We all know this is the truth about the human spirit. There are bad elements that want to create havoc and will use any excuse to do so and get away with it. Then there are other individuals who are weak willed and go along with anything that’s popular. I have listen to police scanners and watch footage of the Ferguson Riots and here is what I take from it.
1. Can’t Take it, they will burn it — a mob is not afraid to set fire to buildings so if they pick it clean they are likely to burn it or if they can’t get in they will just burn it. These means it is absolutely important for a prepper to have supplies hidden away safe from fire. If you have the means consider improving your homestead to be able to withstand a Molotov cocktail. Have a plan on how to put out fires that are started. All else be accurate enough in your shooting to shoot a Molotov being lit in someone’s hand.
2. Sense of entitlement, and self involved — a lot of people believe just because they are alive they are entitled to anything they want and should just get it. Many of whom are on welfare. Some people are also so self involved they don’t care who they are hurting. The businesses they looted and burned were minority owned. So they hurt their own over racial injustice. Think of the people who aren’t employed today as a result. Fact is they are so self involved they will do whatever they think they can get away with so long as it benefits themselves.
3. People are Hopeless — I saw one person on msnbc say that “you won’t understand why they set building on fire because you can’t understand the hopelessness they feel”. Honestly we can understand the hopelessness, but not the burning. Each of us deep down feels a hopelessness. That void is in all of us and it’s a God sized hole. We just choose to stay calm and carry on, and work to rise above it. They sit and stew in it then lash out thinking it will help. Guess what.. that new 50 in TV your stole won’t fill that void. In fact it will make life worse because deep down that conscious you gagged and threw in the trunk of your car is still kicking and screaming and won’t give you peace. Or one day they locate you on social media posts based off photos of you taking the item and arrest you. If you are that hopeless do us all a favor and end it with a bullet to your head.
4. Proximity to Epicenters — We all know the importance of being out in the country away from the cities. This should illustrate it well. Even though this is a St. Louis Issue it has spilled over into many other cities and been a series problem. The reasoning behind it is flawed and if people would stop thinking “race card” on everything in life they might see what the grand jury saw. A cop who was forced to defend himself against a teen who was misguided. Yes he unloaded his magazine, I would to if someone is charging me and not backing down after being shot twice. I’m not a ninja and hand to hand combat with someone who is bigger then me isn’t ideal. Especially in a culture that has become more centered on MMA Fighting then Boxing that you don’t know what they know. The more people you have around you the higher chance someone will rally the masses into something stupid like all this.
5. Government is Helpless, or won’t help — Obama and Eric Holder prevented the deployment of Nation guard the first night. Like Benghazi they were ordered to stand down according to the Governor. I believe the Governor Especially when he had already declared a state of emergency to have guardsmen available on day one. Because of politics they were unable to prevent anything. It doesn’t matter how many people you have standing around.. unless you create real consequences for the looters, like the real threat of death then they see it as a bluff and don’t pay any attention. To make myself clear I mean shoot a few and the rest will think twice about looting. Meanwhile without fear of consequences the brazenness of the looters increases. They start forming gangs and shifting targets and actions to bigger and better. When politicians are worried about politics over what’s right and wrong we all lose. You can shoot all the looters for all I care, I won’t be out there, and if my kids were out there oh well they made their choices.
6. Premeditated Crimes — Many of the crimes that went out over the police scanner sounded like premeditated crimes happening outside of the protest areas. The moment things went nuts and they knew no one could stop them that is when they break in to your house and steal the TV they eyeballed through the window, or find the person they had a beef with and shoot them. Or kidnap the child they lusted after. All of which happened on day one. They knew the resources were too tapped out to deal with them at that moment. So know who you have a beef with and who has a beef with you. Should SHTF happen in your area you may be forced to deal with them quickly. So know who would want you dead or your stuff in SHTF, and have a plan you can be sure they have one for you.
