"CHANGE IS NOT PREVENTABLE BUT WHETHER THE CHANGES LEAD TO AN APOCALYPSE OR A GOLDEN AGE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF INFORMED, PREPARED AND ACTION ORIENTED PEOPLE"
INTRODUCTION
As survivalists we are often preoccupied with the negative threats in our world and overlook the positive opportunities. It is important to understand that survivalism is not some form of reactionary dogma born of prejudice and paranoia. True survivalism is based on the concept that all responsible people have a right and an obligation to improve their level of preparedness, self-reliance and freedom.Survivalists should not think of themselves as defenders of some past ideals, they must see themselves as leaders with a vision of a safer and freer world. These articles are presented as a means of developing that vision.
CHANGE, REVOLUTION AND SURVIVALISM
Change is the root of all progress and hazard. Change can be as rapid as the detonation of a bomb or as slow as the erosion of personal liberties. Change is primarily the result of technological progress and human nature and requires no advocates or great conspiracies to promote it. That "things" will never be as they are now or have been in the past; is an absolute certainty. Those who think that they can survive by resisting change or going back to the way things were before, are in fact assuring there demise. The American Indians and more recently Communism are examples of people and societies that fell not because of their enemies, but because the world changed and they could not. Our social, political, technological, environment will continue to change at an ever accelerating rate generating increased challenges to life and freedom for every man woman and child. The future will belong to those who learn, adapt and foresee and use these changes most effectively. We should not be trying to recapture the limited liberties and safety that our ancestors had; we should be using changes to expand personal freedom and self-reliance concepts beyond those of the past. In short, we should not be defending liberty and self-reliance; we should be making others defend authoritarianism and dependency. The reason that survivalism was attacked so viciously in the 80s was because it was and is revolutionary. I do not mean that we were or are organizing an armed insurrection, but that it was perceived (consciously or unconsciously) as a threat to the established idea that all sustenance and security must emanate from a large central entity. The whole idea that people individually and in voluntary groups might repair themselves for a nuclear holocaust* was alarming because if the public got the idea of preparing themselves to survive a huge disaster on their own they might start to realize they did not need to be dependent and submissive in other situation. This is the same reason gun ownership is attacked so viciously. Gun ownership implies the ability to defend ones self and ones freedom independently and is in fact the most primary expression of personal independence. Since change is inevitable we must be able to use change as individuals and as a movement, we should be the master's of change and the guides to new visions.
The Future Isn't What It Used To Be, But Were You Will Spend The Rest Of Your Life.
*The major focus of survivalism was never nuclear war; it has always been general preparedness and self-sufficiency.
ACTION NOT REACTION
As a person and as a group, avoid being herded into the reactive mode by panic peddlers and fear mongers. There are many publications, speakers and groups that constantly rave of great conspiracies, impending invasions and the coming doom. They sell hate and fear and panic all three of which are negative and destructive ideas. These dooms day drummers spend 99 % of there time getting people worried about real and not so real dangers and little or no time on what people can do about it. While there is nothing wrong with awareness, a fixation on the negative is destructive to our cause.Constantly worrying about what the UN or your local government or some other group will do next means you will always be reacting and that you have surrendered the initiative. Avoid these influences, have your own vision, set your own goals, decide were you want to be in terms of being more free and independent, find ways to do it and then let others react to you. Believe that the natural direction of history is towards more freedom and self—reliance and must only march to win.
A Successful Defense Lets You Stay Were You Are But A Successful Offense Lets You Get Where You Want To Be.
HOW TO WIN
The great Chinese military strategist Sun-Tzu stated that "A Victorious Army First Wins and Then Seeks Battle; A Defeated Army First Battles and Then Seeks Victory. " This is a good dictum to remember because it is an important part of good survival strategy. A superficial study of history gives the impression of battles (military, social, political, economic) being fought and won by heroic actions and momentary engagements, but in fact virtually all struggles are won before they are even perceived to have begun by reconnaissance, preparation, planning, maneuver and determination. The battles for life and freedom will be won by all of us who sustain our ideas and carry on a great variety of activities (e.g. speaking, publishing, organizing, learning, teaching, planning) to support our vision of change. The time will come and when it does we must make sure the issue is already decided in our favor.
