Patriot and Freedom groups seem to fall into two distinct categories: Activists and Preppers. Activists are very vocal and seek to change the political climate of the country by speaking out against government tyranny and backing candidates whose views on important issues mirror their own. Preppers, on the other hand, view the battle as a lost cause and feel that totalitarianism is inevitable, thus they put their energy into planning for survival when the s#*t hits the fan. They tend to be less vocal, preferring not to draw unwanted attention to themselves.
This is not to say that Activists can't be Preppers, or that Preppers can't be Activists. I'm certain that many are. But is it better to put more effort into trying to change the course of the nation while there still may be time? Or should one concentrate on stockpiling items and honing one's survival skills so that one will be ahead of the game if and when the shoe finally drops?
Each path holds a degree of urgency. For Activists, the urgency lies in stemming the decline of our great nation into the depths of Socialism (or worse) and moving back to our traditional values as set forth in the Constitution. For Preppers, the pressure lies in being prepared to weather an extended period of social and political upheaval, civil unrest, and perhaps even martial law.
Though neither avenue of action is wrong, I would posit that it makes no sense to give up totally on attempting to defeat the Globalists through our Democratic process. We still have the ability to make our voices heard, and we should avail ourselves of that right at every given opportunity. We are making progress: the elite have been forced to move from laughing us off as conspiracy nuts and religious zealots, to blatantly labeling us terrorists. More and more people are waking to the danger to our individual liberties, causing the elite to change tactics and step up their propaganda.
At the same time, common sense demands that we prepare for the worst, should it happen. Since we are well aware of the motives of the elitists within our government, we should also be aware of the lengths to which they might go to forward their twisted ideology and cement their power. The very idea of such an extreme situation occurring in modern America might be far-fetched for some, but are you willing to bet your life and the lives of your loved ones that it couldn't happen?
In the end, there are important questions that each individual must ask themselves. You must search your soul and determine how far you are willing to go for the future of your children and your country. Time is running out; in another decade, we could very well be either on the path back to sanity and traditional values or we could find ourselves slaves to a nanny state with little or no personal freedoms. For those who value the vision of our Founding Fathers, the choice is clear: resist the advancement of One World Government at each and every turn.
In closing, I see only one course of action which makes utterly no sense: to stand idly by and do nothing.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Sunday, March 24, 2013
The Trenches Are Being Dug
This weekend, I went to a large knife outlet about an hour's drive from home. This large store sells pretty much every brand and style of knife available, as well as clothing and other specialty items. I hadn't been there in several years, and the first thing I noticed was the addition of a new department labeled simply, "Tactical".
The Tactical department was swarming with customers. Curious, I went over to see what types of items were being offered. There were belts, holsters, clothing, boots, flashlights, and even more specialty items. And there were knives, plenty of deadly-looking knives which made the one Rambo carried look like a pen knife. Items from this department were moving out the door at an exceptionally healthy rate.
And here's the surprising thing: the customers buying these items were as diverse as any I'd ever seen. There were young men and older men. There were women of all ages. Nearly every race was represented. I saw a middle aged woman buying a tactical vest. An older gentleman was inspecting a drop-leg holster. He asked me if I thought it would accommodate a large-frame .45. A young couple was browsing glass showcases filled with military style daggers and hunting knives.
Later in the day, I stopped by a large sporting goods store which I frequent several times a year. I went to the hunting and shooting department and was shocked by what I saw: the shelves which usually housed the ammo were nearly bare. I was able to find one box of .40 caliber ammo, and that's only because someone had put it back in the wrong spot. They had NO 9mm ammo in the store. And this is a large national chain.
We stopped by Wally World on the way back home, and, out of curiosity, I checked their ammo. The shelves were bare. The associate behind they counter informed me that they sold what they could get before they could unload it off the pallet.
Across the board, everyday American citizens are arming themselves and hoarding supplies, especially ammunition. They watch the news. They hear the government's rhetoric on gun control. They read about the Department of Homeland Security amassing guns, ammo, body armor, and armored vehicles. They watch the television reports about people in Cyprus protesting the government's plan to dip into their bank accounts. And they wonder if that might happen here.
Tensions are definitely building on both sides of the aisle. The trenches are being dug. Everyone seems on edge, as if waiting for the shoe to drop.
The thing that stuck with me from my little shopping experience was the older lady who was buying the tactical vest. She wasn't smiling. Her face was set in an expression of grim determination. I can't help but wonder what she was thinking when she plopped down her money for that sleek black vest full of pockets for holding about any weapon imaginable.
I can't help but wonder what we're in for.
The Tactical department was swarming with customers. Curious, I went over to see what types of items were being offered. There were belts, holsters, clothing, boots, flashlights, and even more specialty items. And there were knives, plenty of deadly-looking knives which made the one Rambo carried look like a pen knife. Items from this department were moving out the door at an exceptionally healthy rate.
