Rules for Preppers – Staying Under the Radar

The Intel Hub ^ | 6/19/12

[Kartographer]

1.Trust no one that you do not personally know. 2.Keep your prepping to yourself. 3.Don’t share any prepping articles on Facebook or other social media 4.Make sure boxes are not labeled 5.Do not tell anyone what you are up to. 6.Be alert to what others are saying.

[Kartographer]

Thanks to FReeper Whenifhow for bringing this article to my attention.

[Kartographer]

Preppers’ PING!

[goseminoles]

Taking you own advise I see.. ;0)

[pingman]

“Never talk when you can nod and never nod when you can wink and never write an e-mail, because it’s death. You’re giving prosecutors all the evidence we need.”

Eliot Spitzer, paraphrasing Martin Lomasney

[G Larry]

The first rule in security is “Don’t let ‘them’ know your strengths or weaknesses!”

[Currentriverrat]

I had a truck line driver in here delivering to me and he told about his previous stop. He delivered i/2 a trailerload of survival food to some folks in town. At least I know where to go!

[Hodar]

Perhaps the most overlooked part of this is food storage. Do you know what to do if you find a freshly killed deer/moose/cow/pig? Sure, fresh pork is great - what about 3 days later? If you have never made homemade bacon, you are missing out. I suggest using de-boned Pork Shoulder (far less fat). Bacon get's it's flavor from the smoke and preservation process. Gramps and Granny didn't need refrigeration and neither do you (sure, it's darn handy - but not required.

If interested, look up a book on charcuterie - this will teach you how to make salted pork, sausage, bacon and preserve various foods.

[thackney]

Make sure boxes are not labeled

....

Not to sure about this one when Prepping with the family in mind. My plans try to include them surviving without me.

[MrB]

Don’t be “that guy”...

[pingman]

Remember: prepping is hoarding, a capital crime in the eyes of the monkeys who are the Forces of Niceness.

[driftdiver]

I pay really close attention to opsec. Even my brothers don’t know that I am stocking up.

I had a break in several weeks ago. So the cops went through the house. They didn’t say anything but I know they saw the stuff because one asked my if I was ever in the military.

Not sure what I could have done to prevent this except not calling the police to have them clear the house.

[Edward Teach]

The “never tell anyone outside the family what you’re thinkin” rule should apply to many things, not just prepping.

[heartwood]

I wish it was possible to find a prepping community/village/what-have-you, that didn’t subscribe to any particular ideology other than prepping, that is, not white supremacists, or a religious group with an apocalypse time table.

There’s always living among the Mormons and their readiness with a year’s supply of food, but a sufficiently high percentage of Mormons might make for limited social integration for non-Mormons, before and after SHTF.

[5thGenTexan]

7. Don't be on the Doomsday Preppers show. (another version of #5)

[dagogo redux]

Well, at least we won’t be on anybody’s radar posting such things on FR.

[DuncanWaring]

...but a sufficiently high percentage of Mormons might make for limited social integration for non-Mormons,...

Spent eight years in Salt Lake City as a kid.

Roger that.

[RC2]

Add these to your list:

FIVE RULES TO RE MEMBER IN LIFE

1. Money can not buy happiness, but it’s more comfortable to cry in a Corvette than on a bicycle.

2. Forgive your enemy, but remember the ass-hole’s name.

3. If you help someone when they’re in trouble, they will remember you when they’re in trouble again.

4. Many people are alive only because it’s illegal to shoot them.

5. Alcohol does not solve any problems, but then neither does milk.

[ctdonath2]

NYT 1918: Navy Man Indicted for Food Hoarding

[Kartographer]

I myself have posted warning about those I call “I’ve got lots of guns and plenty of ammo and I’ll just take what I need.” and the “I don’t prep because I don’t believe anything is going to happen, but if it does preppers should share with me.” types.

Anyone reading these peoples post can easily pick-up the anger in many of them and you will see that it’s not just the Libs that are shocked and infuriated by preppers. Now some of the “I’ll take what I want crowd” when confronted will often back off saying things like “I was just joking”, but I don’t believe it. When I read their post I can’t help but think of this quote from one of my favorite westerns ’Open Range’: “Most times a man will tell you his bad intentions if you listen, let yourself hear.” I’ve ‘heard’ their intentions and they aren’t good.

