Preppers to be treated as terrorists

Started by WA4STO, October 26, 2012, 11:36:20 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

WA4STO

This makes me wonder if they're gonna be interested in the antennas out back... oh, and the "terror-mongering" stuff in the shack...

http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/national-guard-whistleblower-doomsday-preppers-will-be-treated-as-terrorists_10252012

73 de WA4STO

Mitch

That's really sad, do people believe that bunk from Soldier X?

I'm certainly skeptical...

Especially with regards to election riots?

gil

I don't believe the elections would spark any civil unrest either..

Mitch

People obviously taking the new TV series Revolution too seriously...

Preppers are gonna be the ones hiding and staying low for the first weeks or perhaps months after the SHTF, seems like they would be the least likely to need National Guard attention.

raybiker73

#4
I take reports like this with a pretty huge grain of salt. Look at it this way, even if the most paranoid fever-dreamed worst case scenario were to be true, how on earth would they implement it? Even with 100% participation and 100% engagement, where would they even start? Take Afghanistan, for example. It's not even the size of Texas, and has a population of about 35 million. For the last 150 years, everybody from the US to the Soviet Union to the British Empire at the height of their power couldn't fully occupy and pacify Afghanistan. Now, multiply the population by 10 and the land mass to be occupied by about 50, and you see what it would take to do this in the U.S. Don't get me wrong, I believe that post-election riots in some cities are pretty likely, I don't think our government is exactly on "our side," and I think that there are those in government who would love to try something like this, but it just ain't gonna happen, at least not this way. I think the only realistic SHTF situations involve outside factors, such as a massive war or a Carrington Event-level solar flare or a total global economic meltdown the likes of which has never been seen before. As far as the government declaring martial law and clamping down on 300 million people? It would be like trying to neutralize a swarm of bees with a BB gun.

White Tiger

#5
That's why it's much easier to put down a revolution - before it starts.

Make sure that when you take away rights and force the population to accept huge piles of debt - that you feed them properly - and that they know where the food came from.

Change happens when some are forced to share too much of societies burdens - then the rest of that societies population.

Unfortunately, technology has pretty much eliminated the ability to forcibly change a modern government.

That is not a good thing, but it means smarter more sure, but very slow methods of change must be used.

It's why some of us prepp - because we know that it is not possible to physically fight off people who buy ammo by the ton - BUT - that does not mean I will accept tyrannical shifts and pressures.

It is getting bad - there are those that say we're already in an economic collapse - because most times, an economic collapse does not happen overnight, it's a slow progression of inflation, continued job losses, moments of massive wealth destruction (wiping out savings and investments)...and a government that wants you to believe what you see, isn't really happening...

Anyone here is a modern day "change agent". You speak your mind - even if it isn't popular - and you defy anyone who wants to limit your speech. That is how I know some of us will eventually reach a limit as to what we will take - that is the fertile ground where change begins.

We still "change" things, just do it differently now.
If you're looking for me, you're probably looking in the wrong place.

gil

QuoteUnfortunately, technology has pretty much eliminated the ability to rebel against a modern government.

Not quite so. Look at Afghanistan... There are plenty of people around the world doing so. That said, we must do everything we can to avoid getting to that point. I would even suggest not discussing things like that here. Unfortunately, people do not seem to know that there are other parties than Democrats and Republicans, but they will not vote for them. I am convinced that a Libertarian president could save the United States, but voters are too concerned about what little inconsequential and immediate small benefits their candidates promise them. Then, and I shouldn't even mention that, there are religious issues at play. Religion is one's own business and should not mix with politics. It's in the Constitution. Not only should we have separation of Church and State, but Also separation of business and State. Neither will ever happen. Still, we must vote for the best possible candidate, and unfortunately, it isn't one of those two puppets everyone is debating about. Sad thing is, people will get what they deserve, what they voted for, what they said nothing against. What annoys me is that when the SHTF, I'll get splattered too, all because most of the population are fools. Give a rowdy kid a box of matches, he will set something on fire... We are the parents. There is no point in spanking the kid after the house has burned down. We simply must not give him dangerous toys to play with in the first place.

Revolution? Not me. I'm planning on survival, and revolution doesn't promote survival. If I owned a big chunk of land and had built my house on it, I would be prepared, but I have nothing. I can simply turn around and leave if I don't like where things are going.

Tim is right, there are better ways, like speaking your mind, and spreading knowledge.

So, no more of the "R" word here please, and if you guys want to talk politics, keep it clean and civil, that's fine. Thank you.

Gil.

White Tiger

Me either Gil, doesn't mean we choose to ignore reality and pretend its all ok...it means we are taking steps to protect ourselves and our families/ friends - when the consequences of bad government finally make it difficult to decide between paying your electric bill, or buying food.