7. Overreaction – This all happened over a single teen dying whom most of these people have never met. He certainly wasn’t humanities last hope of surviving something only a genius super hero could save us from. Their reaction is to loot, kill, and burn down 30+ buildings. Now imagine that food is limited and the grid is down. Now how many of these people will their be and what will they be willing to do. You think you and your massive stockpiles can Rambo that?
8. Police Tactics — Police were greatly ineffective. The police started working their way outward. and tried to build a line around the areas that were burning so fire could get in. But as rioters came behind their squads line and started fires in building behind them they fell back so they wouldn’t be cut off. As well there was a period of time near Reds BBQ burning were a call was put out that there were 50 or so people all armed burning the building and that police should avoid the area for their safety. In another situation some reporters were robbed at gunpoint by a large group of masked armed people, who took their car and burned it. In both situations is goes to show that the police won’t risk their lives to stop a large armed gang to save you or your property. Now things might have been different if they were cleared to use live ammunition. The police showed great restraint, which I couldn’t do even if ordered, but were also helpless in the situation. The next day they gained control of the area and put up blockades only allowing business owners through (with escort) to their business to check on damage. Once they verified their identity. Even the national guard is helpless against a mob until they are given permission to open fire. They are only effective when things are relatively peaceful and they have a monopoly on force either through numbers or technology.
9. Don’t listen to media — You should already know this one… but the media reported that the first night they confiscated an “automatic weapon.” I saw pictures on said “automatic weapon” and it was a Rock Island Armory 1911 Pistol, Commander size with 3 Magazines. That was a “semi-auto pistol” at best, I happen to have one like it myself. Last time I knew it didn’t go full auto, and we are talking about 7-8 rounds per magazine or a total of 25 bullets. Also when you listen to the police scanner you learn about a lot of shit going on that will never make the media. Like the gang of armed thugs near Reds BBQ. The police trooper who went missing for a while, etc. The media will focus on the things that push their political views or owner’s objectives. No longer is the media an objective third party simply reporting facts to let you make up your own mind.
10. Only you can be responsible for protecting yourself — In the end it’s up to you to protect yourself and family. The idea of safety is lie similar to insurance. Safety is nothing more then probability or risk of being hurt being low. Example 99.9% chance of by jumping off a bridge without any equipment and hard ground below, a rope might decrease mortality rate to 80%, use a bungee cord instead and it’s 70%, add a harness and it’s 40%, and safe padded landing zone now you have a 10% chance of dying. Everything has a probability of death or dismemberment. Except it, don’t let someone tell you that if you give up your freedom they promise you and everyone can have a 10% risk. They can’t serve two masters and in the end they will focus on themselves when it’s really bad. In this way you must focus on protecting yourself in extreme circumstances.
11. A community can pull together — an uptown area called Clayton pulled their resources and hire private military and security contractors to help protect them. These individuals assessed ways to keep it from getting violent and also had ways to deal with the violence. Clayton wasn’t relying on the police to protect them. The police as you can see are focused on protecting the police station number 1, close to police station #2, everything else #3. Building a community can allow you to pull resources and have a better chance of surviving a mob. You probably can’t afford some mercenaries, but maybe with some help from your neighbors you call can.
There are a lot of lessons to be learned as this story unfolds. I hope you pay close attention and find the lessons that have meaning to you. Let me know on twitter, @lastminuteprepp anything you are learning or have to share. Stay safe, stay armed, but most importantly stay cool and creative. You don’t know what life will throw at you but you can also be assured there is a way if you can just think.
Oh and by the way if anyone is offended by my comments on the looters and that they are justified in what they are doing or that they shouldn’t be shot at for attempting to loot. Then this is not a blog for you please don’t bother me, just leave. In SHTF, You get to choose which side of the trigger you get to be on. Sending or Receiving. You can’t summon magic unicorns to protect you and put your head in the dirt and pretend like you won’t have to make that choice. Start thinking long and hard on if you can pull that trigger to save your families life.