumans represent tangible power. A country that has more metahumans has more power, and thus more influence on the world stage. Any one of these countries could increase their global power by drafting more reasonable laws regarding metahumans, and by helping metahumans emigrate from the US into their countries.

 

I would propose the following laws to the ambassadors:

1) It is legal to be a metahuman.

2) It is legal to use superpowers.

3) Metahuman registration should be handled similar to the FBI's IAFIS system: It's mandatory if you're arrested, it's voluntary otherwise, and the information isn't available to the general public.

4) Using superpowers to commit a crime may add to the severity of a crime, similar to the "hate crime" laws.

 

I would point out to the ambassadors that they could attract more metahumans if they could give them a reasonable guarantee of employment and help defray the costs of moving. I would also recommend their countries perform background checks on any metahumans applying to immigrate.

 

After securing some sort of agreement from one or more of those countries, I would have another round of news interviews in which I would encourage metahumans to consider moving to one of the countries that would welcome them.

 

With any luck, the congressional committee (and the populace at large) would recognize that they were running the risk of losing a valuable national asset (every law-abiding metahuman in the country). This would change the political/popular support for the Act.

[sinanju]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

The intent of my question was to inspire debate. I know that there are a lot of issues related to superpowers and the like, but since the supposition is that if you don't help to draft such a legislation to deal with the problem, the paranoia might make them panic and they'll draft an extreme version of the law that the hero community would not like.

 

For instance, do they just make potentially hostile powers illegal to use? Under what conditions to they allow the use of powers?

 

I reject your premise. As would all of my characters. The fact that someone might write and enact an even worse piece of legislation does not mean I'm going to enact a "bad but not AS bad" alternative. I--and my characters--would do their damnedest to derail BOTH bills, on the grounds that they're discriminatory and unconstitutional.

 

Either bill (or both, for that matter) might be enacted anyhow. That's how democracies work. But I am not obligated to vote to hang an innocent man because otherwise he might be drawn and quartered. Sometimes the only decent response is to fight both.

[Vulcan]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

why not leave the campaign you can honestly saythe storyline isn't you cup of tea

 

I'm on hiatus - my last two characters were killed or crippled in their first game session (this is not a record for our game, either) - awaitng either a major shift in the plotlines, or a new campaign to start.

 

But if you know about another Champions game in St. Louis that is looking for a player, let me know!

[Nagisawa Takumi]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

You have been called to work with a congressional committee to draft a Federal Law to make using superpowers illegal. How would you set up a law to do this? If you fail to help them' date=' you risk a more extreme version of the law being enacted.[/quote']

 

The problem with this is the same as a gun registration act. It would only serve to punish the good people, which in this case are the heroes, rather than villains.

 

And WORSE, you'd be making them a target for all the villains out there who want to hold them hostage.

 

Because to start off with they'd have to divulge their identities, and it's very easy for a dedicated hacker to get information nowadays, imagine super villains with super intelligence?

 

Sorry, but most of my characters would refuse to help, and point out these flaws. Of course, which would be completely ignored, and a 'civil war' would start.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

First off, I'm not gonna answer "How do you make superpowers illegal", but rather the thread title "What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?", because I've already basically had to do just that in one campaign, after playing through a "Paranormal Registration Act passes but is discovered to be a supervillian plot" story arc.

 

#1) Assemble your implementation team, consisting of as many of the best heroic Super-geniuses, Super-scientists, Super-mages, Psionics and Cyberpaths as you can get to volunteer under Very strict "for the good of all Mankind, Normal and Meta alike" security measures. Probably involving voluntary Geasa or Mindlocks.

 

#2) Have said team create a classification system for Paranormal and Metahuman powers and power levels, ranging from "Almost useless" to "World Shattering".

 

#3) Create a set of storage, retrieval and security protocols that dwarf those used for the nuclear arsenal or Area 51. Something on par with the launch codes for The Great Old Ones.

 

#4) Load the database with dummy information and have a large cross-section of "The Worlds greatest detective" types try and break it. Continue until it passes 100 out of 100 incursion attempts. Repeat this process on a regular basis.

 

#5) Establish a "Department of Paranormal Resources". Treat Registration as similar to Selective Service, with the addition of full ride Government benefits for all registered Paranormals, scaling by power level and activities. Health benefits for them and their families, full ride scholarships, financial support, pensions... Pretty much anything they need. They are a unique national resource as well as a pool of potential WMD's. Keep them happy. Implement several stages of childhood testing procedures, to identify latents before bad things happen. Public perception should be that spawning a meta is a lot like winning the lottery. Don't REQUIRE registration or instill mandatory testing for adults, but make the "Use of Metapowers in the Commission of a Crime" a major force multiplier for Criminal Charges, with "Use of an Unregistered Metapower in the Commission of a Crime" even worse. Don't restrict non-criminal use of meta faculties except as they infringe on the rights or freedoms of others. Offer ginormous incentives for metas to use their powers for the good of society. Essentially eliminate most potential reasons for going rogue. Treat your metas like royalty... even if they don't have useful abilities, they might produce children who do.

 

#5) Spin the hell out of it in the press.

