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defending your land in bad times?
- Thread starter psy-ops
- Start date
Bill Siegle
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2000
- Messages
- 6,972
It would be tough but doable. I would think it would require friends though. Can't be home/awake 24/7 by yourself. A neighborhood watch with more "hands on" problem solving(as opposed to calling 911 if it is down) would work best in a perfect world. However, you may just be defending yourself from the neighbors too
Before bad things happen one should get to know all your resources so you can better predict who is an asset and who shouldn't be around. When Y2K was in the air a lot of people talked about heading to the hills. I figured stay home. My house is far more protective than any tent(especially in January). If a mob was moving in and I had no help though, I'd let em have it. Then I would leave and let em have it
In a total SHTF situation I would shoot now scavenge later.
Before bad things happen one should get to know all your resources so you can better predict who is an asset and who shouldn't be around. When Y2K was in the air a lot of people talked about heading to the hills. I figured stay home. My house is far more protective than any tent(especially in January). If a mob was moving in and I had no help though, I'd let em have it. Then I would leave and let em have itIn a total SHTF situation I would shoot now scavenge later.
- Joined
- May 2, 2002
- Messages
- 407
the situation as Bill pointed out.
1. What does 'my land' constitute?
In my case, I live on a 50'x100' lot in the middle of a small single family home community. So I would consider my land to be the town border first, my block second, and my yard\home third. I would consider a group of individuals with a common goal of protecting the community would be the best route to take. Form a defensive perimeter (adjusted to protect the highest number of townsfolk feasible)and set up a watch rotation or schedule coordinated with local police and if applicable National Guardsmen. In the event of a community 'attack' a location such as a school would be the safest and easiest place to send the 'women and children'. Schools usually offer decent brick and mortar protection as well as being reasonably fire resistant structures. Many schools have seperate wells and power plants to maintain basic services at least for a short time. They also have the advantage of good roof positions from which to set up lookouts. As far as defending one's home-my fear is that a typical residential structure is far too easy to set fire to, and if you had no easy way of escape could prove fatal to you and your family. A house like mine sits too close to other homes, and limits my ability to see and assess threats until they would be too close for comfort.
2. Who am I defending against?
Herein lies the crux of the matter: What is the perceived or actual threat? Is it a group of 3 or 4? Is it a roving band (20+) of starving people coming in from outside the community armed with torches and pitchforks, or a foreign govt. special forces team? What exactly do these invaders want? These are the questions\conditions that are most important to your question, I believe. Each one would call for a very different response.
3. Am I or my family specifically targeted for my beliefs or associations? This is the most difficult type of scenario, as it would take a predetermined 'flight or fight' plan to judge what my response is going to be. Am I ready to fight to the death (of myself and\or my wife and children)for this belief? This is not as easy as it sounds...
Not pleasant to consider no-matter what the situation is, but I fear necessary to consider in light of current conditions in todays world.
Mongrel
1. What does 'my land' constitute?
In my case, I live on a 50'x100' lot in the middle of a small single family home community. So I would consider my land to be the town border first, my block second, and my yard\home third. I would consider a group of individuals with a common goal of protecting the community would be the best route to take. Form a defensive perimeter (adjusted to protect the highest number of townsfolk feasible)and set up a watch rotation or schedule coordinated with local police and if applicable National Guardsmen. In the event of a community 'attack' a location such as a school would be the safest and easiest place to send the 'women and children'. Schools usually offer decent brick and mortar protection as well as being reasonably fire resistant structures. Many schools have seperate wells and power plants to maintain basic services at least for a short time. They also have the advantage of good roof positions from which to set up lookouts. As far as defending one's home-my fear is that a typical residential structure is far too easy to set fire to, and if you had no easy way of escape could prove fatal to you and your family. A house like mine sits too close to other homes, and limits my ability to see and assess threats until they would be too close for comfort.
2. Who am I defending against?
Herein lies the crux of the matter: What is the perceived or actual threat? Is it a group of 3 or 4? Is it a roving band (20+) of starving people coming in from outside the community armed with torches and pitchforks, or a foreign govt. special forces team? What exactly do these invaders want? These are the questions\conditions that are most important to your question, I believe. Each one would call for a very different response.
3. Am I or my family specifically targeted for my beliefs or associations? This is the most difficult type of scenario, as it would take a predetermined 'flight or fight' plan to judge what my response is going to be. Am I ready to fight to the death (of myself and\or my wife and children)for this belief? This is not as easy as it sounds...
Not pleasant to consider no-matter what the situation is, but I fear necessary to consider in light of current conditions in todays world.
Mongrel
not2sharp
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 1999
- Messages
- 20,874
I think I saw the movie. But, you would get pretty low odds from me. You have an opponent that is greater in numbers, probably greater in firepower, experienced at carrying out these kinds of raids, doesn't care about your property or family, and they have the initiative on their side. The first time you will know they are around is when they put a bullet in you as you are out getting a pail of water; or, just after they capture part of your family.
The only way you are going to make it is to support your community and your country. Your chances of homesteading alone are about zero.
n2s
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2001
- Messages
- 1,247
I agree with n2s about surviving alone if you're in a community. Before Y2K I worked as a community coordinator working with neighborhoods in conjunction with the local and state police, recommending radio information, security, stocking up, etc.
If you're in a rural area a good idea is to appear NOT to be there so that someone doesn't think you have something to take. Especially smoke from chimney's, the smell of cooking food, etc. Then surprise them when they try to come invade. If you're off the beaten track enough then maybe they just won't find you.
