There are many aspects of survival you as a prepper have to take into account when getting your preps together. Things like severity of the situation, duration, money, time, security, OPSEC, food and water storage, first aid, bug-out bags, weapons and ammo, gasoline storage, solar energy, gardening, hunting, communicating, and so forth are all things that come up when planning for a long term SHTF situation.
When you first get started it seems like there’s an overwhelming amount of things that you have to do in order to get “caught up” with others who have been doing it for awhile. But of course you only have a finite supply of money and time and you still have to pay the bills, so your desire to go out and buy everything all at once is suddenly offset by the need to keep the lights on and pay the insurance bill.
Then there’s the uncertainty of exactly what to prep for. Will there be a total off-grid situation come about due to some natural disaster or will it be some kind of economic disaster similar to what Russia went through about fifteen years ago? Obviously these are both dire situations, but a total off-grid event would be the more severe of the two and much more difficult to prepare for.
There are so many factors to think about that your head can literally start swirling around with all the things you “have” to do. For security do you have dogs? Guns? Ammo? Knowledge and skill on how to use them? If not how much does it cost to acquire them? Are there gun ordinances where you live? Do you want to learn how to hunt? Do you have safety locks or gun cabinets if you have kids? Once you’ve got your preps in place do you practice good OPSEC?
Another thing you have to worry about is bugging-out. What happens if you’re forced to leave your home? Do you have 72 hour bug-out bags for your family? Do you have a destination to go to? Do you have a plan? Or if a fireman knocks on your door at 1:00 am saying the flood waters are rising will you be doing the “running around naked trying to get your act together” dance?
Man. There’s so much stuff to wrap your head around it’s almost scary and if you’ve been watching the news lately the scare factor has been bumped up to a 9 out of a possible 10. War in the Middle East. Earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan. Rolling blackouts and the possibility of a nuclear melt down. Rising inflation, food, and fuel costs. It really drives home just how vulnerable we are doesn’t it?
Balance
I think balance comes by assessing the perceived risks and then preparing for them logically and systematically. For example: I live in Maine and can’t turn around up here without falling in a river, lake or pond, so I don’t store a whole lot of water. I do have a Big Berkey water filter and if I lose running water it’s a simple matter of running across the street to the pond or going out back to my two 55 gallon rain barrels for drinking and wash water. If you live in a dry spot like Arizona or New Mexico you may want to store a lot more water just in case TSHTF.
A deep pantry is something everybody should try to achieve and it’s a great feeling when you can walk into your basement or pantry and know that you’ve got at least thirty days or more of food ready to go.
Some people choose to have lots of guns and ammo and they plan to raid others in order to get their supplies after TEOTWAWKI. No balance. Other than being morally wrong this kind of lifestyle can get you killed awful quick too.
What’s a good balance? Have enough food and water on hand to survive for a month, plus a gun or three. One gun for hunting and one or two for self defense. You don’t need an armory in order to survive, although this is a hotly debated topic on many forums.
If you live in a place where there’s a good chance you’ll have to bug-out have a good plan and a bug-out bag ready to go. Let’s say you live in wildfire country or along a fault line; you’ll probably want to have a kit ready just in case something happens and you have to get out of your home for a couple of days – or longer. Having a bug-out plan, a 72 hour bag, and a vehicle topped off and ready to go is good balance.
Building a small solar energy generator to power a few lights, a laptop, a battery charger, or other small electronics is a good idea. Stocking some gasoline (don’t forget the Sta-bil) is also wise if you have a generator and need to run it a few hours a day.
Have a buck saw with extra blades standing by in case you need to cut wood by hand for your woodstove. You’ll also need the skills and the physical ability to cut wood this way. I did it when I was a kid and it’s hard work, but it’s also great balance.
Each of these topics deserves a post all by itself, but since I’m already up to 900 words or so, consider this an over view. Something to get you thinking about balance in your preparations.
Do you have balance?
-Jarhead Survivor
45 comments
“Some people choose to have lots of guns and ammo and they plan to raid others in order to get their supplies after TEOTWAWKI. No balance. Other than being morally wrong this kind of lifestyle can get you killed awful quick too.”
