Batman is Partially Responsible for the Crimes of the Joker

My opponent does not disappoint! His arguments have been both creative and detailed, and I thank him for doing such a good job arguing against his actual beliefs. ::Arguments/Rebuttals:: 1. Batman Helped Create Him Con argues that Joker always planned on escaping through the chemical vats as evidenced by a breathing apparatus within his mask. However, this explanation seems unlikely. First of all, the solid metal mask in question covers the entire face and exposes no openings for the mouth or nose, so a breathing aid is likely a necessity [1]. Secondly, no source presented yet has described Joker's fall as anything other than an accident or the result of terror. Thirdly, both a master criminal and a chemical engineer (two likely professions of the Red Hood [2]) would know to avoid the chemicals in question and prepare proper breathing protection. Con goes on to say Batman cannot be blamed for the location of the fight and the dangers therein. However, there is a reason police officers do not simply rush into chemical plants and fuel depots, even when lives are at stake. The danger to all parties involved in these locations is extreme. The fact that Batman, a criminal himself, decided it would be best to engage the Joker there rather than outside the facility or at their hideout means he is as guilty for the injuries that took place as the original perpetrators. As for the necessity of Batman's vigilantism, we have seen what type of villain follows Batman's arrival. Con calls this relationship correlational and insufficient, ignoring the antagonistic nature of Batman's methods. Whereas most heroes present themselves as symbols of peace or justice, Wayne chose fear as his calling card. He fell upon a city of desperate and weary criminals and terrorized them with horror after horror until, inevitably, they retaliated with insanity and viciousness unheard of in the DCU. 2. Batman Motivates Him The Joker is indeed unpredictable and operates without Batman in some canons (i.e. No Man's Land) and does not in others (e.g. TDKR, Batman Beyond). To explain this contradiction, I offer two points. Firstly, those instances in which the Joker has continued to operate without Batman occur during temporary leaves by the hero. In each case in which Batman officially retires (an action not possible within the monthly publication), the Joker follows suit. Secondly, many of Joker's acts demanded the physical presence of Batman. He has terrorized the entire city in the hopes of seeing the Batman face-to-face [3] and tormented individuals strictly because of their relationship to Wayne. Take two of Batman's sidekicks, for example; Joker savagely beat and "killed" Jason Todd [4] and tortured Tim Drake for weeks [5]. Clearly, Batman's choice to continue his crusade in spite of a criminal who uses him as encouragement means dire consequences for those around him. Add the fact that these Robins were minors under Wayne's protection when they were attacked and his responsibility in their torture magnifies exponentially. 3. Batman Refuses to Stop Him Batman has indeed become less violent over the years. However, even the reformed Wayne showed in his battle against Darkseid that he is not above using deadly force to save lives. Con claims Darkseid warranted special treatment, but the Joker is one of the most dangerous and indiscriminately murderous villains in the DCU. Con claims killing would tarnish Batman's image, but this does not explain why he actively stops others from killing the villain themselves [6][7]. Finally, Con claims murder would destroy Batman's fragile psyche, but this does not stand in light of the numerous murders he has already committed (unless his playful "Gotcha" after shooting Darkseid was the sign of a decaying mind). Batman killed at the beginning and end of his career, so it is hardly convincing to say he was unable to handle doing so in between. In truth, Wayne's reason for not letting the Joker die is far less noble than Con would have us believe. Unlike Wayne's other adversaries, Joker has beaten, bloodied, and taken from him more deeply than he thought possible. He thus refuses to alter his methods as a means of proving to himself that he and his methods will not be broken. However, this mindset is completely inappropriate for one who trumpets himself as a protector. By sheltering his ego and self-image above the safety of Gotham, Batman has a hand in every life he allows the Joker to take. ::References:: 1. http://www.retrojunk.com... 2. http://en.wikipedia.org... 3. http://en.wikipedia.org... 4. http://en.wikipedia.org... 5. http://en.wikipedia.org... 6. http://my.opera.com... 7. http://comics.ign.com...