And here's the surprising thing: the customers buying these items were as diverse as any I'd ever seen. There were young men and older men. There were women of all ages. Nearly every race was represented. I saw a middle aged woman buying a tactical vest. An older gentleman was inspecting a drop-leg holster. He asked me if I thought it would accommodate a large-frame .45. A young couple was browsing glass showcases filled with military style daggers and hunting knives.
Later in the day, I stopped by a large sporting goods store which I frequent several times a year. I went to the hunting and shooting department and was shocked by what I saw: the shelves which usually housed the ammo were nearly bare. I was able to find one box of .40 caliber ammo, and that's only because someone had put it back in the wrong spot. They had NO 9mm ammo in the store. And this is a large national chain.
We stopped by Wally World on the way back home, and, out of curiosity, I checked their ammo. The shelves were bare. The associate behind they counter informed me that they sold what they could get before they could unload it off the pallet.
Across the board, everyday American citizens are arming themselves and hoarding supplies, especially ammunition. They watch the news. They hear the government's rhetoric on gun control. They read about the Department of Homeland Security amassing guns, ammo, body armor, and armored vehicles. They watch the television reports about people in Cyprus protesting the government's plan to dip into their bank accounts. And they wonder if that might happen here.
Tensions are definitely building on both sides of the aisle. The trenches are being dug. Everyone seems on edge, as if waiting for the shoe to drop.
The thing that stuck with me from my little shopping experience was the older lady who was buying the tactical vest. She wasn't smiling. Her face was set in an expression of grim determination. I can't help but wonder what she was thinking when she plopped down her money for that sleek black vest full of pockets for holding about any weapon imaginable.
I can't help but wonder what we're in for.
Monday, March 18, 2013
The Division of America
A house divided against itself cannot stand.
When Abraham Lincoln gave that speech in 1858, a civil war was brewing. The states, as well as the people, were sharply divided on the issue of slavery and state's rights. In 2013, could another such war be looming? A war that the government is encouraging for the sake of its own gain of power?
Most "normal" people would scoff at the idea. Sure, we may have our differences, but few would believe that it will actually lead to violence and bloodshed. We're all Americans, after all. But while this is true, we have recently become a nation of specialized citizens. Anglo-Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans. Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, liberals, conservatives. And the list goes on.
While no one is suggesting that people should not embrace their individual heritages, we should not do so at the expense of alienating ourselves from our neighbors. We're all in this together. One need only watch TV, read a newspaper, or attend a local government function, however, to see that we are drifting further apart. We no longer simply disagree. We disagree vehemently. Disagreements are no longer tempered by civility and respect for the opposing view. Heated words and insults are now de rigueur. Many liberals and conservatives view each other not with simple disdain, but with absolute hatred.
Who benefits from such a hostile environment? Not you or me, for sure. But select individuals looking to their ideals on the masses would gladly use civil unrest as a justification for disarming the public and furthering their own agenda.
The stuff of conspiracy theories, you say? Perhaps. But with the federal government stockpiling guns and ammo while half the country appears ready to rip the other half's throats out, the idea may not be as far-fetched as it seems. Even if the fuse is lit elsewhere--an economic disaster or national tragedy--are we already so splintered that we would find it nearly impossible to pull together as a nation?
We united, if only briefly, in September, 2001. For a short time, we were only Americans. But the divide has grown wider since then.
It is time to put our differences aside, as much as possible, and realize who the real enemy is. We must return to our Constitution, the basic building block of our society, and begin rebuilding the fabric of our nation, which those in power have tried so tirelessly to rend.
When Abraham Lincoln gave that speech in 1858, a civil war was brewing. The states, as well as the people, were sharply divided on the issue of slavery and state's rights. In 2013, could another such war be looming? A war that the government is encouraging for the sake of its own gain of power?
Most "normal" people would scoff at the idea. Sure, we may have our differences, but few would believe that it will actually lead to violence and bloodshed. We're all Americans, after all. But while this is true, we have recently become a nation of specialized citizens. Anglo-Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans. Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, liberals, conservatives. And the list goes on.
While no one is suggesting that people should not embrace their individual heritages, we should not do so at the expense of alienating ourselves from our neighbors. We're all in this together. One need only watch TV, read a newspaper, or attend a local government function, however, to see that we are drifting further apart. We no longer simply disagree. We disagree vehemently. Disagreements are no longer tempered by civility and respect for the opposing view. Heated words and insults are now de rigueur. Many liberals and conservatives view each other not with simple disdain, but with absolute hatred.
Who benefits from such a hostile environment? Not you or me, for sure. But select individuals looking to their ideals on the masses would gladly use civil unrest as a justification for disarming the public and furthering their own agenda.
The stuff of conspiracy theories, you say? Perhaps. But with the federal government stockpiling guns and ammo while half the country appears ready to rip the other half's throats out, the idea may not be as far-fetched as it seems. Even if the fuse is lit elsewhere--an economic disaster or national tragedy--are we already so splintered that we would find it nearly impossible to pull together as a nation?
