April 19, 2024

Current Threats to America with AlertsUSA

I have mentioned AlertsUSA and Threat Journal in the post I wrote called “Way’s to Stay Informed and be Alerted in an Emergency”.  I recently had the opportunity to ask them a few questions about AlertsUSA and Threat Journal, about some recent world events and what the largest threat to America and American interest abroad.

AlertsUSA has also been incredibly generous and has agreed to give away 5 radiation safety packages for Prepared Christians who sign up for the free Threat Journal newsletter. Each radiation safety package will contain:

(1) NukAlert Radiation Monitor and Alarm
(5) RadSticker Peel and Stick Dosimeters
(2) Boxes of ThyroSafe Potassium Iodide Tablets

So make sure you see the bottom for details on the contest.

I have been receiving Threat Journal for two years and follow it on facebook as well.  I try to stay on top of current events, but Threat Journal always seems to find a story or two that I hadn’t seen before.

With that, on to the Q/A

Chris:

To start off, can you explain what Alert USA and Threat Journal are and how they can assist in one’s preparedness?

 

AlertsUSA:

“What AlertsUSA IS:

AlertsUSA is a 12 year old emergency alert system for mobile devices. We monitor news and intelligence information from around the world on a real-time basis (24/7/365) and inform subscribers, via SMS messages to their mobile device, when developments occur which pose a direct threat to the U.S., as well as its citizens and interests at home and abroad.

The service is in use by federal, state, county and municipal government agencies, first responders, corporate security professionals dealing with large, multi-site organizations, as well as the general public.

The service is of value to individuals and families along three primary fronts: Speed, Truth and Reach

 

Speed:

In most instances AlertsUSA beats the mainstream media by hours and days reporting breaking, threatening developments, if it is reported by them at all. As we do not have an editorial process, scripting, advertisers, or other stake holders to worry about or placate in our reporting, we are able to bring factual, validated information to the subscribers quickly. This advance notice can be critical, such as a distant earthquake generating a tsunami, an emergency being declared at a nuclear power station, bank runs, etc…

 

Truth:

Every story reported by the mainstream media passes through editorial filters seeking to determine if it will impact ad sales, a business partner or a subsidiary. Often stories are stifled as a result. None of these are factors with AlertsUSA’s reporting.

 

Reach:

It is impossible for individuals to stay parked in front of their computers and TVs monitoring world developments around the clock. This is AlertsUSA’s sole function. And as we deliver breaking information via one’s mobile device, we can reach subscribers, anywhere, anytime, 24/7/365.

 

What AlertsUSA Is NOT:

We are NOT an automated service. We do NOT send out alert messages just to generate traffic. We do NOT inform subscribers each time a fire engine is called or a SWAT team investigates a suspicious package. We often will go for days without reporting anything as there is simply nothing happening warranting an alert.

Quoting one of our long time subscribers; “We only report the bad stuff.”

 

Threat Journal:

Threat Journal is a weekly email newsletter used to follow up and expand on any alerts issued during the previous 7 days, as well as to cover other stories we feel the readers should have on their radar, but did not warrant an alert to their mobile device (thus preventing “alert fatigue”).”

 

Chris:

How do you gather Intel and how do you validate it as credible?

 

AlertsUSA:

“Our information sources span mainstream media outlets worldwide, premium targeted information services, private intelligence groups and information provided directly to us by government agencies and departments both foreign and domestic. This combination, developed and continually refined over the past decade, gives us an excellent handle on events worldwide.

Validation of information tends to be the easier part of the overall effort. As we also serve a broad number of government agencies and departments, validating information is often as simple as making two or three calls to trusted sources.”

 

Chris:

In recent history there has been a Russian TU-95 bear bomber flown over the US territory of Guam.  North Korea has also made several hostile comments towards America and Iran has made several inflammatory statements as well.  Do you foresee any circumstances in which these countries intentions amount to more than saber rattling?

 

AlertsUSA:

“Russia/China

The U.S., Russia and China regularly test each other’s responses to encroachment on their territory and that of their regional strategic partners. There are a variety of reasons for doing so, including measuring response methods and timing, signals and electronic intelligence gathering and more. Probing each other’s defenses is routine in an effort to understand the weapons systems and defense methods used by the other side. The same occurs with land and naval forces.

As an example, in 2009 Russia conducted simulated bombing runs on Alaska and California. It is also not uncommon for Russian missile and attack subs to be regularly tracked off the East Coast of the U.S. and as recent as December and January, inside the Gulf of Mexico. China is only now beginning to field systems to enable them to carry out such missions outside of their immediate region where they are very active.

Given current events we believe that major conflict between the U.S. and Russia can break out as a result of events in the Middle East. Russia has deep economic, military and cultural ties with Syria stretching back to the 1950’s. Tens of thousands of Russians live in Syria. Russia’s use of the deep-water port at Tartus is critical for their naval presence in the Mediterranean and supports not only the Russian Black Sea and Northern Fleets operating in the Mediterranean, but is also being upgraded to support nuclear-powered warships and submarines. It is also their only base in the region once outside of Black Sea.

Russia has publicly stated that foreign meddling in Syria could end up as a nuclear conflict.

Closer to home, Russia maintains strong economic, industrial and defense ties with Venezuela. Russia and Venezuela regularly hold joint military maneuvers. Venezuela is also one of Russia top buyers of defense hardware, itself a significant source of revenue for the Russian government.

 

N. Korea

N. Korea poses one of the most profound threats the U.S. is currently facing, particularly in light of their recent nuclear and 3-stage missile tests. The current U.S. missile defense shield, started under President George W. Bush, was rooted in part due to concerns over N. Korea.

With stiff new economic sanctions in place and rather large defense exercises slated to begin in mid-March with S. Korea, the U.S. and several other nations, N. Korea has been making threats of preemptive nuclear strikes on both S. Korea and the U.S..

Here is an article from the Israeli National News N. Korea Threatens Nuke Attack on Mainland USA

Here is a Video from Good Morning America covering North Korea Threatens a Pre-Emptive Nuclear Strike on U.S.

This article from the U.K.’s Daily Mail Online: ‘Prepare for all-out war’ Kim Jong Un vows to attack South Korea as he cancels peace pact in revenge for tough UN sanctions

The MSM may refer to these threats as hollow, but the U.S. DoD is taking them quite serious. As recent as January, the New York Times reported theformer Defense Secretary told U.S. troops the following:

“North Korea just fired a missile. It’s an intercontinental ballistic missile, for God sakes. That means they have the capability to strike the United States.”

The best estimates put the current range of N. Korea’s ICBMs as being able to strike Alaska, Hawaii and the Western U.S… Miniaturization of nuclear warheads is merely a function of time, as are increased range of their missiles and the hardening of the warhead package to survive reentry. This does not preclude quiet assistance from other Nation’s such as China, which has already supplied significant portions of their existing medium and long range capability. N. Korea’s nuclear capability itself was enabled by Pakistan.

