WASHINGTON – “The zombies are coming!” the Homeland Security Department says.
You know, I first posted about this about four years ago how zombies were becoming the metaphor for preparing against the end of the world. When you you push that cart with six cases of canned tuna through the checkout at CostCo and folks give you that weird look you somehow get more miles out of replying with “I’m preparing for the zombie apocalypse” rather than “Im preparing for the eventual economic collapse of this country”. Strange but true…it’s more acceptable to prepare for the zombies than it is for the ‘real’ disasters.
Additionally, I don’t think .gov is really thinking this through. If a person isn’t motivated to prepare for the real threats that are out there what makes .gov think that they’ll prepare for the imaginary threats? Do they really think that the folks in New Orleans who can’t be bothered to prepare for hurricanes will bother to prepare for zombies?
If .gov really wants folks to prepare then , by Crom, let them show some real willingness to help….open up the military bases to allow civillians to purchase surplus clothes and gear at rock bottom prices, donate unused military bases to state governments as emergency command centers, promote tax-free purchases on survival related gear, etc, etc, etc. Tell you what, man…if I were president (or even governor of my happy little state) I’d be all over that stuff….
The main real zombie prep I can’t get here in Minnesota would be a suppressor. But we all know that the govt. won’t make it any easier to get those.
But as far as realistic (or semi-realistic) scenarios most people won’t believe it until they are stuck in the middle of one for a while. And even if they make it out they’re not likely to do anything to save themselves if it happens again. For examples just look at the people who live in hurricane country who don’t have stuff on hand or the people who commute in the northern tier states who don’t think they need winter survival gear in their vehicle.
Steelheart
Suppresors definitely have some useful applications. The missus has one for her G19 and I need to pick up a threaded barrel for the Uzi so it can be used on that. What I’d really like is an SBR 10/22 with a side folder stock, short barrel, suppressor, and dot optic.
“if I were president (or even governor of my happy little state) I’d be all over that stuff….”
That is why you cannot be a politician. Can’t give the impression “they” might not need you. Might give them “ideas”. Can’t have that now.
And what will every self-respecting post apocalyptic warrior need to protect his kith and kin when the Zombie hordes come a knocking? Weapons, my friend; good old brain splattering, weapons. It looks like the folks in Congress will soon be passing/abolishing laws in support of the arming of its citizens. Once again, we’re reminded to look at what “They” do, not what they say.
Va. has a tax holiday for hurricane prep items. the Brach commission offered many decommissioned military bases to local authorities. many didn’t take them due to possible hazardous waste and/or upkeep costs. some did, and are now “fema camps”. my state took over one base and returned a large part of it to local use, then made the rest the HQ for the NG. theres still a huge amount of national and international military and police training going on there…..that said, the gov should get out of the nanny business and stop subsidizing developement in disaster prone areas like N.O. , the outerbanks, the gulf, etc. you build there, you pay the repair bill. one town here got flooded, fema told them move the whole town or they won’t pay any more. sounds good for everybody to me…..i quit talking to folks about prepping. those that will,already are. the rest, well maybe thats natures way of culling the gene pool. hard but true.
What sucks is that many people will probably use it as a reason to buy more guns and ammo instead of a good quality sleeping bag, tent, a months worth of long term food storage, alternative form of cooking the food or even for pete’s sake a extra pair of glasses especially if you need them to see more than a couple of yards in front of you. The whole “prepping movement” is turning into a colossal joke especially on youtube with the guns and ammo preppers leading the charge. Sure this is a rant, but seriously many of those fools will be dead by the end of the week with their visions of becoming the leader of their neighborhood/town/city with all the guns they have stored. Don’t even get me started on the so called “preppers” who a) are only out to make some quick cash, b) ebeg to have others buy stuff for them or c) have their most excellent 80lb backpack sitting all nice and neat in a corner that has never been used but they don’t even have a BOB for their significant other or even their kids – but damnit, they’ve got four AR15′s, two AKs, a dozen various caliber handguns and a wall full of ammo cans. This isn’t my first rodeo either, I just turned 30 at the Y2k craziness & seeing the same thing occurring now.
Jason,
I totally agree. There is a fair amount of foolishness in the prepper community on the net, YouTube in particular. There are only a few that I find credible–maineprepper being one of them (btw, everyone should see his video on “preppers will die in a WROL”). Excellent stuff.
Jason, you have to remember that critical thinking is no longer being taught in gov schools (even most college level programs). It’s all about the “feelings”. Just remember Darwin is a bitch but necessary in a natural world.