I hope they have ID on their dead body after they try raiding me for food and supplies. That way I can go get all their guns and ammo afterward. You know the old say “spoils of war go to the victor!”
Unbelievable … I can’t figure out what’s worse, the original statement or the response(s).
Some people have no humor!
And then they post Anonymous!
So the falcon wants to be the falconer ….
The part I did not find funny is the “global” acceptance of the ideology that is so prevalent on survival blogs in the belief that there will be a Mad Max scenario – people raiding at will then, carrying out that fantasy by blowing people away.
It boggles my mind that some (not necessarily you) don’t get how delusional that is – there is NO fact that supports that possibility yet to many, it’s a foregone conclusion.
And that my friend is spooky.
BTW, I have a tremendous sense of humor but choose a more uplifting path or style.
I do not think it is a global acceptance among preppers that it would be a “Mad Max” scenario. I prep for many different events. I have life insurance to help take care of my family if something happens to me, I have a retirement fund in case I get old before I die, I have homeowners insurance in case of fire and other events, I have 529 plans in case my kid s decide to go to college, I have extra food just in case of whatever, I have health insurance in case my family or I get sick, I plan just in case I get lost while hiking, and so on. The point I’m attempting to make is not all of us prep for a Mad Max type world. Only a fool would not prep for the events that are head of them, even if they are not sure what they are. Also I do know my world will end someday, only because I have not figured out how to live for ever as flesh and blood.
As you said, it’s difficult to know what to plan for. We have been picking up extra cans of food, tuna, stews and the like. We got emergency candles and looked into alternative sources of light like vegetable oil lamps. (I figure the grocery stores may run out of food, but will veggie oil be in as high demand?) We’re chipping away at it, but looking at what we’ve been trying to teach ourselves, and the supplies we’re laying in…sometimes our BOB looks more like we’re leaning toward self sufficiency. Jute twine for tinder and cordage. Food grade bins and buckets for grain storage. Cans of food that I know i can get the kids to eat. Books on wild food foraging, and my list goes on.
Without knowing what’s coming down the pike, it’s hard to know how to plan.
I don’t think it’s GOING to hit the fan, I think it already is, in a lot of different ways, some less obvious than others. From rising food prices, to more flooding, to earthquakes felt everywhere (even up here in Canada), nuclear crises are getting more air-time, we’re more aware of government lies and brow-beating, insane gas and oil prices, and an increasing number of people unable to afford the vehicles that run on that high priced gas. Again, the list goes on and on.
We strive for balance here as much as we can, not being financially able to go out and get what we’d like to. (Volcano stove, Berkey water filter, etc.) The way to keep balanced, in my opinion, is to play the ‘what-if’ scenario. What if it was a civil breakdown and our local water treatment plant was offline? What if we have an earthquake? what if the river floods and the roads are impassable? What if we get another days-long power failure, and so on. Plan for these things on paper. Don’t fall prey to everything you see, hear or read. Use common sense.
And as tempting as it is, don’t tell your neighbor he’s an idiot because he keeps saying it won’t happen to him.
I’m with 3rdMan, if they come lookin’ my way for a soft-target… they have another thing coming!
Jarhead I have to agree, not everyone needs an “arsenal” included in their preps. I would say, for most folks, a handgun, a rifle, and a shotgun would probably cover any situation that may arise. Than includes hunting, defense, and even recreation. Personally, I have several of each (handguns, rifles, shotguns, and even muzzle-loading rifles, and bows) but I have been hunting/shooting since I was a kid, and have an insatiable affinity for firearms. I will say that in contrast to what some folks say (other blogs, sites, etc.), if you can only have 1 rifle I would get something other than a .22. Don’t get me wrong, I have 3 .22 rifles and they are great for small game hunting and plinking, but a larger caliber rifle will serve more purposes. You don’t need a .50 Barret, but even a .223/5.56 NATO -OR- a .22 magnum -OR- 22-250 rifle would serve you better for defense and med/large game hunting than a standard .22.
I would also add that training with the firearms you choose to own is as vital as ammo! All the firearms and ammo in the world won’t do you much good if you don’t know how to use the firearm safely/effectively, clear jams when they happen, and maintain the weapons.
