Originally published at Notes from the bunker…. You can comment here or there.
Theres two thoughts about 'survival' that used to be dominant, although one has mostly fallen from favor.
One idea was that it was best to be highly mobile, not being tied down to any one location. Without a static supply depot you'd be less likely to die defending it. You could evade the hordes. Think 'Mad Max'.
The contrary idea was hunker in your bunker. Heavily fortified and ready to repel looters at a moments notice. Think 'Dawn of the Dead'.
The first lifestyle has generally given way to the idea of low-profile, well-stocked, heavily-fortified, savagely-defended homes/retreats. Im in that particular camp. 'Never, ever become a refugee' is the cry of several authoers in the field (Benson, Long, etc, etc.) To this, I agree… once you become a refugee you have dropped to the bottom of the totem pole. You are vulnerable, lost and at the mercy of all, good (the people giving you handouts) and the bad (those wanting to take them away). To wit:
These are not 'victims', these are not 'innocents', these are not 'unfortunates' – these are refugees. At the Superdome, if you want to enter the facility and try to weather the weather you are searched for weapons, drugs, etc. and you are told to bring your own food/water/bedding. Lets think about this….
Theres a hurricane bearing down on your position. For some unfathomable reason you ignored the three days or so of notice to get the hell out of dodge and then, at the 11th hour, decide 'eh, I'll go to the Dome'. Unless you feel youre capable of carry a 5-gallon jug of water, a sleeping bag, clothes, toiletries, food and entertainment for each person in your party on your back, youre probably going to show up with nothing….and then the National Guardsmen are going to toss all your gear looking for drugs. Good luck convincing them that prescription heart medicine isnt ecstasy. Once inside the facility youre now at the mercy of any group larger than yours…much like prison. The toilets? They'll be out of commission in a few days…toilet paper will be gone in a few hours. Potable water? Maybe…get in line at the drinking fountains intil the water pressure dies due to pump failures. Food? Im sure the Red Cross will be handing out cookies, juice boxes and the like. Sleep? If you can sleep in a chair with all your belongings that you brought safeguarded from your strange neighbors. Im curious to know if theyre letting people OUT of the Superdome. “Uhm, I'll just be heading home thanks…make myself some dinner and chang clothes. Thanks for everything.” “Sir, we cant let you leave. For your own safety, we are not allowing anyone to leave the Superdome until [insert local government authority here] says we can. Please return to your seat.”
Ever been stuck on a runway in a plane that couldnt take off and had to sit on the tarmac for a few hours? Well, thats what this is going to be like.
These people had a choice….they had days of warning. They ignored it. Dont say 'they couldnt leave because theyre poor/black/didnt have cars/were misinformed/etc'. Any person with a television, radio or a freakin' newspaper could have learned that it was going to be a killer hurricane three days ago and either called Cousin Billy to come get them, paid $40 for a bus ticket, gotten on a freakin' bicycle and gotten out of the impact areas.
My sympathies, such as they are, are going to be with those who stayed with their homes or left town and came back later… at least by doing one of those things they made a decision and did something.
