Had a neighbor across the street reach out shortly after Hamas' attack on Israel. He wanted to be prepared if something like the Hamas attack happened here in the U.S. With a few other men in the neighborhood, we started planning. In particular, we identified a well fortified house in the neighborhood for our 4 families to flee to. Also, we wanted to make sure we have enough ammo and supplies already in position at the safe house. Don't want to be lugging that stuff around the neighborhood when the sh*t hits the fan.
If others haven't started similar planning, it's worth looking into. Learn from the mistakes of Israel and be prepared.
After the Oct 7 attack in Israel , one of the Jewish physicians in our medical practice asked about using the sport shooting club I belong to for target practice. He is starting to realize that it is not crazy white nationalist that are the threat to Jews. It is crazy white Democrats and Muslims who might want him dead.
I’m perhaps a rarity in that I am a firm support of the second amendment who has never owned nor fired a gun — although my in-laws do and my own interest level has certainly risen in recent years. But regardless of my own capacity, I know that many of my neighbors here in these southern suburbs are well armed. That knowledge makes the thought of any attempt to invade and conquer — whether in the form of foreign border-hopping terrorists, or Biden wet dream US military assault — seem pretty absurd, however unpleasant it would be. I’m constantly thinking of Humphrey Bogart in “Casablanca”: “There are certain sections of New York, Major, that I wouldn't advise you to try to invade.” New York might present different challenges. But I substitute “certain areas of New York” with “all of the south and Midwest.”
I'm pretty sure this scenario would not originate, nor suceed, in Idaho. There'd even be grade school kids sniping with rifles they know better that their adversaries. Get some.
As 9/11 and shoe bombers, etc taught us, we Americans are terrific at closing the barn door after the horse is gone. We learn by our own examples, not other people’s. But Glenn’s advice is good.
The number 0 deterrence is a willingness to live and an understanding that some other people or groups want you dead. Sadly it’s not clear that many Americans see things that clearly. A hamas-based insurrection could set up FOBs through Minnesota and Michigan. Urban areas would cheer while the next neighborhood was under attack.
And even if we started hardening targets, areas like Chicago and Houston would resist, or funnel dollars into corrupt politicians pockets. Meanwhile states like Washington and California are softening their targets and populations through attacks on the second amendment. I know where I’d hit if I was managing the hamas target list.
The only hardening to count on is your own front door.
When things were looking bad in 1940, after the fall to the Axis of Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium and France — not to forget Luxembourg, and a little later Hungary and Romania — the popular Dutch-American historian and journalist Hendrik Willem van Loon sought to awaken a somnolent and isolationist USA with an alarming book titled "Invasion," vividly picturing an onslaught on America in the form of what Putin has taught us to call "hybrid warfare." Though he meant the book as a dire warning of the need for national rearmament, oddly enough this very European writer depicts America surviving because — in the early stages of emergency when city people are panicking and fleeing amid scenes of mass chaos — the rural population are able to self-organize and resist with whatever arms and explosives they have at hand. Dashed off nearly 85 years ago, the story is remarkably parallel to Schlichter's, and remarkably relevant to present-day concerns. Still available if you look around.
I read Schlicter's novel in less than 48 hours, finishing last night. He tells no lies, tells a plausible story and gives voice to the thoughts in my head that prompted me to begin physically prepping in about 2008.
Where is my Ruger 9mm? Oh there, under the end table.
And yes, his rendition of a Kamala word salad was so ungodly accurate nobody would have to even TRY to suspend reality.
Shit. I have to go make sure my AR has enough loaded mags and I have enough 12 gauge loads in the right places.
If these people are trying to calm us down and make us want guns less...isn't working.
My fiancee lives in a suburb of Minneapolis. Her rented townhouse was suddenly shot up with about 8 bullets. No reason or explanation offered by the police. And she was charged extra.
Do I have a savior complex? Yes I do. I WILL save her from her landlord dipshits (in Burnsville MN).