Food is more important than anything - but only if you have a warm, safe, dry, place to eat it.

Prepare for the worst, work for the best.
If you're looking for me, you're probably looking in the wrong place.

KC9TNH

Quote from: White Tiger on October 27, 2012, 03:18:46 PM
Food is more important than anything - but only if you have a warm, safe, dry, place to eat it.
And the means to keep it.

gil

I would say in order:


  • Security
  • Water
  • Shelter
  • Food

You can go a long time without food.

Gil.

White Tiger

#10
Two weeks...but again, depending on the nature of the collapse/SHTF event...do you think it is more likely you will be able to wander freely and find a lot of food, or do you think travel will be restricted (either by ROL or individuals taking advantage of a lack of ROL)?

My idea is that you need to be able to get...somewhere...but you need to initially plan to hold-up immediately after the event.

Meaning, don't wait until the value of food (and water) climbs, plan now for the most likely scenarios.

Otherwise you put yourself in the camps of the zombies....

And Gil's list works - no matter which direction you use it - if you start preparing to acquire those items BEFORE an event.
If you're looking for me, you're probably looking in the wrong place.

gil

#11
Hello,

I think travel would be both restricted and risky. Traveling by road would certainly be a no-no.
I would only travel on foot, at night, avoiding roads, and only if I had to.
The problem with stocking stuff at home is that it can be taken, by the authorities or looters.
Looters, we all know how to deal with. The authorities, you can't deal with in the same manner.
What happened during Katrina is a prime example.
In one episode of Doomsday Preppers (I know, I know...) a woman had stashed food everywhere around her house, in places nobody would have guessed. Very smart... Even if looters would have found some, most of it would have remained hidden. Another problem is that you can be "evacuated" for "your own good," whether you want to or not.. Another can of worms...
I wouldn't worry about antennas, most people have no idea what a dipole is and think all antennas are vertical. I would have a sacrificial old radio in plain view, the rest hidden.
Any piece of wire can be thrown up a tree to make an antenna. That's why i have internal automatic tuners in my two Elecrafts.
This is not to suggest anything against the law, on the contrary. Those are just precautions against law breakers, and nothing more.

Gil.

KC5OTL

For those of you living in the city, I feel for you.  But if you are cunning enough to make it out of the city, consider some of these things:

Pre-place some useful survival items in strateigic locations.

From my perspective, water is #1 and, you can only survive about three days with out it.

#2. food
#3. shelter.
#4. defensive protection.

I have given a lot of thought about travel.  I routinely visit Google Earth and study different areas around where I live.  I know where all of the small ponds are, where the densest woods are and where I am least likely to be noticed or bothered.

There will be one fairly safe path to travel, at least until others catch on.  If you look at the high voltage lines coming from every power generation plant, the areas under the wires and around the towers are always clear. These areas are delibirerately maintaind for maintenance of the power grid wiring and towers.  While their path will maybe not take you directly to your intended retreat location, they will get you close.  This will be far easier and safer travel then skirting the roadways or stumbling around in the woods.  I'd say safe travel along these pathways will be about two weeks in an extended SHTF scenario.

Also, for those of you that are physically able, a decent bicycle and a small wagon will allow you to move at a faster pace and with more supplies, especially if you travel at night and use level 1 night vision.  Make sure that you have plenty of spare batteries for the thing.

My fear isn't getting to the retreat location, it's getting home from work as I live 50 miles from my employer and I have only one bridge that I can cross to get home without, either going into Cincinnati or hiking an extra 100 miles to cross the Onio river.  Unless, that is, I dare cross the river with my go-bag with 9 days supply of food and other must-haves.  I've even thought about purchasing a small blow-up raft and keeping it in the trunk of the car.

The brdge that I cross daily to get to and from work will be a major choke-point when the SHTF and I might not be able to cross it, depending who has control of it.

White Tiger

I also like the "sacrificial radio" strategy - as I learned after Luck WA4STO posted the link to NK2DZ's story!

Sacrificial antenna's seem like waaayyy too much work...better to keep a (fan) dipole setup in a go bag for 20 & 40 meters, along with a HT.

I do think the way we will see confiscations of food and weapons/ammo - is when we are evacuated "for our own good" ("never let a crisis go to waste"...as both Karl Rove and Rahman Emmanuel were fond of stating)...therefore hiding caches are mandatory.
If you're looking for me, you're probably looking in the wrong place.

skip67

Gil, I have learned a lot about radio here, my last radio experience was in the army, many years ago. However, I must tell you, that there is no separation of church and state in the Constitution. Here is what it says.
AMENDMENT I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
. That's all it says about religion, that the state cannot have an "official" religion. The theory of separation of church and state came from a 1948, 5-4, Supreme court decision. If you have time I would suggest reading the Federalist Papers, to get an idea of what the founding fathers had in mind

Skip