The third type that I will warn about are those who wish to bring God’s Armageddon into the discussion as if they know that it will be God’s will should some catastrophe befall us. They claim this despite the fact that the history of man is full of direr times which were caused by nature or man himself. History has shown us all too well that men do not need God to help them muck things up to a point were their fellows cry out for God to end it all and relieve them of their misery.

There will be many in this ‘its God’s will’ crowd who will want to see you punished as they will see your prepping as you trying to dodging God’s punishment. This group along with the “I don’t prep, but you should share” group will be among the first to report you and your ‘hoarding’ to the powers that be in their efforts to make sure you too suffer just as they do. The first group because as I said they see you as trying to escape the rightful wrath of God (again I say as if they know the Lord’s mind) and the second because you proved them wrong.

You can be fairly certain that all three groups will hate you as they will be quick to blame you for the ‘troubles’ because in their twisted way of thinking your prepping brought the ‘troubles’ and therefore you need to be punished for your transgression.

As the article points out you need to keep in mind that OPSEC is not just for your Lib neighbors many people that you may think of as being conservative thinkers will be just as dangerous.

We have talked a lot about safety in numbers and that is so true, just remember that not all enemies sail under their true colors.

Beware these people, listen to their words carefully and “Listen, let yourself hear.” what they are saying.

Lastly I want to add this for 'The Sky is falling' crowd: Answer me a question if in the early 1930's I was to go to a group of successful and prosperous Germany Jews and told them where they be in 10 years what do you think the would make of my prediction?

Sometimes the sky does fall. Sometimes a little.
And somtimes the whole damned thing falls down on you.

[DuncanWaring]

Welcome to Prep Club. The first rule of Prep Club is: you do not talk about Prep Club.

[bgill]

Well, at least we won’t be on anybody’s radar posting such things on FR.

Yep, sure... That's what I've been thinking for a long while.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Damn now were all busted just for posting on this link oh well im gonna be a hoarder anyway just because im stingy and dont care if the government goes to hell as long as my family eats and i can still hit a target at 1000 feet from my window ill be happy and safe

Now what did i do with that railgun hmmmmmmm

[jagusafr]

Where’s “Be nice and have a plan to kill everyone you meet.”?

[DuncanWaring]

Ping.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Conversely by posting a bunch of prepper stuff to Twitter and Facebook, you can probably send Big Sis and her minions on a grand wild goose chase...

[Mich Patriot]

"I had a truck line driver in here delivering to me and he told about his previous stop. He delivered i/2 a trailerload of survival food to some folks in town. At least I know where to go!"

I hope that was sarcasm, but if not, then I advise you to wear kevlar when you go begging.

[Mich Patriot]

All great additions indeed.

[glorgau]

Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.

[Kartographer]

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Here is where I like to tell about my brother-in-law when he was a child back in WWII.

They had a ranch in West Texas, grew, canned and put up all their food for winter use on the ranch. One day someone squealed on them that they were “hoarding food” so the government raided their ranch and confiscated every bit of their stored food they found.

How did they get through the winter? They had another cellar with extra food way back in the hills no one knew about.

[Iron Munro]

NYT 1918: Navy Man Indicted for Food Hoarding

Interesting article - thanks for the link

Note that he was turned in to authorities by a "friend".

The man and his wife had a little less than $2,000 worth of food stored (hoarded?) in 1918.

That amount would equate to about $30,000 dollars in 2012.

Reference: US Inflation Calculator

I would say, they were preppers before prepping was cool!

[SwankyC]

Now some of the “I’ll take what I want crowd” when confronted will often back off saying things like “I was just joking”

And at least one of those dipshits (a cop no less) on this very board will call your wife a slut when you call them out on it.

[MrB]

This is what I’ve been advocating as well.

Don’t keep all your stuff (food, guns, ammo) in one place, and if the gov’t or some other thugs confiscate it from you, you still have your “backup” back in the hills.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Back in the late 1970s when survivalism really took off, I read in some survivalist magazine that some people had prepared their retreat and were fully stocked with food and guns.