To take care of raiders you need to be more than just one person or more than just a small family - this is when there's safety in numbers but it's something that needs to be planned now, in advance. You can't wait till the SHTF to try to work out security.
If you're in a rural area a good idea is to appear NOT to be there so that someone doesn't think you have something to take. Especially smoke from chimney's, the smell of cooking food, etc. Then surprise them when they try to come invade. If you're off the beaten track enough then maybe they just won't find you.
To take care of raiders you need to be more than just one person or more than just a small family - this is when there's safety in numbers but it's something that needs to be planned now, in advance. You can't wait till the SHTF to try to work out security.
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2001
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- 848
Yes - I live on a small island, and am on great terms with my neighbors. We are already organized to cooperate when dealing with fires, storms, medical emergencies, and such. Dealing with a few folks wandering over from the mainland shouldn't be a big problem.
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2000
- Messages
- 1,058
You have to have enough people to adequately defend a piece of land or even a single house. One or two people aren't enough to do all the work that is required around a house and still provide adequate, around the clock defense. Bae's situation is ideal because he's part of a small, easily defendable community where most of the neighbors are of like mind. In such a situation, there are many poeple to share the security duties and still accomplish the many day to day tasks of living. I think you'd have trouble doing a serious defense with less than 8 or 10 able bodied people, even on a couple of acres. Night vision devices and some passive perimeter defenses/alarms would be very useful too. Determined attackers WILL be able to overcome you eventually, so make sure you cache some things offsite.
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2001
- Messages
- 313
Remember that you aren't likely to just wake up one day and find yourself in a post-apocalyptic world with roving bands of thieves. Even the most catastrophic events would normally take some time to be processed by the general population, hunger to set in, desperation to take hold, etc. Of course there are always spontaneous rioting and looting, but they tend to be localized. Normally you would have a period of warning signs before finding yourself in the situation described. Not that this in itself would save you, but it would allow you to have acclimatized a bit to the current social structure and to assess your enemy.
Small groups or gangs: shoot 'em.
Larger bands of hungry people: lay low & keep the bullets handy, or form a community defense effort.
Special Ops (whether domestic or foreign): either join an organized and capable resistance or hide all signs of arms and wealth and acquiesce quietly to the new regime until the time is right to bring it all out and rebel.
Of course, maybe our potential enemies are reading this forum, too.
Small groups or gangs: shoot 'em.
Larger bands of hungry people: lay low & keep the bullets handy, or form a community defense effort.
Special Ops (whether domestic or foreign): either join an organized and capable resistance or hide all signs of arms and wealth and acquiesce quietly to the new regime until the time is right to bring it all out and rebel.
Of course, maybe our potential enemies are reading this forum, too.
- Joined
- Sep 27, 1999
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- 3,164
I often meditate outside at night. one or two times per month.
it is really interesting, you have alot of power. I think you can do alot of damage to an enemy who was planning on looting your land.
I sit in a not so obvious spot, so I am not out in the middle of my yard and just be quiet and still. It is said that Meditation was developed by hunters. alot can happen if you sit quietly and observe. so many times animals wonder through they barely notice me and when they do they keep at doing what they were doing. I know in an of itself meditation is not a means of defense but it certainly helps.
I guess what I am talking about is stealth as one advantage. if you are not spotted and your position is not known, you have a huge advantageover your enemy.
it is really interesting, you have alot of power. I think you can do alot of damage to an enemy who was planning on looting your land.
I sit in a not so obvious spot, so I am not out in the middle of my yard and just be quiet and still. It is said that Meditation was developed by hunters. alot can happen if you sit quietly and observe. so many times animals wonder through they barely notice me and when they do they keep at doing what they were doing. I know in an of itself meditation is not a means of defense but it certainly helps.
I guess what I am talking about is stealth as one advantage. if you are not spotted and your position is not known, you have a huge advantageover your enemy.
Land ownership is a whiteman's invention. The american indian
knew that no one person could ever "own" land.
That is true yet today. Ever hear of emminent domain
or States rights? The government owns all land within
it's borders. WE buy the right to use it every year in the
form of real estate taxes and such. So the best any of us
can do is defend our right to live on the land and our
person. No more. Beyond that we have no rights to any
land.
knew that no one person could ever "own" land.
That is true yet today. Ever hear of emminent domain
or States rights? The government owns all land within
it's borders. WE buy the right to use it every year in the
form of real estate taxes and such. So the best any of us
can do is defend our right to live on the land and our
person. No more. Beyond that we have no rights to any
land.
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2001
- Messages
- 313
Regarding persecution for religious beliefs or associations, I have often recognized that different rules come into play in this area. I would readily defend myself and my family against anyone who attacks us for evil, i.e. robbery, rape, etc. However, if the attack is a religious persecution I might respond differently, even to the point of total passive response. I believe that any persecution that I endure for bearing the name of Christ is actually a persecution against Him, not me. He is the Master, I am the servant. The servant does not protect himself: he goes to the Master for shelter and the Master takes that responsibility. Should my life be lost on earth, I gain eternal life with Him in Heaven. Should I be tortured, I bear the scars and pains of Christ - what better honor could I ask? Several hundred thousand Christians are martyred every year around the world, and who knows how many of other faiths as well, so it's not an unknown scenario.
I know that everybody has different views on this. I'm not trying to persuade anyone in this direction, but merely pointing out how much the scenario can change when personal faith enters the picture. Also, who really knows how we would respond until we are in the situation?
I know that everybody has different views on this. I'm not trying to persuade anyone in this direction, but merely pointing out how much the scenario can change when personal faith enters the picture. Also, who really knows how we would respond until we are in the situation?