Friday, June 5, 2020

The frightening fragility of our cities


In urging readers to be prepared for emergencies, whether it be in terms of supplies, preparations to get out in a crisis, ability to defend themselves, etc., I've sometimes been accused of over-reacting.  There are those who say I'm fear-mongering, trying to worry people unnecessarily.  "It won't ever get that bad!"

Sadly, I've seen enough violence, unrest and social instability in my time to be very well aware that it can get that bad.  I've seen it in many parts of Africa, and in some US cities too.  Others who've "been there and done that" (for example, Selco in Bosnia) can confirm what I say.  The reality can be almost infinitely worse than anything I can say in these pages.

The residents of Minneapolis had a relatively mild introduction to that reality a few days ago.  Imagine if the destruction pictured below had extended to entire residential neighborhoods.  It can all too easily do so.  I've seen it.








What's worrying me more and more is that I'm seeing signs, in the growing tension in our society, that there are those who want to create such instability:  who see it as the only "solution" to the problems they perceive.  Of course, those problems will vary depending on the perspective of the individual, but they all add up to big trouble for the residents of our cities, who are going to be caught up in them if they come to pass.  (That's a big part of why, a few years ago, Miss D. and I moved from where we were, in Nashville, to where we are, in north Texas.  We've insulated ourselves against many of the problems of big cities by doing so, and we now live in an environment where people are much better prepared to handle such problems if they should arise.)

Don't take my word for it.  Read the following articles, and consider the urban reality they describe or foresee.  They're all important.  Don't just read one or two.  Read them all, to get the full picture.


I'm not trying to make you panic with those articles and links.  I'm trying to show you what may happen, what can happen, and - in some cases - what already is happening.  Unless and until we realize how fragile is the cocoon of our everyday urban existence, we won't be prepared to deal with threats to it, and we won't have our own response planned and ready to deploy if necessary.

We live in dangerous times.  Be as prepared for them as possible.  Have a basic stockpile of emergency supplies, have a gun (preferably guns) for each adult in your family, and be prepared to get out in a hurry (if possible, before trouble arrives) rather than defend what's basically an indefensible position.  No matter how emotionally attached you may be to your home, mere property is not worth dying for.

Peter

8 comments:

  1. I know some folks who are tapped in to the informal fraternity of long haul truck drivers. Whether union or independent these guys and gals communicate with each other quite effectively.
    And the general feeling amongst them is it's perfectly within their rights to refuse to enter any city where they feel their safety or that of their load cannot be guaranteed.
    Consider, these are people who will break their backs, risk the most severe weather imaginable to deliver the goods. But are saying that they draw the line at putting themselves in jeopardy in what in effect has become a war zone.
    And has been discussed here and elsewhere, should the trucks stop, the store shelves go bare, and within a week or two at most your city starves.

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  2. There are a number of scenarios that may play out. And there are already communities where the 'local forces' have come into play.

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  3. These are not protestors. They are criminals and traitors.

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  4. Your home may not be worth dying for.
    But it's well into the zone of things you'd be willing to kill people to protect. Take out five or ten first, and see how dedicated they really are.
    And remember, WROL, there's no such thing as a "fair fight"; there's only fights you win, and fights you lose.
    No quarter, no prisoners.
    You're not making citizen's arrests, you're killing deadly predators before they kill you and yours.
    Wrap your head around that.

    And if shooting knees doesn't make the point, shift to heads, hearts, and hips. One or two gut-shot will demoralize a lot of others, and there are no Geneva Convention rules regarding medics aiding rioters.
    In fact, should they present themselves, shoot their medics first. Let the rioters know this isn't playground rules.

    And if you have the capability, and find their frequencies, spoof their transmissions, and/or jam their comms.

    "The National Guard are moving up in force from the north!"
    "They have snipers on the rooftops and they're opening fire!"
    "Everyone pull out and fall back to the original location!"
    Etc.

    It's easy, and yields results far out of proportion to the effort expended.

    They may be organized, but they're probably not PACE organized.

    And if you see anybody on the Red Team with a radio, you know who to shoot first, don't you?

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  5. Rioters, looters, and arsonists are the enemies of civilization, and should be put down like the rabid dogs they are.

    It's for the children.

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  6. Also something to remember is that the popo and courts haven't gone away. You aren't in a vacuum. Once you have scattered the mob, the state will move back in and most likely arrest the defenders. Because that's easier to do than protect them from the violent mob.

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  7. Not if they can't ID you because you had your COVID mask on...! ;p

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  8. Especially if neighborhoods 'close ranks' and refuse to testify against ANYONE.

    "Who shot all these looters?"
    "Wasn't me." "Not me." "Maybe it was the masked man."

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