Dozens, maybe even hundreds, of superheroes protect America’s streets every day.

No, this isn’t a promotional article for the upcoming “Watchmen” movie. This is real life. These brave costumed activists patrol their local communities, stopping crime and helping their fellow men in need.

They call themselves “Real Life Superheroes,” or RLSHs.

And yes, it’s okay to laugh a bit about the idea of grown men and women running around in superhero costumes. Go ahead and laugh. Call the whole idea crazy while you’re at it.

But after taking a look at a few of the RLSH websites, it’s clear that these “superheroes” are completely normal people. Reacting to crime, homelessness and a plethora of other societal issues, these heroes work hard to make their pieces of the world better places.

But why the costumes? Why the secret identities?

The theory is simple; wearing a costume makes them stand out from hordes of other people who volunteer on a daily basis. People who wear a costume draw more attention to the cause they’re fighting for. The mask and superhero identity, while also intended for a certain amount of artistic flash and flare, are meant to keep their real name out of media headlines and public attention. The hope is that eventually their superhero identity will become a symbol for the good that people can do.

This desire to be a truly good person is what keeps most RLSHs from accepting money for what they do.

To the RLSH community, getting paid for being heroic is a bit of a social taboo. Superheroes who turn a profit from their good deeds tend to be looked down upon by the rest of their community.

It’s a strange concept in a country full of businessmen who earn fortunes from the hard labor of the middle and lower classes. Why not gain extra money for being a good person?

To the RLSH Phantom Zero, a superhero’s typical civic duties involve things like working with the homeless, going on neighborhood watch patrols and even working with police to solve crimes. If he or she were to make money from helping these people, the superhero would be profiting from their pain.

To be honest, while the lifestyle of RLSH involves hard work and dedication, the majority of what people like Phantom Zero do consists of volunteer work that anyone could do.

What shocks me most is that with the spreading fame of the RLSH community, a big state like California only has one RLSH in it. The Eye lives in Mountain View. Sadly, Sacramento is without a superhero of its own.

And while putting on a costume and preventing crime might be a bit extreme for some, there’s an easy way for anyone to make a huge difference in the world. It starts by taking a few moments out of our busy days to help out a stranger who’s been having a bad week.

So my question to all of you is: who wants to make a difference?

David Loret de Mola can be reached at [email protected]