Preparing for crises: to whom is our greatest responsibility?

 

I'm sure everybody who makes preparations for potential problems, no matter how small, has run into the sort of friend who says, "If disaster strikes, I'm coming over to your place.  You have enough to take care of us, too!"  My response to that is usually less than polite, to put it mildly.

This has led to accusations of being "un-Christian", in terms like "I'm your neighbor!  The parable of the Good Samaritan means you have to take care of me!"  The freeloaders will find all sorts of Scriptural quotations to justify their relying on you to take care of them in an emergency, rather than doing it themselves.  They don't seem to like it when I quote the parable of the wise and foolish virgins in reply.  They object, "But that's taking it out of context!  That's for when Christ returns, not a disaster!"  When I point out that, in the event of a disaster, they may be meeting Christ a lot sooner than they'd otherwise planned, they don't seem to appreciate it...

Arguments about context notwithstanding, I think the parable of the wise and foolish virgins is very applicable to preparing for difficult situations.  The "oil in our lamps" is what we need to keep ourselves and our loved ones alive and safe - well, as safe as possible - during hard times.  If we have "oil", we'll probably make it through the problems.  If we don't, it'll be a lot more difficult (and possibly more dangerous), and we may not make it through them.  It's as simple as that.

That being the case, for whom are we building up our emergency supplies?  It's not for every Tom, Dick and Harry who demands them.  I daresay none of us are wealthy enough to stockpile an almost infinite amount of goodies "just in case".  Most of us find it difficult enough to build up sufficient supplies for our own family, which must have first claim on them.  If we're fortunate enough to have a local "tribe" or extended family, people we know we can rely on in an emergency, they too may have a legitimate claim on us, just as we might have the same claim on them:  they help us, we help them.  It's a two-way street.  However, outside that sort of relationship, do we owe anything to those who have suddenly been left to their own resources when trouble comes, and realize they have none?  Do they have a tertiary claim on us?  I would argue they don't, at least not to any great extent.

Here we run headlong into the attitudes of society as a whole.  You can bet your last penny that in a disaster situation, the authorities will rely on local ordinances that empower them to confiscate anything and everything they need to help their people survive.  That will almost certainly include declaring preppers to be "hoarders" - thieves, in so many words - rather than prudent householders, in order to justify confiscating their preparations for the benefit of others.  If you have equipment or buildings that might be useful, expect to have them appropriated as well.  They won't ask your permission - they'll tell you, and if you object, you'll probably be arrested.  In larger cities, the welfare-dependent portion of the population will doubtless demand that the authorities do that, and do so themselves if they won't (yet another reason not to live in big cities).

Even if the authorities don't get that overbearing, my experience in the Third World during disasters is that local "strong men" will try to "organize" a street, or a neighborhood, or an area.  They'll send their followers to "inspect" people's homes and confiscate whatever they declare is needed to maintain order and look after the needy.  (Generally, of course, they'll keep what they confiscate for themselves, and/or demand payment in cash or in kind if you want some.)  If you object, you may be beaten up or worse;  you'll certainly be threatened and browbeaten.  (Think of the local "strong men" as an involuntary HOA, laying down rules and regulations that you may not like, but you'll be forced to follow if you want to live there.  It's just that this HOA is less likely than most to tolerate disagreement, and may be armed to enforce its will.)  Don't expect sweet reason and understanding from such folks.  In a disaster, "Karens" are all too willing to tell others what to do, and to force them to obey if they get half a chance.  (There are far too many of them in government as it is.)

This is why I and others suggest that you split your emergency preparations.  Part can be more visible, perhaps in the form of an "extended pantry", a larger-than-usual supply of canned and dried food in or near your kitchen.  If people demand to know what preparations you've made, and you're not in a position to refuse to show them, you can let them see that.  If they insist on confiscating some of it, by all means object (but not strongly enough to endanger your safety and/or that of your family).  Meanwhile, you should have more (perhaps most of) your emergency supplies hidden elsewhere, out of plain sight, either on your property and/or in a remote location like a storage unit or a friend's place that's less likely to be visited by such marauders, official or otherwise.  (Storage units may not be safe in such a situation.  They're likely to be looted, so plan to get important items out of them as quickly as possible if an emergency arises.)

Finally, expect such situations to arise in the event of a disaster or disruption.  There will be those who've made little or no preparation to endure such events, and who will turn to others such as yourself to tide them over.  It'll take firmness and determination to tell them "No", and you may have to back up words with actions if push comes to shove.  Your family is your primary responsibility, and comes first;  your extended family or "tribe" comes next as your secondary responsibility.  People who are not in those categories may ask for help, but have no right to demand it.  You have every right to refuse them if that would threaten your ability to help your primary and secondary responsibilities.

As a Christian, I do believe it's our duty to help those less fortunate than ourselves.  That's why I keep some extras in our emergency preparations, so that I can contribute at least something to those who may ask for help.  However, when those extras run out, that's it.  If others won't accept that and get pushy, then it's time for me to get pushy right back at them.  (There are those who believe one shouldn't help at all, because that will only encourage those one helps to demand more when the initial help runs out - a potential threat to our safety.  I guess that's a decision for each of us to make, based on our own consciences.)

What say you, readers?  Let us know your thoughts in Comments.

Peter