Another thing I didn’t see mentioned, but that should be considered for a good “balance” is relationships/networking. It has been proven throughout history, that people with a support structure are more likely to survive through the worst situations. Family and friends not only provide “more hands” for accomplishing tasks, but also provide the companionship needed to maintain the positive psychological state/attitude needed to pull through in the worst of times. I know that for me personally, if I were fighting just for myself I wouldn’t fight near as hard as I would for my family and friends! Just some things to think about.
Excellent point about relationships and community Chefbear. I meant to mention it and forgot to put it in. Thanks for brining it up.
Jarhead,
This is a very difficult subject to cover in 900 words or less & commend you for the effort. Community is an extremely important factor because it adds to accountability & reason during any tumultuous time or condition.
An essential design feature, if you will, of a human is relationship and accountability. It is a fact that we cannot function without it for any extended period of time. Many business models & sayings speak of this – there are strength in numbers, 3 people can do the job of 5, circle the wagons and so on.
All that being said, decisioning should be based upon more factual information, reasonable projections and preparations made for the same and continue to adjust as information changes.
Side note –
Our economy primarily blew apart because of individual choices & poor planning based upon truly unreasonable information and short-sighted greed influences. Had individuals planned within reason (30% of your ACTUAL gross income applied to housing) & not have taken the great American greed bait, much of the mess would have been mitigated.
That proven model would have stabilized housing prices, interest rates, consumer spending would have not spiked so severely due to the scraping equity through refinances or 2nd trust deeds and so on.
I hate to say this but, the banks are not the sole culprit – they did their deed AFTER the consumer made their (poor) choice and, by in large, it was a clear choice. The rest of the implosion is a residual effect of that choice.
Some want to argue that the bank lied to them or other idiotic nonsense but had the market continued to expand and they profited, you would never hear about how they (banks) lied or duped them – never … in fact they, most likely, would have bragged about it. Accountability is a two-way street.
As bad as this sounds – the consumer did it to themselves & now those infected cry about it while taking the rest down with them.
It is a mess that hopefully we learn from ~
Jason – I couldn’t agree with you more about greed being the biggest factor in the economic crash – both by the banks and the consumer.
First off, I found the title of today’s post a bit amusing because it is almost an oxymoron in my view – a well-balanced prepper?
In order to have balance you need certainty on both sides of the equation and that my friend, is impossible when we are dealing with such a fluid situation as we have in our world today.
Secondly & at the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist – doesn’t it seem like the way for our government to have it’s way with us is to keep us confused to the point where we either do nothing or separate, feeling forced to be isolationists? A united front is their enemy & they know it. Remember what Julius Caesar said – DIVIDE and conquer.
A year and a half ago I had no idea what TEOTWAWKI, SHTF, OPSEC or the rest of the eye chart meant. I stumbled upon it, purely by accident, looking for ideas & tips to become off grid, live off of the land and be self-sufficient i.e. a survivalist in the purest sense.
My Google searches landed me on this planet called “Survivalism” and what an interesting planet it is! The language, acronyms & mindset is nothing like I have ever experienced – I had never considered the world ending as “we know it” or otherwise. It is a very strange environment.
Anxiety & fear all being fed by speculation or the, “what if’s” which, in itself is lunacy. Everybody is looking for an answer to the unanswerable question: is the poop going to hit the fan & when, how long will it last, how deep will it get?
I am pretty well read & educated guy, know a bit about economics (especially today’s predicament) and have quite of few very inside type connections and have a general feel, which the wind is blowing. One thing I know for sure is – we will NEVER know how things will shake out & there is a better possibility that nothing drastic (as per survivalist blog definitions) will happen, as crazy as that sounds. There is way too much at stake to allow it all to fall apart.
Additionally, all of this John Wayne talk & mentality of a kill or be killed society we may involve into is absolute stupidity in my opinion. Many talk tough but pulling a trigger and killing someone is nearly impossible for a sane person to consider let alone act out.
Why do you think THE number one debilitating injury for our battle experienced soldiers is PTSD?? Killing another human is not a natural act. So you think you can actually do it? Guess again Kimosabe.