It is our opinion that the most immediate and easily achievable threat posed by N. Korea to the U.S. comes in the form of an EMP style attack. While their missiles may not be able to survive full reentry, detonation of a nuclear device at a much higher altitude could potentially devastate parts of the U.S. power grid, transportation and communications networks.

The second, and perhaps more concerning threat comes from N. Korea’s willingness to sell the same capability to other nations, such as Iran or other Middle East players. Iranian personnel are widely known to be present in N. Korea during missile and nuclear tests. N. Korean personnel are also a constant feature at Iran’s nuclear facilities.

As for a particular incident or event that could trigger such an attack, we believe that move would not come out of aggression, but fear. Fear of attack and fear of the further choking of resources needed for the survival of the state.

It is important for readers to keep in mind that in desperate times, desperate people (and Nations) do desperate things.”

 

Chris:

While many countries such as North Korea or Iran, don’t have the missile capability to launch a nuke from their country to land on the continental USA, (I know North Korea either has gotten the technology or is close to having it). Would it be possible for them to hide a missile on a ship carrying shipping containers, and launch an EMP style attack from a hundred miles from our shores?

 

AlertsUSA:

“In addition to that written above, this is most certainly a possibility. The USGOV certainly appears to be bolstering East Coast surveillance and defenses against some type of threat.

Consider the following:

In January, it was announced that the U.S. defense department would be closing down a balloon surveillance program being run on the U.S. / Mexico border known as TARS, or the Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS), which was an aerostat-borne surveillance program used to support counter-narcotic operations, mostly in southern border regions. Four TARS are deployed in Texas, two in Arizona and one in New Mexico, Florida, Louisiana and Puerto Rico.

In news released this February, a system similar to TARS known as JLENS, or the Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System will soon be deployed around Washington DC. This begs the question: Why would such a surveillance system need to be “tested” around our the National Capital Region, already one of the most heavily monitored and defended areas in the country?”

On Feb 1, 2013 Yahoo News reported in an article titled Blimps to bolster Washington’s air shield in test:

“We’re trying to determine how the surveillance radar information from the JLENS platforms can be integrated with existing systems in the National Capital Region,” said Michael Kucharek, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command.”

 

 


In addition, it was just announced that a large drone base is being developed at Naval Air Station Point Mugu in California for broad area ocean surveillance. The systems to be deployed are high altitude, long duration platforms.

The LA Daily News reports: Drone base planned for Point Mugu near Malibu

“MALIBU – The U.S. Navy proposes to station a drone operations base at an airfield 15 miles west of Malibu, it was reported Saturday.”

The Sacramento Bee reports: Hueneme council supports drone base at Point Mugu

“POINT MUGU, Calif. — The Port Hueneme City Council has agreed to back a military proposal to make Naval Base Ventura County the West Coast home for a new type of unmanned aircraft.”

 

Chris:

I receive the occasional email and have seen posts on other blogs and forums about the government getting ready for civil uprising, which includes FEMA camps.  Do you think these reports belong in the realm of conspiracy theorists and tinfoil hatters or is there credence to it?

 

AlertsUSA:

“We know from direct knowledge that many of these claims are spot on accurate. While the specifics may be embellished from story to story or site to site, it is solid fact that our nations leaders know that the U.S. is now in a slow motion train wreck and they are most certainly preparing for a breakdown of social order.

The root cause will be, for sure, a collapse of the U.S. dollar and economy. This collapse will come as a result of astronomical debt and spending levels. We are already well past the point of being able to correct the problem. In fact, the U.S. military has, since ~2006, has been actively conducting war gaming exercises and preparing contingencies for just such an eventuality.

One such preparation effort was known as Unified Quest 2011.”

See the following videos:

 

 


 

While carried out under a different exercise, the following images should also drive the point home:

See this link for images: Vigilant Guard 2010 Riot Control, Detention Drills

Most Americans under the age of 60 – 70 have never known extreme national hardship, though it is a non-stop occurrence elsewhere in the world. We just never hear about in the MSM.

Most Americans have never been out of the country and so their world view is severely limited to what they are taught in our increasingly worthless classrooms or see on our increasingly worthless television and cable channels.

Most Americans have no clue that the largest holder of U.S. debt, even before the Japanese (#1) and the Chinese (#2) is our own government. That’s right. Our government must purchase its own bonds just to keep the system afloat. While intentionally called strange names like “quantitative easing”, it is essentially just “printing money”.

The following chart, from the Fed itself, demonstrates the scale of that money printing:

graph1

The following chart, from the fed itself, shows the devaluation (purchasing power) of the dollar over time. This is the result of money printing.

 

graph2

The following chart shows the average life span of world reserve currencies since the 1400’s.

 

graph3

America is no different, except perhaps for the sheer size of our debt load and the penetration into other countries.

When one has an understanding of these problems, and how many people are completely dependant on Uncle Sugar for their daily bread and entertainment, they will begin to understand why detainment camps, massive purchases of ammo and hardened vehicles are necessary.

None of this is tin foil hat subject matter, except in the minds of those who do not understand what is before us.

Here are more indicators:

Vigilant Guard 2010 Riot Control, Detention Drills

Wal-Mart Says February Sales “Total Disaster”, Worst Monthly Start Since 2006; Stock Drops

Wal-Mart Situation “Getting Worse” New Leaks Reveal

JCPenney Reports Horrific Results, Stock Plunges

Panic in Greek pharmacies as hundreds of medicines run short

 

Chris:

What would you say is the largest threat to the average Americans’ way of life that is based outside of America?  For example Iran mining the Strait of Hormuz, and gas prices skyrocketing.

 

AlertsUSA:

“In addition to that written above, we would add the following:

As with all modern nations, oil and gas are our lifeblood. Without them, society grinds to a halt. It is our view that dependency on foreign sources of energy is one of the greatest threats to our national security. This threat is not only due to the security in the Strait of Hormuz or the Suez Canal (the site of recent clashes with the Egyptian military and factions of the general Egyptian populace) and other choke points, but also clashes over those resources or delivery means with other superpowers such as China and Russia.”

 

Chris:

What would you say is the biggest threat to American national security inside our border?

 

AlertsUSA:

While there are MANY threats, we view the biggest threat as the pending economic collapse. It will happen. This is a given and is only a matter of time. While the blame for the event will be intentionally shrouded with some other event (bank takedown by some ‘evil foreign cyber attack’,  or outbreak of serious conflict elsewhere in the world), the impact will be the same.

 

Chris:

What other current events should we be paying attention to that haven’t been mentioned in the above questions?

 

AlertsUSA: (two answers)

1. It is important that the readers keep a close eye on our aging nuclear power infrastructure. Many of these facilities have been operating well past their intended design life and are precariously balanced with regular breakdowns. There is far too much money in play for these systems to be taken offline willingly or for the good of the general public. With the current administration’s attacks on coal-fired power plants, there are also few alternatives.

At some point there will be a catastrophic failure at one or more of these facilities. If you reside near, or downwind, from one of these facilities you need to maintain peak awareness.

