Althouse: Standing one's ground... after the ground has moved.

March 3, 2010

Standing one's ground... after the ground has moved.

"One man swings a thick metal chain. Another grips an ax. An older gentleman favors a wooden pole. And a 20-year-old spoiling for a fight has prepared a garrote — a menacing wire tied between two handles — to confront any intruders."

31 comments:

Fen said...: /reminder: clean weapons, check ammo stock; 3/3/10, 1:08 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Violence isn't the answer.; 3/3/10, 1:08 PM
traditionalguy said...: The second amendment would have been nice in days like these. The looters are animals that only respect force...like nearly all humans under their skins. What good is a community organiser leading the looters when we need a fighter that is not corrupt...like a Sarah Palin type. I am talking about the Democrat Congress, of course.; 3/3/10, 1:11 PM
magpie said...: Timely reminder of why the McDonald/Chicago case in front of the Supreme Court is important...; 3/3/10, 1:33 PM
former law student said...: Chile has strict gun control laws. Gun owners must register their guns for the place (home or business) where they will be used for protection. They cannot be carried outside the home unless you are a licensed hunter or competitive shooter.

You can end up spending between two months and five years in jail even for buying ammunition, unless it fits your registered gun.

http://www.bcn.cl/guias/control-de-armas; 3/3/10, 1:37 PM
Mark O said...: Conflicts of interest between man and man are resolved, in principle, by recourse to violence.

Freud; 3/3/10, 1:38 PM
veni vidi vici said...: Sounds like Variety magazine's review of the classic film, "The Black Gestapo".; 3/3/10, 1:39 PM
veni vidi vici said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/3/10, 1:39 PM
mRed said...: I don't know if they have concealed-carry for axes and chains, but now would be a good time to introduce such a bill.; 3/3/10, 1:45 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Violence isn't the answer

That depends on what the question is.

Armageddon Pantry

FTW

If you think the Government is coming to save you in a disaster situation and you don't rely on yourself or your immediate friends and neighbors for protection and help.......you are a fool.

Forearmed and prepared.; 3/3/10, 1:53 PM
Fen said...: I think Hossier meant "violence isn't the answer" as parody.; 3/3/10, 1:59 PM
Cedarford said...: Fen said...
I think Hossier meant "violence isn't the answer" as parody.

Indeed.
Only as something looters mentally think to themselves as they pass by houses and stores guarded by armed people for easier pickings.

"Violence is something we do not seek as we look for loot to snatch."

The problem with societies that go easy on looters from racial sensitivities or whatever - is that it ends up killing innocent people. Many people would evacuate if they knew authorities would force all to and go medieval on any looters spotted in a disaster aftermath - shooting them on sight.

But without those conditions, you have a good number of people that KNOW "insurance doesn't cover" all looting losses. And if they evacuate, authorities will then bar them from returning for days or weeks "until it is perfectly safe" - as they watch news crews allowed in filming packs of looters who stayed looting away for days..

So the average person has to make a calculation, if looters are free of being shot or arrested....The stupid government Maxim "Just leave, nothing is worth your life" doesn't fly if you calculate that you have X risk of dying, but a far larger Y risk of losing a substantial part everything you own built up over your life - that insurers and Gov't will not compensate for.; 3/3/10, 2:23 PM
bagoh20 said...: That headline fits so much today: Climate change, health care, socialism, Obama worship, Guantanamo, patriot act, The Iraq war, Culture of corruption. etc, etc.; 3/3/10, 2:23 PM
Penny said...: "I think Hossier meant "violence isn't the answer" as parody."

And I thought that mRed made this comment sarcastically. "I don't know if they have concealed-carry for axes and chains, but now would be a good time to introduce such a bill."

I, myself, dropped off a metaphor in a prior post, and now all of the above has me thinking it would be neat to have "Plain Speak Day" here at Althouse.

OK, once might be fun. Twice could be a tad boring though? Afterall, that's for those "Sara Palin" types.; 3/3/10, 2:34 PM
g2loq said...: Cant.we.all.get.along?; 3/3/10, 2:37 PM
YoungHegelian said...: At the bottom of the article, there's some real serious competition for the next Darwin Awards:

"In Concepcion, an unknown number of looters set fire to the El Polar department store Tuesday and were caught inside by the flames. Their bodies have yet to be recovered."