So where’s the balance? It resides outside of the Internet & Blog world influence that’s for damn sure.
The Internet has some value but it is the single greatest source for creating fragmented societies that the world has ever known. Don’t believe me? Look at the average teenage kid today – unplugged from the present realities & plugged into cyberspace and that, is our future. Better buckle-up ~
Json said:
“Why do you think THE number one debilitating injury for our battle experienced soldiers is PTSD?? Killing another human is not a natural act. So you think you can actually do it? Guess again Kimosabe. ”
There are many causes for PTSD! The killing of another human being cannot by itself be said to be the cuase. I know alot of perfectly sane people that have come back just fine from Iraq who had to kill. I think seeing so much death and having a buddy die in front of you or their brain spattered on your face may just second after you were talking to them would have a greater impact on them than killing someone. As far it being natural, I disagree the problem is that it is very natural, ever since the time of Cane and Abel it has be. Human beings have being kill each other since the beginning of time, its in our DNA. Living in peace is what we can not seem to master, but killing other humans well we have sadly mastered that. It is our so called modern civilized society that has determined there must be something wrong with someone who kills, thus saying they must be crazy why else would they kill. Alot of christians also are lead to beleive that God prohibites killing, thus saying it is wrong. This is all because of a miss translation from hebrew to latin than to english, which traslated the word for murder in hebrew into kill in english. I recommend you watch “Bulletproof mind” by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. This guy is great in explaining the difference between killing and murder. Alot of LE agencies use his training.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6pPey1q-WU
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Thanks, I’m aware – it’s killing me! Been pulling my hair out on it for a few days.
Balance the Ying and Yang of things. Only when all the facts are Known can a prepper achieve that since that will probably never happen………..
I think we as preppers can enjoy balance by taking action on what we are
doing to prepare. Who ever knows how, what,when or why things happen. I’m sure there are some japanese people reeling under those very questions as they deal with the aftermath of three related disasters 2 natural and 1 manmade.
Lots of things help to make our preps balanced. I think you’ll only catch the answer to that when your through the disaster.
I have to agree with noisynick and Jason (though I hate to admit it, and I think I need to go take a shower now… Just kiddin’, maybe), for TRUE-100%-UNDENIABLE balance you DO need to see both sides of the situation. However, what you can do is balance what you prepare for, in an attempt to “hedge your bet”.
I am going to attempt to give an analogy in writing… so please bear with me!
OK, so imagine you are looking at a balance scale (think “lady justice” out front of a courthouse). Now imagine that you can only see one of the “pans” where you place whatever you are going to weigh. We might not be able to balance the two “pans against each other, because we don’t know whats gonna be in the opposing “pan”… it could be a feather, it could be an elephant! BUT what we can do is “balance” the side we can see. For example, by not putting all of your resources to one side (firearms, food, gear, power-generation, etc.) you can spread it around and balance WHAT YOU CAN to get the best results possible for the unknown. I admit it’s kind of like buying shoes that “fit” sizes 6-12 to use for running a marathon, but it’s a better idea in my opinion that “tossin’ all your eggs in one basket” and getting screwed by being under-prepared in certain areas!
I think this is the point Jarhead is trying to emphasize, and if I am off base please correct me sir!
Sorry, in the middle of the analogy paragraph it says this-
“For example, by not putting all of your resources to one side (firearms, food, gear, power-generation, etc.) you can spread it around and balance”
I just read over it, and had a friend check it, and it isn’t as clear as I wanted it to be… What I intended to say, is to spread your resources (money, time, etc.) across several aspects of prepping, hence balancing the part you can control and keeping it from being to heavy on one particular thing. Rather than buying all ammo and firearms, or all food/water… get some of everything. Maybe you shouldn’t spend $5k on a complete solar power overhaul for your homes energy needs. Maybe just get a couple solar panels (or whatever) that will power a few key systems, and spend the rest on food, water purification, firearms/ammo, firearms training, food preservation tools/equipment/supplies, proper clothing for your areas climate, etc.
Sorry, guess that’s what I get for trying to explain an analogy in writing rather than through verbal & body language (hands). Hope that makes it a little more understandable.