2. More than any other threat currently facing this country; the one that has me most concerned is related to President Obama’s trip to Israel later this month. Much of the visit is intended to discuss a new peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, halting the construction of new settlements and the establishment of a Palestinian state.

This trip should have all Christians cringing as God has firmly warned that any nation that even attempts to divide up Israel would enter into his judgment.

Joel Ch. 3 is a great place to start. Also, a simple Google search using the phrase “dividing the land of Israel” will provide dozens of sites detailing the troubles that have befallen those nations through history who have already tried.

Draw close to the Lord. There are very difficult times ahead.

 

Contest Details

AlertsUSA has generously offered the Prepared Christian.net community a chance to win five radiation safety packages.  All you have to do to enter is click the picture below that shows the contents of the radiation safety kit, or follow this link to Threat Journal and sign up for the free weekly newsletter from Threat Journal.  The contest will run for four weeks and the winners will be chosen on April 8th, 2013.  I will make a reminder post once a week until the winners are chosen.

giveaway-ad

 

I want to thank the folks at AlertsUSA again for their generosity in taking the time to answer these questions and in giving away five great prizes.  I think this is an important article.  Please consider sharing it with everyone you feel may be blessed with information concerning current threats to America.

AlertsUSA has been kind enough to offer special pricing.  Normally the service is $99 a year, they are now offering the service for $75 a year for Prepared Christian readers.
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When Would You Say It Has Hit The Fan?

the fan

The phrase “hitting the fan” is used by many to indicate when things get bad.  We make plans and buy preparations to mitigate future events, but what would need to occur for you to say that “it has hit the fan” and put your plans in motion to start using your preparations?

 

Defining the Severity of the Event

I think we first need to understand that there are different levels of events and that the severity of them can be somewhat subjective, based on the level of our individual preparedness.  There are large scale events that could affect a large portion of the population, but there are also smaller events that might only impact a single family.  For example an EMP attack over the United States could affect most of America and possibly Canada or Mexico as well.  Conversely a fire that completely destroys your neighbor’s home, while horrible, really only impacts them.

I believe that the large scale events will be easier to tell when “it’s hitting the fan” because multiple news sources will probably be reporting about it.  Other “slow boil” events might not be as easy to tell if there is a problem, or how bad it might actually be.

There is a metaphor about a frog in a boiling pot; I have heard the metaphor is true and false.  Frogs are cold blooded and their body temperature is regulated by their surroundings.  If you place a frog in a boiling pot of water, they’ll immediately jump out.  But if you put a frog in a pot of cool water and turn the heat up very slowly, the frog’s body temperature will rise slowly with it.  The water can slowly be turned up until it reaches a boiling point and the frog will not jump out.  Like I said, I don’t know if this is true or not, but it’s a great metaphor to explain the slow boil event.

Slow boil events could happen over days, weeks or even months; the danger occurs when we become acclimated to it and don’t realize how bad things really are.  An example of it could be a seemingly natural seasonal flu season turning into a pandemic.  It could take weeks before it is full blown.  At what point would you implement a self-quarantine of your family?

The economy is another example; how many of us lost money from our 401k or other investments in the last five years?  When do we decide things are too risky and it’s time to cash out or move to something safer?

 

Where Do You Draw The Line?

I have written before on Drawing a line in the sand, but how do you know when that line has been reached and you consider it to be hitting the fan?  For example the roads during a Minnesota snow storm can be very unforgiving, made worse by the average Minnesotan driver.  When I had to go into the office, I had a physical line in the sand so-to-speak.  There was an overpass that was the last easy place to turn around for quite a few miles.  If the roads gave me trouble before that spot, it was sufficiently hitting the fan bad enough for me to turn around and work from home.

I wish all events were that cut and dry, but there is no standard answer.  However this is something we all must think about.  Since there are no standard answers, I’ll just provide some topics and give some ideas.

 

Flu/Pandemic

At what point are there enough people sick for you to implement a self-quarantine for your family?  Do you keep your kids home and still go into work or does everyone stay put?

 

Gun Control

There have been some suggested measures to implement stricter gun control, but I don’t think the Overton Window has moved enough to really go after guns.  Maybe it won’t and maybe we’ll just see tighter restrictions going forward.  If there are more mass shootings, and the cry is made to stop gun violence at any cost, where do you draw the line?  Will you register your firearms?  Will you turn them in?  I don’t know if it will ever come to this, but I think it is something we need to think about now.

 

Battening Down

I think, in the vast majority of events, battening down is a better solution.  There are scenarios besides a pandemic when implementing a self-quarantine of sorts might be a good idea; civil unrest, grid down events, severe weather and others.  When are those events bad enough for you to say it has hit the fan and you’re staying put?

 

Bugging Out

While most events are better weathered from home, there are times when you must bug out.  For those with a BOL (Bug Out Location), this might be an easy decision to make.  If you don’t have a BOL, bugging out is far less pleasant, so the pull to leave might be less strong but ignoring it could be costly.  Event’s that could cause you to bug out are wildfire, severe weather, terrorist attacks, chemical leaks and others.  When is it bad enough to force you to flee to safety?

 

Closing Thoughts

The thought that sparked this article was contemplating how life would be different if we faced a true widespread survival situation, say an EMP.  There must be a point in any type of event when it is bad enough to change your daily life, which is possibly the point when things have “hit the fan”.

 

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Way’s to Stay Informed and be Alerted in an Emergency

Unless you have a news station on 24/7, there are going to be times when you are “out of the loop”.  Have you ever wondered how you might know if things really started hitting the fan?  If you’re in a meeting, how would you know if there was a terrorist attack not far from home?  If you’re out of earshot of a tornado siren, how would you know if there was a danger of one while inside and away from a window?

Here are multiple ways to stay in the know, and like GI Joe says, “knowing is half the battle!”

 

Weather Alerts

Local news outlets are often a great source for local weather alerts.  Many have a smart phone app or will text weather alerts to your phone.  Check your local station to see if they do.  Weather.com Some also have the ability to send daily forecasts and alerts.

A weather radio is the best way to be alerted to weather emergencies.  Here is a review of the two I own. I have also read that weather radios can alert in national emergencies as well.

 

On Line

If you’re a cubicle Jockey and tethered to a PC, this might be an option for you.  I’m not going to list MSM news sites such as FOX and CNN.  They sometimes have information worth reading, but I figure if you like them, you’re already reading.   I’m also not going to list local sites, but they can be a great way to keep informed of local emergencies.

Here are some of the sites I use to stay informed.  I probably use the Drudge Report more than any other site.  I can quickly scan the headlines for important articles and if there is an important news story, it is often linked in the top left, above the picture.  The picture is also an important news article or an emergency.

Some other sites I use to keep informed, but aren’t necessarily good for being alerted in an emergency are The Blaze, Before Its News, The Daily Sheeple and Alternative News.

 

Social Media

Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and other social media can be a good way to keep informed and find out about breaking news and emergencies.  Of course, you’re also subject to hearing a lot of things you don’t care that much about.  Wait, that last part might just be me. (LOL)

 

FEMA

FEMA also has the ability to send you text alerts for the following types of emergencies.