ORGANIZATTON VS ISOLATION IN SURVIVAL TACTICS
It was said during the American Revolution that "If we don't hang together we will surely hang separately". One argument says that "there is safety in numbers" while on the other hand we hear that "paranoia is just good thinking". If you are only preparing for limited short term emergencies such as storms, fires, floods, etc., an individual or family program will probably be adequate, however if you anticipate having to survive a large scale, long duration disaster such as war, revolution, economic collapse, evolving dictatorship or other similar situation, you are going to need help. Unfortunately those who prepare for what might be called social/political disasters tend to be regarded with suspicion and outright hostility by the communications media and by the authorities. The fact is that in large scale social/political disasters the governments primary activities will be directed toward protecting government officials and maintaining the authority of the state and the life and freedom of individual citizens will be of low priority indeed. Those who have the will and the capacity to protect their own lives and stay free are often seen as a potential threat to be harassed and persecuted. This sad situation has made many survivalists afraid to even talk to friends about survival preparation, much less organize a group. While there is some justification for this covert mentality it substantially reduces their survival chances and only helps guarantee some of the disasters they are seeking to avoid. When you are afraid to express your views to anyone, when you can't get together for a common interest, when your only plan is to hide in a hole, then the game is over because you are already in your own prison and you surely will not survive long. While I am not saying that you should put a "Survivalist On Board" bumper sticker on your car, I am saying that in most cases the risks of trying to survive alone outweigh the risks of selective recruitment and responsible organizing. To simplify things we can divide survivalists into three levels:
LEVEL ONE
Level One is for those whose preparations are only for those "UNDENIABLE" (socially acceptable) disasters, such as fires, storms, floods, etc. While you don't need to involve others to handle these emergencies, it is precisely the point at which you can get others involved without any fear of being criticized and without the government regarding you as a potential problem.It is often forgotten that the "basic" level is where all total survival/self-reliance advocates started and if there is any hope of expanding the ranks of our movement we must focus on this level of preparedness at the neighborhood level.
LEVEL TWO
Level Two is for those whose preparedness is for the "UNTHINKABLE" catastrophes such as nuclear war or world wide natural calamities. Obviously a well organized group or even better a community preparation is necessary to meet this kind of threat. Unfortunately most people don't want to hear about the possibility of such events* much less prepare for the, but some will.
*This blindness to a large potential disaster is called "The Titanic Syndrome".
LEVEL THREE
Level Three is for those whose preparedness is directed towards socially and politically "UNPOPULAR" scenarios like economic collapse, revolution or the development of a dictatorial state. You must have the help of others to have any hope of successfully surviving and resisting such developments. Often government agencies (local and national) regard those preparing for these situations as a threat to their authority or a source of future problems. While organizing is necessary, it must be discreet and responsible. Survival preparation for the "UNPOPULAR" scenarios must be kept separated from political activities that may draw attention you don't want.
At Level One there is no reason not to organize and it's the best place to recruit from the public while at Levels Two and Three; organization is absolutely necessary for long term success. In the final analysis the preservation of life and freedom for one is best achieved by preserving life and freedom for all. Talk to those who will listen. Teach those who seek to learn. Help those who will help themselves. Spread the concept of preparedness, self-reliance, self-defense and individual freedom and you are helping to insure your own survival and that of your children.
THE BROTHERHOOD OF FREEDOM
It is the founding principal of this nation (The United States) and a manifestation of common sense that each and every man and woman on the earth be judged only by their actions as individuals. A person is not automatically your brother because he is white or black or red or a citizen of your country. To determine who is your brother by such arbitrary standards will always lead to corruption and disaster.You brother (or sister) in truth is anyone who by word and deed supports self-reliance and the expansion of individual liberty for while opposing dependency, regulation, taxation and tyranny.A universal world brotherhood of freedom is the only force that can prevent the evolution of a world totalitarian system.
THE MILITIA BY ANY NAME FREEDOM BY ANY MEANS
The second amendment to the United States Constitution states that "a well regulated militia being necessary to a free state the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" and there are many fine volumes dedicated to the interpretation of this amendment and the determination of who and what the "militia" is or is not. I will not waste time here on such interpretations. If in fact the second amendment was never written, the right of human beings to possess effective and modern means by which to defend their lives and their freedom, would still exist and the obligation of the people to organize and fight for their life liberty and property would be no less real. Historically the armed population, by whatever name, has been and will always be the only guarantee of human liberty. The right to be armed is not a granted privilege; it is a basic human right that exists regardless of laws. Actions that have the effect of disarming the people are human rights violations and should be considered international crimes. The people are and always will be the militia regardless of whether it is recognized or not. This is a reality as real as the earth itself. All of the people of the world are the militia and all of them have the natural human right to be armed if they chose and to act in defense of their life and their freedom. There exists no possible conflict between this concept and the existence of any limited and responsible government in any nation. When a government seeks to disarm its people and deny the peoples status as militia, the motives can only be to deprive the people of life, liberty and property (regulation, taxation, etc.) without their consent and support. The Survivalist by the very act of preparing to protect life and freedom, which always necessitates some form of arms, is in fact simply fulfilling his or her obligation as a member of the national and world militia.
