Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Preppers: What will happen long after the S has HTF?

Posted on 10/19/2012 10:08:13 PM PDT by Feline_AIDS

Preppers,

I'm new to this prepping thing, and I have some questions.

I don't know exactly what you're all prepping for, because I know there are different concerns in different parts of the country. Californians, for example, are more concerned about the big one than I am on the east coast. I'm more concerned about an EMP than people in Wyoming, probably.

But what about when the SHTF? I'm assuming by SHTF everyone means economic and thus governmental collapse. Is that right? No more USA?

I have some questions that are ignorant and simple, but I was born that way, so bear with me.

Even when the SHTF, the government of the United States will persist, simply because the government is the original prepper. Mt. Weather facility and all that. So what we really mean by "governmental collapse" is extreme lawlessness and no new goods or resources. Plus government non-intervention. The government may exist, but that doesn't change the fact that hungry/thirsty/angry people will be fighting for resources. When the SHTF, Americans will have to be self-reliant without any support from any public utility or service. Many, many people will die. Many more will be desperate and act in ways they'd never imagine before they die.

How long do you all expect this state of things to last? If all public utilities in the US were permanently shut off, wouldn't it only be a matter of weeks before the great die-off happened? Dehydration would get most of them, then the rapid spread of waterborne illnesses would get lots of those left. Gangs would form and survive longer through unpleasant means. When will the well-prepped prepper stick his head out of his hidey-hole?

Because the government will persist in some capacity, it's reasonable to expect they'd eventually try to straighten things out. Maybe I'm crazy for thinking that, and I don't mean that the correct response to disaster is to sit and wait for Uncle Sam to carry us out on his shoulders. What I mean is that I don't see how the SHTF situation would last more than 6 months, max. A new, smaller society would form and rebuild, most likely without the tech we have today because the industries that support that tech would be gone.

I guess I'm just trying to reconcile two things in my brain. 1) The US government will be present in some form not too long after the catastrophe. Less than a year. Not in its ubiquitous wannabe-omnipotent present state, but it would return. This doesn't mean safety or salvation, but it probably does mean cooperation. Possibly the return of some order. And some society would develop that is fueled by the self-reliance of the remaining people. 2) Most preppers seem to be expecting a lifetime of bushcraft.

Parting thought: If Obama wins reelection, I will take prepping much more seriously in the next few weeks/months. If he doesn't, I will continue to prep for more localized catastrophes.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; History; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: bugout; economiccollapse; preppers; shtf; vanity; zombies
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-180 next last
To: Feline_AIDS

Prep to live and do not live to prep.


21 posted on 10/20/2012 12:53:26 AM PDT by PA Engineer (Liberate America from the Occupation Media.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AlexW

Did I ever mention I was living my life vicariously through you ?

Good to see you posting :)


22 posted on 10/20/2012 12:59:03 AM PDT by onona (If it is to be, it begins with me.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: AmericanSamurai
I’m fully prepped. I have Jesus Christ.

Well, "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!"

Regards,

23 posted on 10/20/2012 1:05:30 AM PDT by alexander_busek (Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Born to Conserve
"If your neighbor breaks in to your house to steal your food for his children, will you shoot him?"

If I have to, because he's taking food from my children.
24 posted on 10/20/2012 2:20:38 AM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: appalachian_dweller; OldPossum; DuncanWaring; VirginiaMom; CodeToad; goosie; kalee; ...

Preppers’ PING!!


25 posted on 10/20/2012 2:21:58 AM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Winstons Julia

You can have all the bullets I have.


26 posted on 10/20/2012 2:22:28 AM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: AmericanSamurai
I’m fully prepped. I have Jesus Christ.

For such a time as this . . . http://patburt.com/

27 posted on 10/20/2012 2:23:38 AM PDT by Maudeen (Proverbs 3:5-6)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Born to Conserve; JRandomFreeper
"Do you have internet access?"

Here's your sign.
28 posted on 10/20/2012 2:24:40 AM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: AmericanSamurai
As do I, but I also choose to obey the word:

But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8
29 posted on 10/20/2012 2:29:24 AM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Feline_AIDS

Read about the Holy Roman Empire.