  • Presidential Alerts; issued by the President or a designee;
  • Imminent Threat Alerts; include severe man-made or natural disasters where a looming threat to life or property exists;
  • AMBER Alerts; help law enforcement search for abducted children.

 

Call Trees

A call tree is basically a tiered list; everyone has designated people they will call.  Below is an example. The person at the top of the tree decides an emergency alert needs to go out.  They call their three people.  Those three, in turn, call their three people and on and on until everyone on the list has been called.

Due to advancements in technology, call trees aren’t used often anymore.  There are also ways to automate your call tree, One Call Now is one such service.

 

Alert USA and Threat Journal

From the Alert USA Website:

“AlertsUSA continually monitors the national and international threat environment using a variety of information and intelligence sources. These range from a variety of government departments and agencies (foreign and domestic), private sector assets and a number of additional HUMINT and OSINT source points.”

For $99 per year you can have breaking alerts sent to you via email, text message, pager or satellite phone.  They also send out a free email newsletter called Threat Journal and posts updated to their social media outlet.

Do you have any other ways to keep informed and be alerted to emergencies?

 

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The Threats From Within

I meant to write this article last year but time got away from me and then I misplaced my notes.  My wife recently found my notes so I decided to write the article now.  I had the opportunity to attend  MSTEP, Minnesota Symposium on Terrorism and Emergency Preparedness, in November of 2011.  This article will be about some of the things I learned about through MSTEP, but will not just be about Minnesota.  I will discuss several of the threats that I believe we face from within our borders.

At the symposium there were four keynote speakers and twenty four classes to choose from.  Each person attended eight classes they chose.  Much of the information given was facts, and some of it overlapped between the various classes.  Because of this, the article might be a list of facts and not flow all that well.  I apologize.

There is not a nation on earth that could successfully invade America.  Our armed forces are unparalleled, even if the majority of them are overseas.  Also, as the Japanese General said, “You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.”  For these reasons, I believe we will see small groups of people and even lone wolves that strike us.  I wrote an article a couple years ago called Lone Wolves and Swarm Attacks that goes into more detail on them.

 

Gangs

There are an estimated 1,400,000 gang members in the Unites States.  In this article from the military newspaper “Stars and Stripes”, the FBI says U.S. criminal gangs are using military to spread their reach.  I have also read reports of gang members joining the military to learn tactics.

 

Unrestricted Warfare, China’s Plan to Destroy the USA

One of the keynote speakers mentioned that a Chinese Military manual touts different ways to attack America, which our Military could not deal with.  Some of the attacks are terroristic in nature, while others are economic attacks.

 

Hackers Infiltrating our Infrastructure

I have linked various articles detailing hackers from unfriendly nations, such as Russia, China, and others in the Middle East, infiltrating our electric and water infrastructure.   The thinking is that they are learning the systems and could shut them down at a later time.

 

Terrorist Attacks

From 9-11 until the fall of 2011, there have been 58 terrorist attacks stopped.   Every two weeks there is another terrorist attack plotted.  One of the keynote speakers said that a deputy director of the FBI said he believed a dirty bomb would go off in the USA.  I have read other reports from people “in the know” who have predicted the same thing.

 

Somalis in Minnesota

You may have seen reports over the last few years of Somali men that immigrated to Minnesota, who were found dead in Somalia and other places in Africa.  It was said that in 1991, charity organizations moved Somali refugees to Minnesota.  On a side note, did these charities look at the weather differences between these two places?  I digress, many of these families moved into the Twin Cities, which consists of Minneapolis and St. Paul.  Most of the families continue their ethnic heritage and traditional dress and have not assimilated into American culture.

It is believed that these men were approached by Al Shibab, a Somali terrorist organization, in a Mosque in the Twin Cities.  If they can recruit them to go back to Somalia and commit a suicide bombing, they can probably get them to do one in the states.

 

Pandemic

Trudee also attended a talk on the risk of pandemic and the response of healthcare in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas.  Whether the pandemic is natural or “weaponized” this is an area of great enough concern that there are caches of antibiotics and others medications that might be needed.  There are also several facilities that can be converted into mass dispensing facilities, and other facilities that will be used when local hospitals are filled.

 

Outside of Minnesota

I have seen multiple articles, such as this one from the Arizona Capital Times entitled Hezbollah terror threat on U.S.-Mexico border is real .  The article is worth reading.  It gives several examples of people tied to terrorist groups sneaking through our border with Mexico.  One example is:

“According to Mr. Taylor, a Muslim cleric, Abdullah al-Nafsi, said that “there is no need for airplanes and planning; one man with the courage to carry a suitcase of anthrax through the tunnels from Mexico to the United States could kill 330,000 Americans in one hour.”

There are also issues at many of our ports.  I read a report that said maybe only 10% of the cargo containers are checked.  It would be quite easy for someone to sneak in along with some type of payload.

 

Please Don’t Dumb it Down

Terrorists have a thing for big elaborate attacks.  9-11 is well known, but there have been many other, mostly failed, attacks all over the world.  Don’t get me wrong, they have some luck with collaborated attacks, sometimes bombing multiple US embassies in multiple countries.

When they have done the greatest damage is usually when one man acts alone, using easily attainable weapons.  It is when they include multiple people or elaborate plots that they are arrested or fail.

 

Final Thoughts

There are so many potential threats already inside our borders, they only need to get lucky once for terror to set in, and liberty to slip away.  Let’s pray for continued excellent law enforcement, as well as continued elaborate and failed plans for those who seek to do us harm.

 

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Could America Break Apart?

(Photo courtesy of The Wall Street Journal)

Earlier this year, I wrote an article called “The Future of America”.  In it, I mention that Christians in America are aware that the US is not mentioned in the End Times but that this doesn’t necessarily mean America no longer exists, but that it is just a nation of less prominence.  Is it possible that America could break apart?  If you’re someone who only comes here for preparedness related information, you may want to skip this article.  However, it will deal with preparedness and how you plan your future.

In 2008, I read an article from the Wall Street Journal called “As if Things Weren’t Bad Enough, Russian Professor Predicts End of U.S.”.  In it, a Russian professor named Igor Panarin predicted that the U.S. would break apart in 2010.  He says “…mass immigration, economic decline, and moral degradation will trigger a civil war next fall and the collapse of the dollar…”  Obviously he is wrong, or is his timing just off?

After I read the article in 2008, I filed it in the mind bank and forgot about it.  That is until recently.  The day after Election Day, I woke up to the headline on the Drudge Report that said “America the Divided” and it had a map separated by red and blue.  A week or so later my wife mentioned an article she had seen that said some Texas citizens had filed a petition for secession and it was quickly gaining signatures.  Within a few days I saw reports of more private citizens from other states following the Texan’s example.  It was then that this article popped back into mind.  I just made a mental note of it and moved on.

A few days later, a reader sent me a link to a prophecy from Rick Joyner where he made mention to Russians holding the belief that the U.S. would break into four or more parts.  It was then that I really started to ponder this, wondering if it is possible and, if so, how it might happen.