 

#6) Hopefully, sit back and enjoy a golden age.

 

EDIT:

Probably should include this...

#7) Pimpslap the idiots who think that outlawing superpowers is actually a GOOD idea.

[Clonus]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

 

Because to start off with they'd have to divulge their identities, and it's very easy for a dedicated hacker to get information nowadays, imagine super villains with super intelligence?

 

Honestly I'd think super villains with super intelligence would be able to work out the identity of anyone they wanted to anyway. If they aren't figuring out the identities of their arch-nemesis, it's probably because they don't care.

[Metaphysician]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

Depends on the superhero. With regard to one as or more intelligent and skilled, figuring out a secret ID may be essentially impossible from scratch. . . but if they voluntarily reveal it to a facility with inferior security?

[Badger]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

Badger- doesnt cooperate with vermin. Congress qualifies. Seriously, he'd tell them where to stick it. Then point out to his friends, if worse comes to worse, that a handful of supers could wipe out an army. Mentioning that wouldnt accomplish things or make a difference of course. And it isnt like he'd actually suggest doing that, really. But, it would be more to point out how pointless it would be to attempt to enforce such a stupid plan. Though, it should be mentioned that such an act would be a good enough motivation to probably move him back to villainy. More on a "Do what I have to do to be left alone" than an active evil villainy. But, he would "do what he had to do to be left alone".

 

 

Frosty Bob- uses guns. His main superpower is being effectively immortal, he cant exactly turn that on/off.

[Badger]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

Major need: Legally define what superpowers actually ARE.

 

This is going to be the real sticking point - how does one adequately delineate between people who can fly and/or throw energy bolts, and inventors, and top-flight athletes / martial artists or, indeed, people who are just incredibly good at one (or two?) particular things?

 

So, does ear-wriggling count? Or being able to belch the alphabet? Or stage magic?

 

Simple answer: Arriving at a one-size-fits-all legal definition for superpowers / paranormal abilities would be extremely difficult. If there is some kind of "tag" specific to superpowers (such as Marvel's rather idiotic Mutant thingie) then maybe there is some basis from which to start, but this then starts tripping up on civil rights big time - racial profiling and all that. Plus, what does one do about any superbeings somehow outside this definition - aliens, artifical beings, non-mutant genuises, time-travellers, rad-accident victims, etc.?

 

In short, it's an unholy mess, which gets even worse if one considers the whole "right to bear arms" aspect. I am absolutely certain that this alone would bring the entire process grinding to a complete stop.

 

A "more extreme version" of this law suggests to me the possibility of people being hauled away for doing ANYTHING out of the norm. Forget civil rights. In fact, forget being civil at all - any government group trying to go this way has abrogated any right to govern.

 

REVOLUTION TIME!

 

 

Well, I have always thought the superhero registration to be a stupid idea and virtually unenforceable. You'd have to get a decent % of the supers in the world to become a police force to keep it under control. Generally subjugation only works when the subjugators are the stronger. And I just see a some of supers fighting back if only to just be left alone. And most supervillains? Heck, well this could be a good plot for the Legion of Doom. Brainiac replaces Sen. Byrd with an android and uses him to pass superhero registration act. So, LOD will no longer have Justice League to stand in there way. Oh, yeah.

 

Bah.

 

Though Congress is stupid, so.......................

[Vorsch]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

To enforce this law you would have to have squads of dedicated units tracking there particular target. Like the hulkbusters or if goverment has acces to sentinel level technolgy promote them as law enforcers. So alot depends if the gov could enforce the law and if they have acess to that kind of power there wouldnt be heroes or villains any way just alot of supergolden avengers.

 

And there is realy truly nothing a realworld gov can do to the likes of superman level characters.

 

Plus upon hearing about this law all the countries powerful industrialists and political types who are telpaths mindcontrollers would make sure it went away, no one is going to test them for powers or there children.

 

Heroes are secretive by nature commit illegality on a nightly basis, they arnt cops after all. but when the choice is phone batman or have the city blow up it aint much of a discision.

 

More likely would be secret blackopp opperations to coerce heroes. Or realy funny would be to start hiring the vilains to stop the law breaking heroes. i like that idea now i come to think of it.

 

And why go after heroes at all when theres all those rapaging vilains that police havent a hope of stopping.

 

Just as the campaign accepts supers exist the goverments should as well.

 

Any registration act would eneviatable lead to conflict, and all heroes would be of the batman superman types who swoop in save the day and leave and no there not ansering any questions. so no FF or public supers.

 

So no real change, except every super out there will be bullitproof and have decent movement evasion powers the rest stay at home.

[Marketeer]

Re: Champs-What if you had to draft a superpower registration act?

 

I can envision a possibility of a metahuman law that might just pass the smell test: having "use of metahuman powers" as an aggravating factor in a crime the same way threatening someone with a weapon might be.

 

There would still be the legitimate debates around "what constitutes a metahuman power", but I do not know if, offhand, people would consider it unreasonable for someone who robs you at gunpoint getting a similar sentence to someone who robs you by threatening to throw a car at you.

 

I recognize that this is different in substance to a registration act, though.