As that standoff in Alabama was unfolding, I found myself wondering just how long that particular delusional nutcase was going to manage to avoid getting shot by the cops. Answer: five days, and only because he had a kindergarten student in the bunker with him.
You know, I can understand and empathize a bit with the survivalists who hoard weapons, ammo, and canned goods because they fear a breakdown of society. The idea of having a safe place to hunker down quietly and wait for the looters to all shoot each other makes a certain kind of sense. I personally doubt we're likely to experience a Mad Max/zombie apocalypse dystopia anytime in my lifetime, but preparing for one isn't totally nuts. If nothing else, if there's a major infrastructure failure, e.g., no electricity for several weeks, you're not going to be totally flummoxed.
On the other hand . . . the rationale I've been hearing over and over from various gun nuts is that individuals have to be prepared to stand up to a tyrannical government. Well, good luck with that one. From what I've seen, the people who shout the loudest about the need to stand up to tyranny are the ones who'd have zero luck doing it, especially when their idea of tyranny too often consists of being asked to pay property taxes or abide by local zoning laws. They'll invoke the American Revolution and compare themselves to the Founding Fathers while totally ignoring the fact the American Revolution was the result of a lot of people cooperating with each other. The typical bunker-building gun nut doesn't seem to be able to get along with anyone, probably because the same paranoia that inspires bunker building renders the gun nut incapable of doing effective networking. If you don't trust anyone, usually all it takes is for your little group of "patriots" to exceed the passenger capacity of a Kia Rio and the group starts splintering.
In any case, given the long history of various individuals and groups that have engaged in stand-offs of various types with the government, whether it was local law enforcement, state police, the FBI, or ATF, can anyone recall any incident where the end result was anything other than the bunker-building gun nut being hauled away in a body bag or handcuffs?
I don't think the government is out to get me more than anyone else. I just think it's a fucked up world and we should be ready for anything that comes at us.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm damn sure not interested in taking any hostages and fucking having to babysit them.
It is all part of the grand delusion.
ReplyDeleteThe folks with the guns are more likely to support the kind of government that needs force to over throw it. Like the one you have now, for example.
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