 

Russian Professor Igor Panarin

I read a few different articles on this professor and the one by the Wall Street Journal called “As if Things Weren’t Bad Enough, Russian Professor Predicts End of U.S.” is, by far, the best.  In it, Mr. Panarin is described as “not a fringe figure. A former KGB analyst, he is dean of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s academy for future diplomats. He is invited to Kremlin receptions, lectures students, publishes books, and appears in the media as an expert on U.S.-Russia relations.”  I only know what I have read in these few articles about this man.  He seems to have a solid resume.  We might see similar credentials for commentators on any one of the alphabet stations.  As to how Mr. Panarin came to this conclusion;

“He based the forecast on classified data supplied to him by FAPSI analysts, he says. He predicts that economic, financial and demographic trends will provoke a political and social crisis in the U.S. When the going gets tough, he says, wealthier states will withhold funds from the federal government and effectively secede from the union. Social unrest up to and including a civil war will follow. The U.S. will then split along ethnic lines, and foreign powers will move in.”

The article goes on to explain just how he thinks the U.S. will be broken up.

“California will form the nucleus of what he calls “The Californian Republic,” and will be part of China or under Chinese influence. Texas will be the heart of “The Texas Republic,” a cluster of states that will go to Mexico or fall under Mexican influence. Washington, D.C., and New York will be part of an “Atlantic America” that may join the European Union. Canada will grab a group of Northern states Prof. Panarin calls “The Central North American Republic.” Hawaii, he suggests, will be a protectorate of Japan or China, and Alaska will be subsumed into Russia.”

How Could It Happen?

I don’t know if this could happen to America, but since our great nation isn’t mentioned in the end times, it is a possibility, as are so many other reasons it’s not mentioned.  Since it is a possibility, what would need to happen to change the U.S.A. into a fractured continent of territories?  Below are some things I think would need to happen for this to take place.  Some of the things listed might already be taking place, but they would need to become more commonplace.

The military might of the U.S.A. is unmatched.  If the U.S is brought down, it would have to come from within.  Pitting the right against the left, the rich against the poor, one race against another and dividing the UNITED people of America, would be a must.

Capitalism would need to be broken and turned into a form of socialism.  There would need to be so many people receiving government handouts that it would imbalance the economic system…Cloward and Piven strategy anyone?

There would need to be decaying morals; things that were once seen as obscene by the mainstream would need to become commonplace.  Those who hold to the morals of the past would need to be demonized and called “haters”.

I think Mr. Panarin is right, that eventually civil war would need to break out.  Where would the lines be drawn this time?  He claims that it would be along racial lines, but I’m not so sure. I have written before that I think there is more racial tension now than there was a few years ago, but I don’t see it as bad enough to go to war over.

If the Cloward and Piven strategy overloaded the economy and the tax rate became crippling to the point where a state or two said “enough is enough”, there might be enough angst between the givers and the takers, between states that were bankrupt and states that were able to keep to their budget, to cause riots and violence to break out.  Depending on how the federal government responded to these situations, a civil war could possibly break out.

 

Pop Culture

I have noticed that in some TV shows and movies, the U.S. was broken into parts.  In the television show “Jericho”, there were nukes and an EMP that shut the grid down.  Towns fought against each other and militias formed to take control.  I forget the lines that were drawn, but I believe there were at least four main pieces.  There is also the current television show Revolution.  In it, there was something that brought the electric grid down.  The show takes place 15 years after that and the United States is no more.  It is broken up into territories controlled by militias.  I just watched the remake of Red Dawn.  In it, there are a few countries who have taken pieces of America captive as the small armies wage war to reunite her.

Does this mean anything?  Probably not, but I do find it interesting that some of the most creative minds writing screenplays for movies and television see America being segmented after a major terrorist attack, the electric grid going down and not coming up or after invasion.

 

Giants Do Fall

Other large nations have fallen and been broken up.  The Roman Empire is probably the most notable in ancient history, but there were many others.  The USSR is the most notable in modern times, falling in 1991 and breaking up into fifteen countries.  They were the only other super power, but they proved you can’t be too big to fail.

 

Final Thoughts

Is this possible?  I don’t know, I pray not.  I say “God forbid it” with one breath and with the next, “Your will be done.”  I was praying for America and thinking about what may lay ahead.  I believe God told me, “Do not let your love of country come between you and I.”  I don’t know what God has planned for America.  Lord, please bring revival before any judgment.

 

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Keeping Watch Once It’s Hit the Fan

If society falls apart, even for a limited time, it would be a good idea to post a watch.   This can assure that your family or group stays protected and rested.   In Light, Sound and Smell Discipline I covered some things that should be considered at all times once its hit the fan.  This goes for being on watch too.  Below are other things to keep in mind while on watch.

I stood many watches while I was in the Navy.  Those watches were much different.  There are, however, many principles that are the same.  Please add your suggestions in the comments section below.

 

Staying Awake

This is probably the most important thing and can be one of the hardest.   In a time when stress and tension are high for an extended period, you might not get a lot of rest.  After a few days without rest, your mind easily wanders off and your body rebels to get sleep, especially when things are quiet at night, but your family and friends are counting on you to stay awake to keep them safe.

Staying awake can be a real challenge.  What works to keep one person awake won’t necessarily work for the next person.  It might help to keep moving.  Your mind may still drift off, but it can snap back as long as you’re awake.  You can’t fall asleep if you’re walking.  Well, I suppose you can, but not for very long!  LOL.  Be thinking of things that help you stay awake now that don’t completely distract you.  Make a note of them.

The trouble with caffeine and other stimulants it is that they can affect you after your watch has ended and interfere with your rest.  The four hour energy “shots” might not be a bad option if they work for you, they just make me yawn louder.  If you do decide to use coffee or other stimulants, limit them so you won’t be awake after your watch has ended and so you don’t have to step away for repeated restroom trips.

Taking small shifts is a must.  In the Navy, we stood mostly four hour watches.  Some of you might be tempted to take a longer watch to give your family more rest.  Don’t.  Everyone needs their rest and your family needs you to be rested as well.  The longer you delay sleep, the harder your mind and body will rebel.  In a training school in the Navy, I had a young man in my class who, for some reason, could not stay awake.  He was told to stand up during a lecture and still fell asleep.  The instructor gave him a three foot 2×4 and made him hold it over his head.  By the end of the day, this young man had two knots on the top of his head.  I share this just to show you that sometimes your body simply shuts down.  Rest when it’s your turn or you’ll be more of a danger to your loved ones.

 

It’s Called “Watch” Not “Defend”

If you hear something that goes bump in the night, wake others up, depending on how big of a bump it was.  If you go check it out on your own and are overpowered, there is no one to sound the alarm.

If you go with a buddy system you have two sets of eyes and ears to look for what made the noise, and two people to defend if needed.