LIFE AND DEATH FREEDOM AND TYRANNY, THE ETERNAL WORLD WIDE STRUGGLE
To paraphrase Charles Dickens, "Nationalism was dead to begin with". Like it or not the old concept of isolation and nationalism is dead. It did not die from any great conspiracy or world war; it died as all concepts do from exposure to technological changes. High speed transportation, the information superhighway, satellite TV and world trade have simply overwhelmed all the borders and out paced the big slow centralized governmental systems. The Soviet Union being the most ridged and inflexible state was literally shattered by these changes while other nations struggle to adjust and adapt.In all parts of the world, power is shifting away from the large centralized national governments down to smaller and smaller (state, county, town) units which better and more economically meet the needs of citizens. A huge global business and communication network is rapidly replacing the old structures and systems. Political, social and economic systems designed for the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries will not be able to protect life, liberty and property in the twenty-first century.If we are to see the preservation and expansion of our freedoms, our properties and our values in the next century, then we must stop defending the old ways and start finding and defining the new ways.While the battle for life and freedom has always been an international struggle it has in the past been possible to win or lose within national borders, this is no longer possible. All the threats to our future as free and prosperous people are on an international scale and can not be defended against by narrow nationalistic, fortress tactics. Survivalists (life and freedom advocates) in Urban America, the South American Jungle, the fields of Europe and the Steps of Russia, must be brothers in spirit fighting in a million ways to secure and enrich life and freedom on a world scale. If survivalists (by whatever name) do not aggressively build their common ground, there ideas and hopes will surely find a common grave.
NOTE: Nothing above is to detract from the positive aspects of pride in what a nation and its people have accomplished together or diminish the value of cultural diversity. The author is very proud to be an American and is a student of American history. While you can learn from looking back you must lead by looking forward.
SOCIAL POLITICAL ACTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PREVENTIVE ACTION PLANNING
For those threats to life and freedom that are the result of governmental action (e.g. gun confiscation, socialized medicine, violation of human rights), political action can be considered as a possible preventive measure. The success rate for political action on behalf of life and freedom issues has been on the decline for decades, but modern technology such as video tape, fax machines, and computer networks are beginning to outrun government's ability to control and manipulate the public. One must carefully evaluate the chances of success weighed against the cost, time and compromise of security required for political activities. Unfortunately participation in highly visible political groups, demonstrations and petition drives entails some risk. This is not to imply that political activities are not worth that risk, after all the freedoms that we (in the United States) had were the result of patriotic political action that lead to a revolution. If you do decide to get involved in political action you should still have a survival action plan, survival skills and survival equipment to fall back on. In fact, solid survival preparations should precede any political action program since they will permit more confident and flexible political action. If political action fails or attracts violent reaction, you will be glad you have an escape and survival system in place. Your political action motto should be "Freedom through Victory, Victory through Strength and Strength through Preparedness".
There are three ways to prevent being a victim of adversity and calamity:
1.DON'T BE THERE when it happens. Change your location or time you are there. For example, avoid crime by moving from a high crime area or avoid bad weather by not traveling to India during the monsoon season.
2. BE ABLE TO SURVIVE the event through preparation. For example, weapons to stop crime or supplies to ride out hard times.
3.STOP IT FROM HAPPENING to you. For example, home fire prevention, protecting your health or taking political actions may prevent, delay or reduce the effects of anticipated threats to life and freedom.
RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS DIVISION, A TOOL 0F TYRANNY, A PRESCRIPTION FOR CATASTROPHE
All those who advocate racial and religious conflict are the unwitting supporters of tyranny for all.Racial, religious and ethnic conflicts always have and always will work to endanger survival and liberty for all. The ultimate nightmare of those who want to control your life and take your freedom is that all of the races, religions and nationalities would stop fighting and distrusting each other and unite to improve life and expand freedom for all. Those who take responsibility for their own well being, who respect their neighbors rights and property and who will defend their own freedom and that of their neighbors are indeed brother survivalists who earn the title through deeds and spirit not through accident of birth. We must always focus on the qualities of the individual and the goal of greater freedoms and not be diverted and corrupted by hate that will destroy us.
