Police have arrested a man preparing for Armageddon. The suspect bought around 20 firearms-legally-but also had several items police claim were illegal:
In addition to the grenade-type devices, police found approximately 20 weapons, including high-powered rifles, shotguns, and handguns. All of the firearms were purchased and registered legally within the past 10 months, McKiel said.
Girard, a computer consultant, had a Class A license, which enabled him to purchase large-capacity firearms. According to police, he was granted the permit without question.
“He did not have a criminal record and there was no indication at the time [the permit] was issued that he shouldn’t have one,” McKiel said.
It gets better:
Police also found a large collection of camouflage clothing, knives, bulletproof vests, helmets, and eight pairs of handcuffs in Girard’s home. They also discovered stockpiles of medicine and non-perishable foods. An illegal indoor shooting range was also found in the attic, police said.
Police seized all the weapons and ammunition and revoked Girard’s license to carry firearms.
Really? What high powered rifles did he possess?
No way this author would live in Massachusetts.
In a contemplative mood I decided to take a drive around the mid-size city I call home. The traffic is abysmal, people are rude and the city thinks too much of itself. Just another city herding sheep. There are echoes here of a time simpler than this but I wouldn’t know because this city has only been home for about 18 months. Any semblance it once had to peaceful living is long gone replaced by a frightened populace. Politically correct politicians run the show, or rather tend to the show because no one can “run” a train wreck. Still it beats the last place I lived by a significant margin. Enough contemplating. I’ve got several new holsters to look at and a man to see about a mule. (The last part isn’t true)
Politics isn’t a favorite topic of mine. Having little trust in any politician my four decades of existence has led me to the conclusion that politicians are believable once a leap year, at midnight, on a Tuesday. Much like professional wrestling politics is the theater of the absurd.
It is bothersome how many put their faith in a man, or woman, to break the cycle of the past two decades. As personal freedom erodes people willingly stand up and shout for their favorite political son. Not I.
The days of cheering for a lost cause are over. People who matter, who are the future, live away from the beltway and exist among their neighbors, like minded people, trying to live a free life.
It’s far too easy to get caught up in the televised gong show playing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In fact it is a comfort to some folks but propaganda has served that role forever. Out here (In the minds of free people) there is reality, a stark contrast to the all or nothing approach read aloud to an otherwise stupefied audience. Freedom is reality.People are preparing. Out there in the heartland of America there is a sense that all is not well, nor reasonably unwell, but rather in the gutter. Some folks believe the tiny window between boom and bust is closing and before too long they will have to depend on themselves more than any other entity.
They could be right. Planning is smart as along as you can look at the sum total of your plans and say, “Now if something happens, and all of this is unable to go, what’s my plan?” Helmuth von Moltke wisely stated “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” There’s also Murphy’s Law. Point being if you have prepared for the worst and the economy goes into the deep end of the pool and hordes are running wild what will you do if you reach for your weapons and they are gone? What if your route out is blocked? Food supply carefully stocked ruined?
The point is not to dissuade planning but to emphasize the ability to improvise with what’s at hand. Survival comes down to the ability to improvise. Plan long, hard and wisely. Then expect the plan to go out the window.
On a day predicted to be dry my brother (referred to as BigP) and I headed out into the rain to take a ride. As is our custom we headed in one direction before deciding we would stop at a store that was in the other direction. It’s one of those sporting goods store of which there seem to be an overabundance. Nonetheless we visit it at least once a week.
As I made my way back to the area containing firearms and assorted accessories it occurred to me that there were several items I needed. Don’t think me daft but I chuckled to myself and said “the store probably doesn’t have any of it.” Turns out my hunch was correct. If I’d walked into any firearms dealer the items sought would have been front and center but at the big box store, where they have 64,400 duck calls, they didn’t have basic items for a firearm.
My hunch really wasn’t a hunch in hindsight. Having been in the place several times I’d no doubt noted the lack of certain items. Instead my foray into the big box was bound to be mildly disappointing but I did walk out with a new chair to sit on when the weather turns and the fish are eager to sacrifice themselves for my nourishment. Plus I can just order what I need for my firearms.