 

Communication

If you’re standing watch and see or hear something, being able to radio someone to wake them allows you to continue to observe what is going on.  I have recently become an affiliate for Midland radios.  I did so because I have a few Midland products and think highly of them.  In the interest of full disclosure, I will receive a small commission if you purchase from them by clicking on the image to the right or the Midland text here.  The Midland two way radios or any higher quality FRS two way radio would be a good fit here.

 

Sound the Alarm

If danger is imminent, having a fast way to wake everyone is a good idea.  If you want to maintain the element of surprise, sending someone to give everyone a quick shake might be the only option.  If the element of surprise is lost and you just need bodies fast, an idea I had was for small air horns.  I bought a bunch of them at the $1 store.

 

Neighborhood watch

If you have developed a neighborhood watch, you might develop have a stationary watch at a main entrance or two, having a roving watch that goes between the two.   This is another area where having radios for fast communication is essential.  Depending on the size and density of your area, a two way FRS radio should work ok.  If not, moving up to a CB is a good option.

 

Rules of Engagement

Having the response planned ahead of time is crucial.  Now is the time to be thinking about what you might do if society is erupting and you hear a noise a house or two away at 02:00.  Does this response change if there is no established rule of law?

You should also have defined what everyone’s job is, even if it is to stay with the kids and reassure them and keep them as quiet as possible.

 

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Light, Sound and Smell Discipline

While I hope and pray we never see the worst case scenario where society truly does just collapse, I still think about what it might look like from time to time.  It’s a good exercise for seeing possible shortcomings as well as potential dangers.  If we do see things melt down, the rules change and you have to be ready to adapt quickly to keep you and yours safe.  Today I want to give you some things to consider.  Think about how you might make use of them should the need ever arise, while praying to God it never does.

 

Light Discipline

My neighborhood has underground power lines, so we very rarely lose power.  When we do it is usually short lived.  The power went out this week shortly after I got up at 06:00.  It was still dark outside for the next hour and a half, as we sat in battery powered lamp light.  I looked outside a few times and noticed that there were no lights on anywhere, but I could easily see that someone was moving through their home with a flashlight.

If society does fall off the rails, even for a few nights, you need to make sure you’re using as little light inside at night as possible.  Now, if you have a room where you have somehow completely blacked out the windows, you might be ok using a candle or battery powered lamp.  If you have to move through the house, you might be better off letting your eyes adjust and sticking the flashlight in a cloth to let just a little light escape to guide you.

One option for flashlights is to use colored lenses.  They provide less light but it is harder to pick them up at a distance.  If you use say a red lens and turn your flashlight on from a dark room, you won’t lose your night vision when you turn it back off.

If I was Joe Dirtbag and was looking for someone who might be home during a meltdown, I would do one of two things; climb to the top of a tall building or water tower and look for light, or walk through people’s backyards looking for signs of light.  Keep this in mind, just because there will not be any light visible from the front of your house, doesn’t mean there is no light visible.

 

Sound Discipline

I live in the burbs, not far from a busy highway.  Even so, aside from traffic sound, it still gets quiet here at night.  Much to my chagrin, noise travels very well, and on a quiet night we can hear people from a few houses away.  Right now, aside from being annoying at times, it isn’t that big of a deal.  If things meltdown and Joe Dirtbag starts listening for anything that stands out, it might be a bigger deal.

This can be a much more difficult thing to manage, as I can control when and how lights are on, but I have four dogs and one of them, I joke, barks at gnats farting outside.  So this is something I have given some thought to, as should you if you have dogs or young children who may be scared or hungry and unpredictably loud.

I don’t care for the idea of muzzling the dogs for an extended time, so I honestly don’t have a good solution.  Bugging out might be the only choice.

 

Smell Discipline

In a survival situation, I know many of you will be eating those beans and rice, so this might be a lost cause. (LOL, just kidding.)  I’m thinking more along the lines of things that smell good and draw attention.   Many of us have some food stored.  One might think that it is safer to cook at night, as it can hide smoke.  While that might be true, you can’t hide the smell very well.  It is very easy to tell when someone is grilling in my neighborhood.  I bet I could track down the house in a matter of minutes just by smell alone.  The smell of something like an MRE might not carry as far as something that is home cooked.  This is just something to keep in mind.

 

Turning to Your Advantage

You can also use these things to your advantage.  Let’s say the power wasn’t out and I saw someone moving with a flashlight at my neighbor’s house.  Or let’s say that things have gone very bad and everyone in your area is staying put and not making much noise.  If you hear yelling or glass breaking it would stand out and should be paid close attention too.

 

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Oil and What it Means For Our Future

 

For better or worse our economy is tied to oil, so I want to connect a few dots and explain, in part, why that is and what it means for our future.

 

Why Are We So Dependent On Oil?

To fully understand this, we need to go back to oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller.  Mr. Rockefeller believed that oil was a gift from God and he was determined to find as many uses for it as he could.  Don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t completely altruistic.  This also meant higher profits, as he could make money from the parts of oil that many other people were dumping in rivers and lakes as waste.  Some of the uses they discovered were gasoline, tar for paving streets, lubricating oil, Vaseline and paraffin for making candles.  Today oil and oil byproducts are used in those things listed above as well as polyester and other clothing blends, many plastics, many medications, such as cortisone and aspirin, not to mention the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, which is reported to make up 2/3 of the oil that is used.

 

Harvesting Oil

The theme song from the Beverly Hillbillies said that Jed Clampett was “shooting at some food, missed and up from the ground came bubbling crude”.  While this is an exaggeration as to how easy it used to be, it’s not a huge one.  It used to be very easy to find and drill for oil, and the very first attempts to refine it weren’t much more than boiling it.

The same cannot be said today.  All easy to harvest oil has long been harvested.  Crews have to drill many miles deep into the ocean, which is dangerous and expensive.  There are vast amounts of oil shale, but oil shale is mined in the form of rocks that have solid bituminous materials that are released as petroleum like liquid when the rock is heated in the chemical process known as pyrolysis.  So, while it is there, is it harder to get than traditional oil deposits.

Due to several federal regulations on oil exploration, drilling and refining, the United States will always be a net importer of its oil.

 

Peak Oil

There is some confusion when it comes to this term, so let me define my use of it.  Peak oil is simply the point at which we have reached the peak of oil production.  This could but doesn’t necessarily mean that an oil field that has hit peak oil is running out of oil, just that it has hit the limit in the amount it can produce.

The problem that peak oil causes is that, in the last decade, China, India and some other developing countries, have seen a massive increase in the amount of cars and drivers, which means a massive increase in the amount of gasoline and diesel needed to fuel them.

This is nothing to worry about as long as the largest oil fields and the world’s leading oil producing nations stay out of peak oil.  As you can see from this story, Mexico’s Cantarell oil field, which is the world’s largest oil field, has reached peak oil and is, in fact, declining in production.  This report from CNN says “WikiLeaks cable: Saudi oil estimates may have been exaggerated”

It reports that:

“Saudi Arabia’s oil reserves may have been grossly overestimated and its capacity to continue pumping at current capacity exaggerated, according to a U.S. diplomatic cable sent from the kingdom in 2007.”