We united, if only briefly, in September, 2001. For a short time, we were only Americans. But the divide has grown wider since then.
It is time to put our differences aside, as much as possible, and realize who the real enemy is. We must return to our Constitution, the basic building block of our society, and begin rebuilding the fabric of our nation, which those in power have tried so tirelessly to rend.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Why We Need To Be Watching
With the news, which has been confirmed by mainstream media, that the Department of Homeland Security has purchased billions of rounds of ammunition, fully-automatic weapons, and armored vehicles, things are beginning to look a little scary in the good ol' US of A. Add to that the reports of 30,000 drones filling our skies by 2020, and you've got something right out of George Orwell's 1984.
Though generally dismissed as the paranoid ravings of the conspiracy theory crowd, these facts are, nonetheless, disturbing. As Ralph Benko writes in an article for Forbes, "... 1.6 billion rounds would be enough to sustain a hot war for 20+ years. In America."
As far as I can tell, there are only two scenarios in which a government law enforcement agency--not the military--would need this much ammunition: 1) They are expecting an invasion and attempted occupation from a foreign enemy, or 2) they are anticipating massive civil unrest right here at home. Since our country hasn't been invaded in a heckuva long time (unless you count 9/11, which is a totally different story), I'm tempted to go with scenario number two.
This would seem to mesh with the sudden push to dismantle the Second Amendment and deprive American citizens of their right to keep and bear arms. Though the current fiasco is centered on so-called 'assault weapons' and magazines which hold over ten rounds, our government rarely stops once it gets its foot in the door.
Unfortunately, we have already been acquiescent while our rights under the Fourth Amendment have been silently eroded due to the Patriot Act and other legislation. We were told that, in order to ensure our safety, we would have to give up certain expectations of privacy. If the government does plan a gun grab, they are already well on their way, since our right against unlawful search and seizure is now questionable at best.
Many citizens seem to have already given up, preferring now to spend their resources on prepping for the inevitable. While there is nothing wrong with being prepared and everyone should have a plan of action in case things go south, I think that there is still time to make changes through our political system. Sure, the system is corrupt, and the old guard will not simply hand over their power willingly, but We The People still have a very powerful weapon at our disposal: the United States Constitution.
The founders of our great nation gave us this tool to use in just such an emergency as we now face. Their foresight has given us a means to fight back, and fight back we must. For if we stand idly by while the powers that be strip us of our individual rights, we are doomed, and not just by the hand of a corrupt and misguided government, but by our own, as well.
If you have never before been involved in politics, do so now. We must get rid of the old guard and elect into office those who share our principles, and we must hold those individuals to their oath to follow and guard the Constitution at all costs. Only then might we steer our course back to the path our founding fathers envisioned when they created this great nation.
Though generally dismissed as the paranoid ravings of the conspiracy theory crowd, these facts are, nonetheless, disturbing. As Ralph Benko writes in an article for Forbes, "... 1.6 billion rounds would be enough to sustain a hot war for 20+ years. In America."
As far as I can tell, there are only two scenarios in which a government law enforcement agency--not the military--would need this much ammunition: 1) They are expecting an invasion and attempted occupation from a foreign enemy, or 2) they are anticipating massive civil unrest right here at home. Since our country hasn't been invaded in a heckuva long time (unless you count 9/11, which is a totally different story), I'm tempted to go with scenario number two.
This would seem to mesh with the sudden push to dismantle the Second Amendment and deprive American citizens of their right to keep and bear arms. Though the current fiasco is centered on so-called 'assault weapons' and magazines which hold over ten rounds, our government rarely stops once it gets its foot in the door.
Unfortunately, we have already been acquiescent while our rights under the Fourth Amendment have been silently eroded due to the Patriot Act and other legislation. We were told that, in order to ensure our safety, we would have to give up certain expectations of privacy. If the government does plan a gun grab, they are already well on their way, since our right against unlawful search and seizure is now questionable at best.
Many citizens seem to have already given up, preferring now to spend their resources on prepping for the inevitable. While there is nothing wrong with being prepared and everyone should have a plan of action in case things go south, I think that there is still time to make changes through our political system. Sure, the system is corrupt, and the old guard will not simply hand over their power willingly, but We The People still have a very powerful weapon at our disposal: the United States Constitution.
The founders of our great nation gave us this tool to use in just such an emergency as we now face. Their foresight has given us a means to fight back, and fight back we must. For if we stand idly by while the powers that be strip us of our individual rights, we are doomed, and not just by the hand of a corrupt and misguided government, but by our own, as well.
If you have never before been involved in politics, do so now. We must get rid of the old guard and elect into office those who share our principles, and we must hold those individuals to their oath to follow and guard the Constitution at all costs. Only then might we steer our course back to the path our founding fathers envisioned when they created this great nation.
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