Your post made sense to me. (my brain just slants in that way!). As I am working on becoming more prepared I try not to focus on the BIG picture but small aspects of emergency’s which may occur where I live.
Thank you Kathy… Now I don’t feel completely useless!!! At least I can get my point across to someone!
The Christians you describe must not have read the Old Testament, God sanctioned killing many times. Read about Caine & Abel, it’s pretty clear however, Biblical interpretations is another discussion.
If it is supposedly a natural act & part of our DNA (which is in error) then why do law enforcement agencies & soldiers need to be trained that it’s ok, because society has demonized them and the act???
I watched the video and understand that he is trying to rationalize & differentiate the difference between killing & murder – either way it needs to be addressed, why? Because it is not natural otherwise society (made up of people) would not have an issue with it & those who have to take lives, can continue on leading a relatively normal existence.
PS
I suffered from PTSD & have a fair idea what it’s like & it’s causes –
Sorry Jason, this part seemed a little unclear to me
“If it is supposedly a natural act & part of our DNA (which is in error) then why do law enforcement agencies & soldiers need to be trained that it’s ok, because society has demonized them and the act???”
I am a little unclear as to what point you are trying to “drive home” with this statement… Are you trying to say that the soldiers and LE officers are demonized by society? or the act of killing another human has been demonized?
If it’s the latter, I would have to argue that video-games, movies, TV shows, and personal exposure to increasingly violent situations in every-day life have done a pretty decent job of desensitizing most of the general public to homicide (strictly speaking, the death of a human.. According to the books for my “Principles of Criminal Investigation” class).
If it’s the former, from what we studied in “Community Oriented Policing” class, the vast majority of the folks who view the Police in a negative light are members of subcultures (i.e. gangs, fringe groups, etc.). Of course this does not include immediately after a highly publicized event where an officer has had to use “lethal force” in defense of himself or another, no matter the circumstances it always seems to “stick in the craw” of some people. This is also a generalization of surveys (commissioned by the FBI) taken across the country, to gauge “in general” how the public views the police. Some areas where massive corruption, abuse of power by the police, or loss of trust by the public (examples such as Miami, LA, NY are the first ones to come to mind) exhibit a much lower opinion of the police than areas where the police put forth an honest effort to deal with ALL of the issues in the community (including sociological and economic), rather than just respond to calls . These days more and more jurisdictions utilize a “Community Oriented Policing” plan/system, this allows for better communication with the community and the result is a more open/trusting relationship between the police and the people they serve.
My point to 3rd Man was killing is not a natural act or part of our DNA.
I agree that all of the video games, movies & TV has desensitized murder & sadly has glorified it. I remember seeing Pulp Fiction in the theater years ago when it came out. I had no idea what the movie was about and was shocked when someone was graphically murdered and members of the audience either laughed or cheered. It was pretty sick.
The video that 3rd man referenced was ok but the guy in my opinion, was missing crucial historical data & other factors like unreported corrupted LE involved murders. However, I do believe graphic & senseless murders have increased and believe is due to what you pointed out.
Speaking of the video, I’ve come to the realization that by in large, everyone has an agenda that they are selling when putting something to market.
In modern times (from 1980 to present) often those agendas are slanted towards personal greed & self serving motives. It is not too often where you get information laid out with all of the pros and cons for one to choose. Like Ranger and the push for the acquisition silver, then advertising silver vendors on that same page – to me that invalidated or made me skeptical the information presented. Sorry but I’m a bit of a nut for information – all of it, so I can choose properly & minimize getting burned again ….
If it is supposedly a natural act & part of our DNA (which is in error) then why do law enforcement agencies & soldiers need to be trained that it’s ok, because society has demonized them and the act???
I think you answer your own question in your question!
No I did not – I addressed your point saying murder is a natural act & part of our make-up which is wrong in my opinion.
>>>Independent<<< from that is the society viewpoint of it, which funny enough is made up of …. people. If it was natural, why do the extremely vast majority of humans view it as inherently wrong? Must be a DNA thing ….
Then you are blind, so here it is:
“because society has demonized them and the act?”
Let me get this straight you are saying if a soldier kills in combat or a LEO shoots and kills someone who is attempting to harm or kill them or a 3rd party it is Murder?