 

Alternative Energies

I don’t know of any alternative energy that could replace oil.  Some might say “what about solar?”  Solar panels are very expensive to make, thus very expensive to purchase and install.  I have seen estimates of $20,000 on the front end, which could take 20 years to pay for themselves.  By that time you would need to start replacing panels and would have already been replacing batteries.  There were several solar companies who were given millions of tax payer dollars by our current administration.  We have all seen the reports of them going bankrupt.

Wind just doesn’t produce enough energy for it to be viable to replace oil.  Sure, it could be used in tandem to reduce some of the oil consumption, but I haven’t seen enough information to know if this would be cost effective or be like solar and pay for itself near the end of its life.

Don’t get me wrong, I think we should keep looking for ways to make alternative energy a viable option.  I have to be realistic and say that there is a very good chance that America will be tied to oil to meet our energy needs forever.

 

What Does All OF This Mean For Our Future?

Simply put; higher prices for everything.  Remember all of the items I listed that oil are used in its production?  That was just a fraction of the many items.  I have seen lists with over 6,000 items on them.  Even if you find an item that used zero oil in its production, there was still fuel used to bring the parts together or to ship it to its destination.

Remember that I said an estimated 2/3 of oil is used for fuel, including the fuel you use to drive your vehicle.  It is also used to power the ships, planes, trains and trucks that deliver goods all over the world.

There are places in the world right now where a gallon of gas costs $7.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that much in my gas budget.  That means if prices ever get that high here, the money will have to come from something else.

 

What Can We Do?

I think the best thing we can do is pay attention and be thinking about it.  Be conscious of the electronics that are left on 24/7 and how much power they soak up.  As gas prices rise it may be prudent to look for car pool opportunities to get to work.  I know MNDOT has initiatives to put car poolers together and your state may as well.

What other ideas do you have on things we can do to prepare for rising energy costs?

 

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Signs of (worse) Financial Turmoil

Image by Christian Ferrari
 

 

In the article I wrote last week ”What Does Civil Unrest Look Like and How Can You Stay Safe Near It?” reader JP  commented that:

“Warning signs I’ve thought of would be banks closing doors as soon as several people begin withdrawing all they have. My wife worked for a bank years ago(18 yrs) and I remember her telling me that they had trained them to prepare to shut and lock all doors when told by the manager to do so. Then proceed out the back door if its safe and go home. This situation would begin with multiple people wanting to withdraw all their money from the bank. If you knew someone that worked in a bank they might be able to give you a heads up.”

I replied with an anecdote (that I’ll share below) and both got me thinking about other financial warning signs and that some might come too late to do much good. I am an economic novice, but I am a student of history and have paid enough attention to the economy to feel comfortable pointing out signs to be aware of. I have mentioned many times that the overall economy is in bad shape, so these are not signs to look for general health. Rather these are things to look for which might hint that the economy is going to get even worse.

 

Defaulting Municipalities

I have touched on this in other articles but we are seeing more and more cities and counties filing for bankruptcy, which you can keep track of on the Municipal Bankruptcies Map. If your city or county government can’t pay its bills and defaults, the existing bills might be taken care of, but what about future expenditures? Hard decisions and cuts will need to be made that will affect everyone in the area of a defaulted municipality. Look at Greece, Spain and the United Kingdom for a peek of our future. Austerity measures will be enacted out of necessity either by forward looking municipalities or by whomever takes receivership of defaulted ones. In the countries I listed riots have followed these austerity measures, or even at the suggestion of them, will we see differently?

 

Falling Stock Market

I know very little about the stock market, but if you look at the big hits, there are often many small hits leading up to a nosedive. If the market slides for a few days and there are other signs, such as oil prices or rising unemployment, it might be prudent to move to something safer, at least until things level out.  If someone more familiar with the stock market has other warning signs please post them in the comment section.

 

Failing Banks

If there is talk of large banks failing, keep an eye out and don’t just expect there to be another bailout. In 2008, Iceland’s three largest commercial banks went into receivership over the course of one week and the banks were nationalized. This led to bank runs and nearly led to the entire country going bankrupt. I have seen reports where the value of their currency declined by 50% and their stock market declined by 90%. With the Weiss quarterly bank ratings you can have some idea of how your bank is doing. Granted, it’s only quarterly but it’s better than nothing.

 

Bank Runs

A bank run is a late sign that there is trouble. The anecdote I made to JP Scott’s comment was this:

“Thanks JP. You’re correct that those are both bad signs. A related note on banks; we pulled out a sum of cash a few years ago and were told that most branches only kept $5,000 at any one time. I think since people started using credit and debit cards so frequently, they scaled back the amount they keep on hand. Even if there was a bank run, there is a chance that not many people will get all their money on the spot.”

I say “on the spot” because your account is insured by the FDIC. I can’t say how long it might take to get your funds back. This is a very strong argument for keeping enough cash on hand to pay your bills and to purchase needed items for a couple of weeks to a month. Some banks may keep more cash on hand, but I know from firsthand experience that not all do.

This is also an argument against keeping emergency funds in a safe deposit box. Because banks are still training people the way they did JP’s wife, to lock the door, who knows when you’ll get access to that box?

 

So What Can Be Done When These Things Happen?

If you live in an area in risk of defaulting, you could move. Since this might not be possible or even prudent, planning is about the best you can do. Plan to see some services stop, as I mention in ”What We May See at the End of 2012 that is not related to the Mayans”. Cities, such as Oakland California, have had their Police Departments stop responding to certain crimes. In other cities there are some services that are being stopped or scaled back, such as turning off the street lights.

For the stock market, you can move your money into safer investments. You can also hold cash or invest in precious metals or land.

There isn’t much you can do about failing banks except be aware of them and that they may or may not be bailed out. Either way it causes pain, either now by letting them fail, or to future generations by having to bear the tax burden.  If you bank with a bank that is in trouble, moving your money could speed along their implosion, but not moving it could could slow you getting all of your funds back.

Bank runs, as I mentioned, are not going to ensure you get all of your savings. Most banks also have limits on daily withdraws from ATMs, so don’t plan on getting it all that way either.

I think the best plan is to continue to prepare and work toward having some cash tucked away, and be ready for unemployment and crime to go up as we see these warning signs.

 

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Rising Crime and Limited Law Enforcement

A note before today’s article: Camping Survival has really stepped up to the plate and given me 3 1000’ spools of paracord to give away. I will be picking the second random winner this afternoon and the last none Monday October 29th. If you want to enter the drawing you have until then. If you have already entered that entry will just be carried over for the new giveaway’s so no need to reenter. If you didn’t enter then send one in for the new drawings.
My email is: chris (at) preparedchristian.net

Again, my many thanks to Camping Survival for supporting the Prepared Christian community!