One day they took another load to their retreat and found everything....GONE!

I began to look into survivalism back about 1960. At that time you could get military rifles cheap as no one wanted them. They wanted deer hunting rifles.

The movement did not take off till Mel Tappan started his GUNS AND AMMO articles in the mid 1970s, (Jimmy Carter Years) and semi-auto rifles became the RAGE! The prices skyrocketed.

Things leveled out till Y2K and 9-11. Now it is the rage again.

[PLMerite]

“Do you know what to do if you find a freshly killed deer/moose/cow/pig?”

If I find anything that looks like a deer/moose/cow/pig I’ll know I’m on the Island of Dr. Moreau and it’s time to get the heck out of there.

[Marcella]

I’m following Homeland Security suggestions to have water and food stored in case of an emergency, plus I can be affected by hurricanes so they want me to be safe.

Homeland Security is our friend - they tell me what to do and I do it. I do so love the government thinking of my welfare. /s/

[libertarian27]

Thanks, that article from 1918 was very interesting.

Federal grand juries and Food Administration! Wow!

[Kartographer]

"Do you know what to do if you find a freshly killed deer/moose/cow/pig?"

I take it to JRandomFreeper and spilit it with him! ;-)

[Hetty_Fauxvert]

Agree with all except #4. *I* need to be able to find our stuff in an emergency, when I’m rattled and full of adrenalin! LOL! And if I’m out of the pic and spouse needs to carry on without me, how’s he supposed to know what’s where without some labels?

The other is good advice, though. I would never discuss this stuff on FB or with outsiders who could actually find me. (I hope Freerepublic is anonymous enough to discuss this stuff! I hope.)

[The Duke]

We have a prepping group that meets here in Central FL each month that fits your description. I suggest you visit ‘meetup.com’ and do a search on the word ‘survival’ and/or ‘prepping’ - there may be a group in your area.

[Uncle Ike]

” there may be a group in your area. “

Keep in mind the hard-learned axiom of Resistance movements —

“In a group consisting of three persons, the odds are even that one of them is an informer...”

[Sarajevo]

2.Keep your prepping to yourself.

I have to take some exception to that. I am part of a small group that shares produce and canned goods. We often talk about prepping and look at each others strong points in case a need would arise.

[piroque]

And at least one of those dipshits (a cop no less) on this very board will call your wife a slut when you call them out on it.

More than one ,more like half a dozen or so, You can pick'm out by the way they back each other up . Almost like they're here monitoring whats being said on this site.

[bgill]

That’s your story and you’re sticking to it, right?

[Marcella]

Yes, I’m just a little old lady trying to follow directions from my concerned government. As soon as Hussein gets kicked out, I will revise my thinking - until then, I just love this government.

[tbw2]

Not necessarily a good idea given that DHS probably does the same thing.

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

Where is the /s ?

[Pollster1]

4.Make sure boxes are not labeled

I don't think it hurts to have 7-10 days of EMERGENCY FOOD clearly labeled. Opsec is difficult under stress, especially if there is a partial sense of normality and order. If word leaks out that you are hording food, and if Dear Leader's minions come after it, it's best to hand over your emergency food for sharing with those less fortunate. They'll search until they find it. If they find enough to be believable, they'll eventually stop looking and go harass someone else.

[dagogo redux]

I think such sarcasm works better when the reader has to figure it out for themselves. :)

If some half wit misunderstands me, it wouldn’t be the first time, nor would I care. :)

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I wish it was possible to find a prepping community/village/what-have-you, that didn’t subscribe to any particular ideology other than prepping, that is, not white supremacists, or a religious group with an apocalypse time table.

It is.

I don't recall the name of the website but I found it in an article on SurvivalBlog.com. It is an ad board of sorts where groups like these advertise for people to join their efforts in creating a redoubt for when things get 'weird'. You must bring skills to the table and be willing to engage in reasonable commerce with other inhabitants but it sounds kind of interesting.

I wish I could remember the name but if you look, you shall find.