I’m an RSO at my local Gun Club. We have seen a significant uptick in membership applications and new shooters at the range since 10/7. The normal thing that happens after one of these events. Right now, the bad guys certainly have a window of opportunity for a 10/7 style event in the US. Now to see if they take advantage of it.
When I was a boy scout in the 80s they took us to the rifle range and trap shooting at like 12 or 13. The people who volunteered their time to teach us those vital things were the NRA.
Strange how they have gone from safety training to terrorists in so short a time. And many of them are still the same people.
My sense is that churches will be the rally points for the suburbs to withstand an attack like this. Our security team is trained and training to become a hard target. Plus we have supplies and property that can house large numbers of people and keep them fed and sheltered. The community is close knit and high trust. If something happened we would not be easy to overcome.
I am moving to a new area and church. You have inspired me to volunteer to be their security guy. Doubt any of the pastors or elders have even considered the issue before. But they need to. Damn, I need to find a new range down there too.
I don't worry so much about terrorists coming to my neighborhood but I do worry about the damage they can do to the social construct by damaging critical infrastructure. How will my neighbors react when they begin their third day without a meal?
Mine will be fed, at least minimally. I recognized long ago that food would be critical. I can arm a few neighbors in an emergency. I can feed a bunch, at least for a while. None of them currently know either fact now.
Some of the people in my very blue suburb in my very blue state understand the dangers in this world but it is a very few of us. I have a fear that my neighborhood would be a prime target for the second day of the Colonel’s novel/warning.
Great article, great comments. I would just add, think carefully about whether or not your local law enforcement agency is going to help, hurt, or be useless.
Had a neighbor across the street reach out shortly after Hamas' attack on Israel. He wanted to be prepared if something like the Hamas attack happened here in the U.S. With a few other men in the neighborhood, we started planning. In particular, we identified a well fortified house in the neighborhood for our 4 families to flee to. Also, we wanted to make sure we have enough ammo and supplies already in position at the safe house. Don't want to be lugging that stuff around the neighborhood when the sh*t hits the fan.
If others haven't started similar planning, it's worth looking into. Learn from the mistakes of Israel and be prepared.
While people read and write essays, people like you are quietly doing the work. That's how America still operates, for the most part.
After the Oct 7 attack in Israel , one of the Jewish physicians in our medical practice asked about using the sport shooting club I belong to for target practice. He is starting to realize that it is not crazy white nationalist that are the threat to Jews. It is crazy white Democrats and Muslims who might want him dead.
I’m perhaps a rarity in that I am a firm support of the second amendment who has never owned nor fired a gun — although my in-laws do and my own interest level has certainly risen in recent years. But regardless of my own capacity, I know that many of my neighbors here in these southern suburbs are well armed. That knowledge makes the thought of any attempt to invade and conquer — whether in the form of foreign border-hopping terrorists, or Biden wet dream US military assault — seem pretty absurd, however unpleasant it would be. I’m constantly thinking of Humphrey Bogart in “Casablanca”: “There are certain sections of New York, Major, that I wouldn't advise you to try to invade.” New York might present different challenges. But I substitute “certain areas of New York” with “all of the south and Midwest.”
I'm pretty sure this scenario would not originate, nor suceed, in Idaho. There'd even be grade school kids sniping with rifles they know better that their adversaries. Get some.
As 9/11 and shoe bombers, etc taught us, we Americans are terrific at closing the barn door after the horse is gone. We learn by our own examples, not other people’s. But Glenn’s advice is good.
The number 0 deterrence is a willingness to live and an understanding that some other people or groups want you dead. Sadly it’s not clear that many Americans see things that clearly. A hamas-based insurrection could set up FOBs through Minnesota and Michigan. Urban areas would cheer while the next neighborhood was under attack.
And even if we started hardening targets, areas like Chicago and Houston would resist, or funnel dollars into corrupt politicians pockets. Meanwhile states like Washington and California are softening their targets and populations through attacks on the second amendment. I know where I’d hit if I was managing the hamas target list.
