Defending Liberty and Faith in Dark Days

For liberty to prevail, individuals, families and small communities must be self reliant (one of the hallmarks of liberty). In recent years, it has become evident that our national government and culture have little restraint and in bad times are likely to become useless and dangerous. Families must be prepared to meet their own needs in any situation. Character and faith will be more important than ever.

Imagine the following scenario:
You decide to stop at the store on your way home from work to pickup some toilet paper and milk. You notice the store is busy but don't think much of it. It's five on Friday. Inside you see the lines are very long. You find no toilet paper and no milk, settling for some high fructose corn syrup laden fruit juice. In line, you ask the guy next to you, "what's going on?" He says something about the bond market and the Chinese that you don't really understand. After a long wait with other frustrated customers you head home. You notice gas is now over $5/gallon.

In the next few days, you learn that due to growing unrest in the Middle East, including the fall of the Saudi government, oil prices have rapidly risen. The impact on the price of oil has further threatened the US economy, crashing the international value of the dollar. The weak dollar combined with the burgeoning US debt has shaken the market for US Treasury bonds.
China's growing influence in the Mideast and their growing economy's demand for oil, in combination with the dollar's decline, has pushed them to seize the moment for a strategic move; dumping their investment in US debt and providing support for the fledgling governments rising in the Mideast.

These events push the price of an unleaded gallon of gas over $10, if you can find it at all. Prices for all products and services rapidly rise in accordance without corresponding rises in wages. Families can't pay their bills or put food on the table. The average family's 3 days worth of food in their pantry is depleted. Worse, truck drivers are striking due to high fuel costs and the
inability of suppliers to meet the new costs of shipping.

(Have you been in the back of a grocery store or Walmart? There is no stock room like in the old days. The only stock you'll find is what has been unloaded off of trucks that day.)

Food prices sky rocket. Within another three days, grocery store shelves are empty. No new deliveries are being made or are at least limited. Those that have money to afford the new prices are buying whatever is being delivered. Those who can't afford to support their families begin rioting and looting. Those who are on public assistance are hit hard and are not dealing well with
the new reality. Good people are desperate after several days without food. The public service systems are overloaded. As in the Katrina aftermath, the employees that provide government services are taking care of their own. People stop going to work and stay home to protect their families or search for food. The power grid becomes unreliable with rolling blackouts. This is the
reality in all of urban and suburban America.

The near future goes in one of two directions at this point: America descends in to chaos, unlike anyone in modern times has ever seen. Or, strong leadership, using martial law and elements of the police state (already in place), secure the power grid and day to day security. In either outcome, the lifestyles we are accustomed to living are gone.

This is not a prediction, but a look at what might possibly happen. Most Americans have not seriously considered such a scenario and virtually none are prepared to endure it. There are some very easy steps any family can take to better prepare themselves for harder times. Below are a few links to help you get started being more self reliant today. Those who can not take
care of themselves will have to submit to the government and what assistance it can provide (remember the Super Dome?). When those systems quickly fail, otherwise good people will sell their souls and sacrifice their principles in an attempt to surivive if they have not prepared.

The best strategy to deal with such a future would be to avoid such a scenario by encouraging a more self reliant culture that restrains it's government. James Ostrowski has written a strategy manual for liberty in America, Direct Citizen Action.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0974925349?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=anyMore

Many people will probably be startled by the actual level of emergency preparation our government currently recommends for citizens(that is largely ignored). You can read online or order a free bookelt from FEMA. http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/ The guide leaves out a lot in regards to personal safety, security, and food storage but is a good starting point.

Every self reliant family should take the following, in regards to food, seriously: Visit an old farm house. You'll see large pantries and root cellars. Our past generations have kept food for the hard times on hand. Why have we stopped? Anyone can start storing a little extra food on their next trip to the grocery store. You can take advantage of BOGOs and other sales to actually
save money. By having a stock of your regular items on hand, you only have to buy them when they are on sale. See the following article on food storage, which covers the basics to more advanced. http://www.lewrockwell.com/shirtz/shirtz20.1.html

Each member of your family should have a 3 day bag. Some people call this a "Go Bag", "GOOD (Get Out of Dodge) Bag" or "Bug Out Bag." In the Southeast it's often known as a hurricane supply kit. The following link has some ideas on how to do it right. http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/the-bug-out-bag

Personal preparedness and self reliance have become of interest to me in the wake of 9/11 and even more so following the financial panic of 2008. Our government's continued willingness to prop up the failed system is evidence of the sickness of our nation. I will be posting items from time to time on being more self reliant. I hope the above scenario serves as a wake up call and the links provide some direction.