My point I was make is killing is natural not that murder is natural, maybe I was not clear in that.
Neither one is natural, one is more justifiable & easier to rationalize than the other.
The death penalty is legal in Texas, do you think that the warden and those intimately involved with the process are completely unaffected when the criminal is put to death?
Jason, you mentioned enforcement of the death penalty… This is again coming from what I am learning while pursuing my Police Science AAS… Most of the prisons that carry out death sentences have 2 or more persons “pulling the trigger” during an execution. For Example-
They will have 2 or more doctors who inject the chemicals for lethal injections into IV tubes which are fed into the person, they are in separate rooms from each other and the person being executed. One of them has saline in the syringes, the other has the chemicals. They do this so that the person who is injecting the chemicals does not know, therefore they can justify to themselves that the other doc was the one who killed the person, not them.
They do the same thing with firing squads, the majority of the rifles are loaded with blanks, the folks pulling the triggers don’t know who is delivering the fatal blow.
Being a well balanced prepper is THE goal. Its a little of everything, not just one thing. Food ,water, weapons, shelter, planning, knowledge, gear.
Accept the reality of EACH situation. Worry about the wolf when he is at your door. I am ready for him.
I hope I live my entire life without having to use my firearms against someone threatening my family, but it is a situation I will not hesitate in the event of. Its not hollywood b.s. its real life.
You’ve never shot anyone so you don’t know how incredible difficult it is especially, in a non combat situation. Trained LE people have great difficulty squeezing the trigger & dropping someone even when it’s a justifiable threat.
Trust me, you will hesitate, shake, second guess, wonder, hope they will leave, question yourself or them, your aim will be off etc if you are a normal human being.
Then IF you do, you and your family will be forever haunted by that decision – and that my friend, is real life. Choose wisely.
I hate to say but I would have to agree with your statement on this one Jason, except the part on haunting forever. It will haunt you for a while maybe even years, but you will learn to live with it and move on but never forgetting. Some though will not be able to live with what they did even if it was right, bacause as you said “because society has demonized them and the act?”
What you are referring to is what I have always heard called “buck fever”… It works the same way for hunters the first couple times they go to shoot a deer. Hands shake, sweat starts pouring, breathing gets heavy, heartbeat increases… From what I understand (from talking with family/friends who are Federal Agents, LEO’s, former SEAL sniper, Marine Recon, and so on) it is MUCH more extreme when you have another human “in your cross-hairs”. From what most of them have told me #1 It never gets “easier”, you just learn to “bypass” the natural reaction #2 The majority of them say that you never forget the people you have to eliminate #3 Again from what they say, IF it does start getting “easier”, it’s time to quit! #4 Even when it’s “them or me”, you carry the guilt with you FOREVER, and replay in your mind if there was possibly another way to resolve the situation
Only 1 person I have talked to about it (the former sniper) ever regretted missing a shot. His justification for this mentality was that if he missed, our soldiers could die because that “bad guy” got away. He then told me that that was why he NEVER missed, that and the thousands of dollars, and hundreds of hours the US government provided him to ensure he “got the job done”!
This is a topic I have tried to explore as much as possible because of my desire to become a law enforcement officer.
Thank you, I think you just illustrated my point.
PS
Thanks 3rd Man this is a stimulating conversation, I enjoy the opposing thought process.
Sorry, that was supposed to say *hundreds of hours OF TRAINING*
Can’t type for the last few days for some reason!
Like I said ” I hope I NEVER have to use my firearms against someone. No, I dont know how difficult it is. I would be nervous, and full of adrenaline, but I refuse to LET someone break into my home and hurt my family. I have to do ANYTHING I can to protect them. I didnt buy a weapon with a rambo mentality. I want to protect my family in the event the police are to busy to help us. If it happens I will have to LIVE with it, but thats the point. I have no delusions about the reality of it.
By the way, I am not the first person that posted anonymous at the begining of this banter on the 23rd. I do have a sense of humor. Cheers
it(murder) is wrong, because the Creator Deity said so. it is a “revealed” truth. the Deity: “GOD”, reveals all the True, “self evident” Truths.