Hint: It wasn’t Holy, wasn’t Roman, and wasn’t an Empire.

The currency was lies.

Hundreds of small fiefdoms developed over time—some good, some not so good.

The rules were—there were no rules.

and—everyone who survived lived one day at a time.


30 posted on 10/20/2012 2:33:19 AM PDT by cgbg (No bailouts for New York and California. Let them eat debt.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Maudeen

I’m fully prepped. I have Jesus Christ.

For such a time as this . . . http://patburt.com/


31 posted on 10/20/2012 2:33:40 AM PDT by Maudeen (Proverbs 3:5-6)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: onona

“Did I ever mention I was living my life vicariously through you ?”
________________________________

Gosh, onona...should I feel honored? hahaha
You know, some years back, before Obumbo was anointed, there were a few “dog in a manger” FReepers that took delight in castigating me, calling me a traitor for becoming an Expat.

They pretty much shut up when I reminded them that America was founded by EXPATS.

I still have great love for America as it was founded.
My great, great, great uncle was the Uncle Sam, Samuel Wilson, Troy NY, war of 1812.


32 posted on 10/20/2012 2:41:20 AM PDT by AlexW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Winstons Julia

You should come extremely well armed as I am, and I am looking forward to meeting you (tongue in cheek!)


33 posted on 10/20/2012 3:19:56 AM PDT by richardtavor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Winstons Julia
"I’m not putting down preppers. In fact, we know where you are and we will be coming to your place with the useful items we have."

The trouble with conservatives that say things like this, they are showing that at heart they are no different then our liberal friends, they want what we worked and paid for, for free.
34 posted on 10/20/2012 3:32:07 AM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Feline_AIDS

This is all under the assumption that the gov remains “our friend’. if o is relected i imagine them becoming hostile. In socialist countries people are stripped of every means we americans have today. preppers will be the only ones not at the mercy of the gov.. they will become public enemy.number 1.


35 posted on 10/20/2012 3:35:49 AM PDT by Donnafrflorida (Thru HIM all things are possible.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nailbiter

bflr


36 posted on 10/20/2012 3:47:52 AM PDT by Nailbiter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GeronL
We haver a 40' x 20' 15ft underground unit on the Farm.

http://www.atlassurvivalshelters.com/aboutus/nbc/backyard/

This is add'l basement storage area w/ entrance door to shelter unit, below foundation, out of view.


37 posted on 10/20/2012 3:55:22 AM PDT by Carriage Hill (The 0bummer Penguin: I played this country like a harp from hell.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Kartographer

If you look through the post on this thread you will find examples of the three types of people that I warn many of you about, two are the “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.”

Call many of these people on their post and many will backdown or just not respond in their embarrassment, but many will reply back in righteous anger the same anger that you get from most Libs who are shocked and infuriated by preppers not putting sharing to the forefront. Even though many of us do, just we don’t to the point of endangering our own families.

Now as I said some 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 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. Some of these I like to ask: “Do you wear a seatbelt when you drive or ride in a car? Do you have car insurance?” And if they reply yes then I tell them their faith must not be as strong as they claim.

The real problem with the ‘its God’s will’ crowd who will be that many 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 (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


38 posted on 10/20/2012 3:56:16 AM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Kartographer

You are an intelligent, thoughtful person. I agree entirely, with this one word. There is a moment. Just one. A moment where they “Law Enforcement” types that would try to impose order on chaos aren’t strong enough yet to “take” and “share” that an organized community can resist them. That moment HAS to be anticipated, prepared for, and responded to vigorously. It is a long shot, but about the only one. If a group of folks can “thread the needle” they could potentially form the nucleus of a rapidly expanding “crystal” of folks who would insist on reinstating The FOunder’s intention. It could work.


39 posted on 10/20/2012 4:26:33 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: Born to Conserve
If your neighbor breaks in to your house to steal your food for his children, will you shoot him?

What other option is there? Nobody will take what I have by force.
40 posted on 10/20/2012 4:35:49 AM PDT by Red in Blue PA (Read SCOTUS Castle Rock vs Gonzales before dialing 911!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 161-180 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson