The Laughing Wolf

The Next Attack On The U.S.: Some Further Thoughts

The rumblings of the last few weeks have come out in the open this morning on the news, and the government believes that potentially major attacks are planned in the U.S. by assets already in place. This may be true, or it may be yet another psych op by the opposition to force us to use up critical and limited resources and to tire us out. Only time will tell about this particular instance, but another attack will happen. My money is on a time closer to the election, since Spain gave the enemy a cheap and easy victory. Given how European our Old Media are acting these days, they would also appear to have willing shills to spin it for them for short-term domestic political advantage.

With due respect to the talking heads and announcers on the news this morning, I must agree with them that the Government must protect us. Then again, I intend to remind one and all that we, each of us, are the Government. We the people, remember?

The idea that any government agency is going to protect us is foolish. It is as if the shills on the news shows think that each of us is going to be assigned a protection detail, that we should hide and cower and let the “experten” do their jobs. That bit of nuanced thinking is why Europeans and others have failed rather miserably at emergency responses of all types. Subjects do as ordered, stay inside, wait for the experten to show up and do their job. Provided it does not go over their hours, or interrupt a break, or such as that…

Americans, on the other hand, have never been terribly good at waiting. Instead, we tend to wade in to the fray. Quite a few of us have been trained in basic first aid and CPR, so we don’t have to let someone die while waiting for the experten. We don’t let things fall or break because the experts are not there, we shore up, dam up, fill in, and do what is needed. We see something going wrong, and we tend to act. That is one of many reasons we have good Samaritan laws in place, to protect and encourage that. To ensure that good, responsible Citizenship is protected and rewarded, not penalized.

So, the Old Media has managed to concern, scare, or even panic you this morning. What can you, as a Citizen, do?

One: Pay Attention. Look around you, pay attention, and notice things. This is called situational awareness. Be aware of things that don’t fit, of odd things, and things that just don’t feel right. If you see suspicious activity, report it. If you see something more than just a bit suspicious taking place, get out and report it. If you see it hit the fan, do what you have to do to protect and defend the lives of your fellow Citizens, family, and then and only then yourself.

Two: Be Prepared. Do you have a first aid kit? Do you know how to use it? Do you know how to use a t-shirt as an emergency gas mask? If not, why not? There are all sorts of helpful suggestions and links in the stories located here. Have the basic tools in place you will need. Some specific stories of interest are here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

If you have not had a first aid class, take one. Then take an advanced class, and a CPR class. If you can, take more. This training always pays for itself, is not limited to terrorist acts, and the life you save may be a family member. Make it a family activity too. Get active in Scouting, find out if your police or sheriff’s department has a civilian auxiliary, and the list goes on. Don’t be terrified, face the fear in a constructive manner and learn how to respond to natural and man-made disasters.

Please, Ifni please, promise me you will not go buy a gun. That is, unless you also purchase and immediately exercise shooting lessons for you and your entire family. Guns are tools, so learn how to use it properly and responsibly if you get it. Don’t buy a gun thinking it is a magic wand to wave around, and most especially don’t bring it home where untrained hands can get to it. You would not put a power saw into the unsupervised hands of a child, so why would you do it with this or any other tool? Be responsible.

Don’t panic, but face the fact that we are going to be hit again. As the desperation mounts in the Middle East, the likelihood of something happening here grows. The flypaper strategy does have a limit, in that any one string of flypaper can only catch so many flies. My money favors the odds that when it happens, it will be an attempt to influence the election, but you may want to put your money elsewhere. Remember, though, that panic and fear by themselves are harmful, and do no one any good.

Instead, turn concern, fear, or panic into constructive things. Be prepared as an individual. Get involved with a neighborhood watch. Form a group to help buildings, blocks, neighborhoods, or whatever prepare for disasters large and small, so that they can be dealt with efficiently and expediently. Live up to your responsibilities as a Citizen, because you are the Government, and it is up to each of us to be prepared and to deal with whatever comes. That is the least we can do.

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