Didn’t want to go there for the obvious reason & tried secular reasoning but that is the basis of my argument.
We were all created by God – like it or not, believe it or not and it’s His rules. What you choose to do with it is your decision because God gave you/us that free will.
well said, and i agree completely. DNA is just a chemical mollecule. i don’t think it makes an adequate explanation for anything.
DNA took on a whole new meaning to me with the OJ Simpson trial. I decided that acronym stood for – Darn Nice Attempt.
Ezekiel 12:2
Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.
Years ago I was completely convinced that God was made up and as Stalin said, an opiate for the masses. My experience of the traveling Bible bangers telling me that I am going to Hell in a hand cart tomorrow further embedded my repugnance for Christians.
I decided one day to look for myself, without the judgement – not an easy thing for me to do back then, for any truth or proof. The more I dug, the more surprised I became & ultimately became the dreaded “born again” Christian. At that point the Bible became a 3 dimensional document/book/study guide and it is absolutely amazing.
Just to be clear – Christians are not perfect whatsoever in fact, when one becomes “born again” you have expressed & accepted that very fact – you are imperfect ….. if only some Christians better embraced that fact.
Personally, that sure removed the self-imposed burdens of the world where I have to keep up with the Joneses or buy into the lie of disposable, faster & cheaper is a better way to live.
Man will not destroy the world, God will & all of the physical preps in the world cannot augment His plan. Although seemingly intangible, eternal preps have far more value in my opinion.
End of sermon ~
The biggest problem in the OJ Simpson murder trial, was that the lead investigator lied. If he had simply admitted that he had used racial epitaphs in the past I think the jusry would have taken his statements “with a grain of salt” and moved on. As soon as he lied on the stand, not only did his credibility go out the window, but he was seen as “the big bad racist” just trying to put another African-American in prison. But this is completely off topic!
Chef, you are correct. I grew up in L.A. and knew a few detectives & police officers and they were definitely profilers & racists bordering on Nazi’s. However, if you were considered white trash, that courtesy was extended.
Race or not – he was guilty & literally bought his freedom. I remember reading many years ago in Mad magazine how they spelled justice – “Ju$tice”
I am having a hard time swallowing that someone never missed a shot as a sniper. I spent 3 years hiding and crawling and waiting for the perfect shot and I missed some and I was considered very good. Missing a shot is part of life. Making the hit is also part of life all be it a sad part. Every sniper I ever knew, always justified their work as saving lives and only shooting bad guys. I always felt that if the situation were reversed that I might be the bad guy. I do not hunt because I am not that hungry and as long as the grocery store has meat I have no need to kill for it. I could shoot a person only for the right reason but I have shot and did kill and will again if the right reason arises. It is not a judgement call on my part because I have a tight set of parameters for my actions and I have made my decisions thru deliberations so that if circumstances call for a kill shot I have already made my choice. I love animals but I would kill to feed my family, I tolerate and respect people and love a few but I would kill to protect my family. Simple. If I had to justify in my mind every decision to pull the trigger I ever made, I would probably go mad. I make my peace and move on. As Bill Hickock told Bat Masterson, ” The winner of the gunfight is not necessarily the fastest draw, or the best shot but he is always the one who is the most willing to pull the trigger, Being willing does not mean being eager. I did not enjoy being a paid killer as I was called in the military, but I was qualified, trained and available and did my job. NO more no less. I did not collect ears, or leave playing cards or take fingers. I ran away, and prayed that I would not get caught and also prayed for forgiveness. I figured someone else prayed for permission because I only prayed for forgiveness. Never , ever kill anyone or anything you don’t have to but don’t hesitated if you have to. Living with killing is not easy but it can be done. I just don’t recommend it.
Semper Fi
Just to clarify, I don’t believe that the sniper I mentioned (my cousin) actually NEVER missed a shot. I am sure he was implying that he made sure to make the shots count and be sure to hit when it mattered, but I cannot speak for him. My point in mentioning his statements was to show his mentality of killing to protect others.
I agree with you completely, if it is a matter of protecting my family I would take whatever shot I could get.
Very, very well put & could not agree more – life is about being committed.