Strongly disagree. Over simplification of the human condition, what makes one a tyrant and when does he no longer have the right to exists. If he always has the right to exists then heros become little more than janitors willing to clean up but not fix the cause of the mess.
Completely agree, both Cliff and Angela.
A quick look at history proves this to be correct. Pre-emptive action by the just is always better than reaction by the masses, and who better to determine the right path than the right (meaning the just)? Heroes, like some other enlightened people, are not only better able to determine the correct path for society, simply by their innate wisdom and benevolence, but also better able to enforce this sometimes misunderstood philosophy.
It is common knowledge that great men are misunderstood, their motives and their ideas, until long after their deaths. If killing a few hundred thousand helps the entire world become more peaceful, it is well worth it. Peace also is misunderstood, it does not mean happy cohabitation, it simply means life without war. Sometimes that has to be forced on people, make those who disagree toe the line, so to speak. You have groups who simply cannot accept that our way, the hero way, is the only way to go. They must be brought under the chain if they do not see the glory of our missions!
A good example would be Apokalipse (sp?), no wars, no fighting, just pure peace. Granted it has to be enforced by a bunch of bloodthirsty monsters, but you can't have everything. It's only war and suffering if it happens against us, not if we do the enforcing. If killing is called for, even to make a point, that is a Hero's job! Look, Superman doesn't have to kill, but he's all powerful. Regular heroes have to do what it takes, and spilling a few gallons of blood is nothing.
Think about it, if we let the villains that aren't hurting anyone be, next the citizens will think that crossing against the light is OK. Show them the error of their ways! Give that scofflaw a good Shadow Punch or lvl 50 Dominate, put them back on the straight and narrow (or in a bag, who cares?).
Now, we hope you realize this is /sarcasm.
There is no cause that is cause enough to enforce your will on another, that is what the justice system is about. It takes one moment for a hero to become a villain, but no amount of time can turn a villain into a hero. They still don't trust Hawkeye for Pete's sake.
To be a hero, really, you must do selfless things for no hope of return. Want to study some heroes? Atlas (he died just to hold the city), Ghandi, Audey Murphy, Tillman (pro-football player who became a Ranger, then killed by his own men in Iraq).
The central tenet of heroism is the preservation of life, not the ending of it. Good things happen despite death, not because of it. A thousand bullets could be fired and kill a thousand tyrants, and not unmake one widow or orphan. It is a naturally villainous activity to speak of ends and means for this reason, as only villains truly believe that simple math can make up for even one death. The only life a hero can take for the greater good, is his own.