 

 

Rising Crime and Limited Law Enforcement

 

Mike from Mass sent me an email with a very interesting article.  This is a subject I have touched on before but I want to take a deeper look at it with you today.  The article entitled Armed posse patrols timber land in sheriff’s place is about a rural county in Oregon that has had its Sheriff’s Department shrunken to 3 deputies who patrol for eight hours a day, five days a week due to budget cuts.  Because of this and rising crime, some residents have taken to different forms of assisting the Sheriff.  One of these forms, as the title explains, has been forming armed posse’s to patrol the county.

The reason I want to take a deeper look at this is because I think many of us can relate to a statement made by Sam Nichols in the article, which states:

“I believe in standing up for myself rather than waiting for the government to do something for me,”

I think this is something we will see more of for a variety of reasons.  For instance, in Oakland California, police will no longer respond to certain crimes, which is similar to the circumstances that are in the article; because of cuts, police and sheriff departments are limited in their patrols.  I also think that because of impending economic slowness we will see a rise in crime, as can be seen in this story from USA Today; Violent crime rises sharply, reversing trend.  I think we will see an uptick in crime from people who’re hungry and looking for ways to make ends meet.  I’m not justifying it, just explaining that we will see a different percentage of the population committing crime.

 

Formation of a Posse

A posse is essentially made up of unpaid civilians who assist local law enforcement.  I think there are two ways to go about forming one.  The first is what the Citizens Against Crime did in the story from Oregon that is mentioned above.  From the sounds of the story, they patrol armed with little or no formal training and report crimes to the Sheriff’s Department.

Josephine County Sheriff Gil Gilbertson is quoted saying:

“They need to really understand there are consequences that can be very costly, physically as well as legally,” he said, explaining that volunteers could get sued or shot if they pull a gun on someone or make a false arrest.

“Most of them haven’t had what I feel is an adequate level of training to do that they do,” he said. “But if they serve as eyes and ears and only report what they see to law enforcement, I think they can keep themselves at a safe level.”

The Sheriff brings up some excellent points, but we shouldn’t necessarily let that keep citizens from forming a posse in times when, for whatever reason, local law enforcement is unable to meet the needs of the community.

An approach that I think is better is one that the Pinal County Sheriff from Arizona did by forming armed anti-smuggling volunteer posse.  The county has a large problem with Mexican cartels trafficking in drugs and humans, so the Sheriff formed a posse to help “bring the heavy hand of enforcement to those who think they can smuggle drugs or humans”.

From the article:

“According to a news release from the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, the ASP will provide “surveillance and intelligence support to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Regional SWAT during tactical operations they perform against the Mexican Drug Cartels in western Pinal County.”…

“ASP members are required to pass a full background investigation, and will be trained on Pinal Sheriff’s Office Policy and Procedures, the news release stated. The armed posse members will be required to take quarterly training and qualifications. The members will receive tactical training before any operations.”

This Sheriff saw a need and a potential resource and took the time to make sure he was using people without a criminal record (that is not to say that the men from Oregon might have a criminal background).  He trained them and they undergo quarterly training which is as much as some police departments require.

A posse is usually formed for a short time and with a specific task.  I think an ongoing force is more in line with what the original militia was created to do; to augment local law enforcement with armed, trained civilians who have their own rank and command structure.

 

While We Have the Rule of Law

In this time while we still have the rule of law, we are not the sole means of law enforcement.  You may decide to join a posse or militia to assist local law enforcement.  The following are some things to keep in mind.

 

Citizen’s Arrest

I’m sure everyone reading this has heard of making a citizen’s arrest, but do you know what making one entails?  I am not a lawyer or giving legal advice.  These comments should be viewed as information, not law.  Many states allow a citizen to make an arrest for felonies committed in their presence.  You are allowed the use of reasonable force to subdue the felon until the police arrive.  You do not need to read them their rights.  That’s the job of the police officers who will file the police report.  If you are mistaken and the suspected felon did not, in fact, commit a felon, or you used too much force, you may open yourself up to a lawsuit or to facing charges and jail time yourself.   Here is an article from the Art of Manliness called How to Make a Citizens Arrest that goes deeper into the subject.

 

Buddy System

The buddy system is something I learned of in the Navy.  It means that you never go anywhere alone; always go with at least one buddy.  I can tell you from personal experience that using the buddy system saved me a few times.  There really is safety in numbers.

 

Communication

Being able to provide accurate, minute by minute information with instant and reliable communication is vital.  If you’re a part of a Sheriff sponsored posse, you will most likely be given a radio and trained in how to use it.  If you form a posse or militia with some other concerned citizens, one of the first things you should look into is communication.

 

Know Your Role

I honestly don’t know if a posse formed by a sheriff would provide the same umbrella of protection to its members that the sheriff and deputies would have.  If you form a posse with other citizens you are just that, a citizen.  You might be well advised to take the advice of the sheriff from Oregon :

“If they serve as eyes and ears and only report what they see to law enforcement, I think they can keep themselves at a safe level.”

 

Being Armed

If you have been a reader of this site for a while, you know I am a strong supporter of the second amendment.  I believe it is the responsibility of each citizen to be able to protect themselves.  With that being said, you need to think long and hard and pray about taking a firearm with you if you are going to put yourself in a situation where you’re essentially looking for trouble for the purpose of reporting it.

If George Zimmerman from Florida wouldn’t have had his firearm with him when he saw Trayvon Martin, he may have been less likely to follow and confront him and may have just called police.  Now, I am not saying you shouldn’t.  I’m saying you need to understand the ramifications of your decision.  If you are looking for criminals for the purpose of reporting them to police and are armed, there is the potential for gunplay because you brought a firearm.

Carrying a gun may also give a little extra courage to some, but just because you put on a cape doesn’t mean you can fly.  If you are level headed, can legally own and carry a firearm and are trained in its use, then move forward with caution.

I also think that if you carry a firearm, whether it is just for conceal and carry, or as an armed member of a posse, you should have other means to defend yourself.  When I carry, I have pepper spray, a flashlight that can be used as a striking implement and am trained in an Israeli based form of Real World Self-Defense called Haganah.  If I was patrolling, I would also carry either a larger flashlight or an asp to use for striking.  If you only have a hammer in the tool box, you see every problem as a nail.  I like to have as many options as I can legally.

 

Without the Rule of Law

I really hope and pray we never see a time when we no longer have the rule of law.  I think it would take an unlikely event such as an EMP or other far-reaching event to remove the rule of law.  Even though I believe it is unlikely we will see a time when there is no law enforcement to enforce the rule of law, I still think we have to be aware of it.  How will it affect us in the area we live?  How will we respond?

All of the things listed in the section “While We Have the Rule of Law” will still apply, with the exception of maybe citizen’s arrest.  If there is no law enforcement to retrieve the felon from you, you must think now about what you might do if you witness a felony.

There have been many of these types of situations discussed in several survival fiction books such as Lights Out or One Second After.  These and others have helped me think through some of the possible situations we may face without the rule of law.

 

What Will You Do?

Have you thought about whether or not you would ever join a posse to help enforce the law?  Would it matter if it was created and trained by the sheriff?  Have you thought about how life may be different without the rule of law and what you might do?

 

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