The only hardening to count on is your own front door.
When things were looking bad in 1940, after the fall to the Axis of Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium and France — not to forget Luxembourg, and a little later Hungary and Romania — the popular Dutch-American historian and journalist Hendrik Willem van Loon sought to awaken a somnolent and isolationist USA with an alarming book titled "Invasion," vividly picturing an onslaught on America in the form of what Putin has taught us to call "hybrid warfare." Though he meant the book as a dire warning of the need for national rearmament, oddly enough this very European writer depicts America surviving because — in the early stages of emergency when city people are panicking and fleeing amid scenes of mass chaos — the rural population are able to self-organize and resist with whatever arms and explosives they have at hand. Dashed off nearly 85 years ago, the story is remarkably parallel to Schlichter's, and remarkably relevant to present-day concerns. Still available if you look around.
I read Schlicter's novel in less than 48 hours, finishing last night. He tells no lies, tells a plausible story and gives voice to the thoughts in my head that prompted me to begin physically prepping in about 2008.
Where is my Ruger 9mm? Oh there, under the end table.
And yes, his rendition of a Kamala word salad was so ungodly accurate nobody would have to even TRY to suspend reality.
Shit. I have to go make sure my AR has enough loaded mags and I have enough 12 gauge loads in the right places.
If these people are trying to calm us down and make us want guns less...isn't working.
In spite of the amount of ammo I have on hand, when I got done with the book, I ordered some more.
My fiancee lives in a suburb of Minneapolis. Her rented townhouse was suddenly shot up with about 8 bullets. No reason or explanation offered by the police. And she was charged extra.
Do I have a savior complex? Yes I do. I WILL save her from her landlord dipshits (in Burnsville MN).
that sucks .... and also seems to be our "new America"
It's worse. There is still, months later, in MN winter, a bullet hole in her window. With the piece of tape they put on to "fix" it.
If I was the landlord there would have been a new window in a week. America is no longer working.
Excellent novel. I hope it'll never pass as historical fiction.
I’m an RSO at my local Gun Club. We have seen a significant uptick in membership applications and new shooters at the range since 10/7. The normal thing that happens after one of these events. Right now, the bad guys certainly have a window of opportunity for a 10/7 style event in the US. Now to see if they take advantage of it.
When I was a boy scout in the 80s they took us to the rifle range and trap shooting at like 12 or 13. The people who volunteered their time to teach us those vital things were the NRA.
Strange how they have gone from safety training to terrorists in so short a time. And many of them are still the same people.
My sense is that churches will be the rally points for the suburbs to withstand an attack like this. Our security team is trained and training to become a hard target. Plus we have supplies and property that can house large numbers of people and keep them fed and sheltered. The community is close knit and high trust. If something happened we would not be easy to overcome.
Absolutely do it. Pastors need to know that we have sheepdogs committed to protecting the flock.
I am moving to a new area and church. You have inspired me to volunteer to be their security guy. Doubt any of the pastors or elders have even considered the issue before. But they need to. Damn, I need to find a new range down there too.
I don't worry so much about terrorists coming to my neighborhood but I do worry about the damage they can do to the social construct by damaging critical infrastructure. How will my neighbors react when they begin their third day without a meal?
Mine will be fed, at least minimally. I recognized long ago that food would be critical. I can arm a few neighbors in an emergency. I can feed a bunch, at least for a while. None of them currently know either fact now.
Some of the people in my very blue suburb in my very blue state understand the dangers in this world but it is a very few of us. I have a fear that my neighborhood would be a prime target for the second day of the Colonel’s novel/warning.
Great article, great comments. I would just add, think carefully about whether or not your local law enforcement agency is going to help, hurt, or be useless.
Oh, it's going to happen. And the aftermath will not be pretty - for the politicians.
If it can happen in Israel, it can surely happen here.