WF: Drimen: "On a Sunday afternoon... Couldn't get away too soon"; 3/3/10, 2:39 PM
Wince said...: The legendary, deadly Toolbelt Fight.; 3/3/10, 2:53 PM
The Drill SGT said...: DBQ, nice list.

a few useful things not mentioned

- charcoal
- steno
- water purification kit and tablets
- sugar
- canned nuts; 3/3/10, 2:56 PM
bagoh20 said...: I'm currently reading "How to survive the coming economic collapse" by a writer who lived through the meltdown in Argentina in 2000 when money lost all value.

Mostly about surviving urban lawlessness by someone who did. Entirely different decision flow chart with little room for courtesy or other niceties of civilization. His experience tells that the only realistic survival strategy for a family that stays, is to form a group of like minded families in a relatively safe neighborhood. Lone survival is unlikely, and running to the hills just means nobody comes when you scream.; 3/3/10, 3:31 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Just think. It is just a short step to the olden days.

I am reminded of the book "One Minute After" where a nuke destroys our entire electronics systems and that transports America civilization back to the 1800's.; 3/3/10, 3:53 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: DBQ, nice list.

a few useful things not mentioned

- charcoal
- steno
- water purification kit and tablets
- sugar
- canned nuts

Thanks for the suggestions. Canned nuts is a good idea: I'll have to buy some. And so is the extra charcoal and water tablets.

Have the sugar...but in the pump house, but for some reason the sacks of sugar turn into 5 pound bricks that require a hammer and chisel to break off lumps. Ah well, better than no sugar.

Lone survival is unlikely, and running to the hills just means nobody comes when you scream.

And really annoys the people who already live in the hills, who don't particularly want your presence.; 3/3/10, 4:02 PM
bagoh20 said...: "a nuke destroys our entire electronics systems and that transports America civilization back to the 1800's."

A lot of men often fantasize about such a scenario. I do. Something about a brand new level playing field, with all the techno garbage removed is very alluring to many. Of course as I get older and less able I may not find it so attractive.; 3/3/10, 4:03 PM
paul a'barge said...: Read the article and then ask yourself ... where are the guns?

Only in the hands of the military ... who fire them to intimidate the population that runs outside of their homes to defend their neighborhood upon a warning whistle.

G-d Bless America and the Second Amendment.

And always remember ... this is what the Brady gun controllers want for you here in America.; 3/3/10, 4:16 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Not me Bago. I would not last long in the wild west. Guns, saloons, whiskey and them dance hall girls would do me in right quick I reckon.; 3/3/10, 4:18 PM
Triangle Man said...: steno

I too have been practicing my shorthand for the coming apocalypse.; 3/3/10, 4:28 PM
Triangle Man said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/3/10, 4:28 PM
The Drill SGT said...: yeah, yeah

sterno; 3/3/10, 5:35 PM
Unknown said...: Jeff Cooper had it right, "Put a firearm in the hands of someone who knows how to use it and they cease to be a subject and start to be a citizen".

Like the rest of Latin America, Chile labors under the legacy of the partido culture where only the privileged were able to defend themselves. Thankfully, we never had that here. Which is another reason why the Lefties hate this country.

And why they want to impose it here.; 3/3/10, 6:48 PM
former law student said...: Thankfully, we never had that here. Which is another reason why the Lefties hate this country.

I knew our invading Iraq would be no cakewalk when I saw news footage of average Iragis stocking up on guns and ammo at the local gun store, while Colin Powell was still on his WMD speaking tour.

Never underestimate the power of small arms in the hands of citizens.; 3/3/10, 10:39 PM
kentuckyliz said...: That Argentina blog is fascinating. Even the driving strategies! My, my.; 3/4/10, 7:03 AM
virgil xenophon said...: It may be considered a trite and hackneyed phrase by now by some, but the phrase/truism "when seconds count the police are only minutes away" continues to be proven to ring true day after day after day by glaring examples all over this world.

Got to remember to renew my NRA membership....; 3/4/10, 7:06 AM