Wars are inevitable. They have been erupting throughout human history with the regularity of a ticking clock. Civilizations rise, governments fall, armies march, and millions die. Anyone who believes America is somehow immune to the next catastrophe has been enjoying peace for far too long. The question isn't whether another devastating war will come. The question is whether you and your family will survive it.
Something is happening within our military that deserves serious attention. I don't know precisely what prompted the apparent preparations for a worst-case scenario involving an all-out war on multiple fronts, potentially leaving millions dead. The planning reportedly envisions catastrophic shortages of everything from food and drinking water to fuel, medicine, and electricity. Military installations are being told to prepare for 90 days of self-sufficiency. If that is indeed the order, somebody in Washington is contemplating a nightmare that most Americans haven't even begun to imagine.
America has an enormous civilian arsenal, estimated at some 400 million firearms. That's a hell of a lot of firepower, but don't confuse owning a gun with belonging to a well-regulated militia. Millions of armed Americans barely know their neighbors, much less how to organize, communicate, cooperate, or protect one another's families during a national emergency. We've enjoyed relative peace on American soil for so long that the prospect of enemy soldiers marching through our neighborhoods seems like something out of a Hollywood movie. Unfortunately, Hollywood doesn't have a monopoly on nightmares.
It's time to seriously reassess how we would respond to mass casualties, invading foreign troops, civil unrest, or Americans fighting one another. Millions of people living in this country harbor deep hostility toward America and our way of life. Imagine what could happen when government authority collapses, police protection disappears, and desperate people begin fighting over the last loaf of bread or gallon of gasoline. Our major cities, already divided by politics, economics, and cultural hostility, could become the most dangerous places in America.
Forget your comfortable assumptions about law and order. When civilization begins coming apart at the seams, don't expect everyone to observe the Geneva Conventions or politely respect your constitutional rights. Desperate civilians fighting for survival aren't necessarily going to concern themselves with international humanitarian law. The police may be overwhelmed, the courts may be closed, and the politicians who promised to protect you may be hiding somewhere considerably safer than your neighborhood. You may discover that the only people coming to save your family are you and your neighbors.
Consider Los Angeles, where civilian gun ownership is substantially less common than in many rural communities. In a catastrophic breakdown of public order, defenseless residents could become easy prey for violent criminals and desperate mobs. Those who believe dialing 911 will magically produce an armed police officer may discover that the telephone doesn't work, the police aren't coming, and nobody is interested in taking a report.
Then there are the people who actually own firearms but haven't touched them in 20 years. Their guns have been rusting away in musty closets, collecting dust alongside forgotten exercise equipment and Christmas decorations. They haven't cleaned them, inspected them, or practiced at a shooting range in years. When disaster strikes, they may discover that their supposed protection is little more than an expensive paperweight. Even if the gun functions perfectly, the person holding it may have forgotten how to use it safely and effectively. That's a particularly unfortunate time to begin remedial firearms training.
And what about medical emergencies? How many American households have adequate trauma supplies? How many people know how to control catastrophic bleeding, treat serious injuries, or keep someone alive until professional medical assistance becomes available? Most people are woefully unprepared. When ambulances stop responding and hospitals are overwhelmed, that ignorance could carry a death sentence. Failing to prepare is gambling with your life and the lives of everyone you love.
We already live with the threat of fires, floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. Preparing for war or widespread civil disorder should be part of that same conversation. At the very least, every family needs an evacuation plan, emergency supplies, reliable transportation, and a destination. Waiting until the highways are jammed with millions of terrified motorists is a wonderful way to turn your family automobile into a very expensive coffin.
My preference would be to get as far away from the major cities as possible. America's national forests offer remote areas, lakes filled with fish, and wildlife that can be hunted or trapped for food. When civilization collapses and your family is starving, survival becomes the first priority. Of course, surviving in the wilderness requires equipment, knowledge, physical ability, and considerably more preparation than watching a few survival videos on YouTube. You might want to visit Bass Pro Shops and obtain the supplies you'll need before the shelves are empty and the desperate crowds arrive.
And if you suddenly decide that owning a firearm might be a good idea, congratulations on your awakening. Unfortunately, depending on where you live, your politicians have already arranged a waiting period between your decision to protect yourself and your ability to take possession of your purchase. Apparently, even the apocalypse must respect government office hours.
The time to prepare for disaster is before disaster arrives. Get acquainted with your neighbors. Develop an emergency plan. Maintain your equipment. Learn lifesaving medical skills. Stock essential supplies. Know where you will go and how you will get there.
A militia is not merely a collection of people carrying guns. It requires organization, discipline, cooperation, and a commitment to protecting families and communities. When disaster strikes, those qualities may prove every bit as important as the firearms themselves.
America has survived wars, economic collapse, terrorism, riots, and natural disasters. But history offers no guarantee that the next catastrophe will be manageable, brief, or confined to some distant battlefield.
When Doomsday comes knocking, don't expect a warning, a convenient appointment, or a government official handing out survival kits.
Prepare now. Because when the shit hits the fan, it's going to be a little late to start shopping
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