(Found on Facebook)
I’m finding more and more pieces in the media, such as this one on Town Hall, that pronounce we are in the midst of the Second American Civil War. Are we? It doesn’t feel like it to me, but it probably didn’t feel like it to my ancestors until people started shooting, and in reality, the first civil war started long before that.
It could just be fashion, a band wagon to jump on. It could be clickbait. But I’m getting this sinking feeling that there is more than a bit of truth in these articles and blog posts. I sincerely believe that this summer will make the truth or lie of it obvious.
Just in case, I’m being more cautious in my daily activities. Shopping trips are now pretty much restricted to daytime hours. Evening trips are being eliminated if possible. I carry a larger handgun and more ammo. Trips to larger cities are only taken when necessary, and then with more precautions than I took a few months ago.
I’d like to suggest that all of you evaluate the situation in your area and the situation in the nation and take what precautions you deem necessary. I’m not saying run out and “stock up on canned food and shotguns”, but look at your situation and consider what you’d need if you had to stay home for a week or two. Are you ready for that?
"I'm not saying run out and "stock up on canned food and shotguns" But I can go ahead and do that anyway, right? Oh, wait, I already did.
"stay home for a week or two" So, yer telling me to take a staycation! Yay!
"Are you ready for that?" Yup. Too bad work is in town and people depend on me who can't fend for themselves. It's a quandary.
Robert, you bring up a good point that I'd like to ask you to expand on. You say your job is in town and there are people there who depend on you and can't care for themselves. At what point do you think that you'd make the difficult choice to stay home rather than go to work and care for these folks?
Gah, I hate this question. Thanks for asking it as I need a kick in the butt to actually think about it.
I think the decision hinges on my acceptable level of personal risk and the probability of getting there and back. I have no idea how to rationally quantify those things in the case of civil unrest so my gut feeling is I'd take a 50/50 chance once of being injured/killed and the same on getting through.
I guess I would hafta listen to the news (if any) and wing it: if the interstate is blocked by burning cars, forget it. If there are unsubstantiated reports of scattered violence, gear up and put on game face; repeat as long as the trips are uneventful and the cache of vehicle gas is sufficient. One harrowing trip and I would do my best to convince them to caravan outta town with me as I leave for the last time.
What I could really use is a neighbor experienced in mission planning. Too bad he moved.
Serendipitously, my canceled AR-maintenance/tactics class was just reinstated as I was typing this…
Dunno if my blather clarified anything. I hope so if only as an example of muddled thinking. 🙂
On a related note, I recently attended a 16-hour class on Austere Medicine that might be useful in a grid down/civil unhappiness situation. I figure there's more to staying alive than just guns, ammo, and food… There's a review by WiscoDave on Wirecutter's blog.