Coming Together

by Ric Hubbard • September 28, 2020

I do not fully understand what is going on in 2020. The United States of America seems to be pulling itself to pieces in front of my eyes and most people do not seem to care. I still do not have a grasp of the COVID-19 situation, mostly because there seems to be no reliable source of information on the disease. The effects of George Floyd’s murder seem to be growing instead of dissipating as they have in the past.

Organizations such as Antifa and the Rise Above Movement are calling for violent change in America to remake it in their image. The two old parties are using these issues to drive wedges in the electorate so that they will come out on top and in entirely too many cases the American public is willing to stay home on election day and just accept what comes of it.

As a prepper I have never been more worried about the future of me, my family, and my country. In my opinion it is more important than ever to be prepared for a large-scale survival situation. This is not to say that a fall is inevitable, just more likely now then even during the cold war.

As a member of the Libertarian Party and the State Libertarian Executive Committee I see a way out for us, but it will require a major change in how people view the political process and the social relationship between the various cultures that make up American society. If the people remain apathetic, the situation is much less hopeful. If more people get involved, the better off we will be. This kind of writing usually comes with a call to action so here it is. It is time for us to come together.

By coming together, we can learn about each other, share ideas and build better understanding. We can plan for a better future if we all have a better understanding of the needs of all the people.

On July 4th, 2020 there were two demonstrations that illustrate the two sides of this coin. In Richmond, VA, a demonstration for Second Amendment rights brought together a diverse collection of groups, including African Americans representing the Black Lives Matter movement and largely white, conservative groups. At one point, black and white even came together to let their collective dislike of white supremacist in attendance be known. They acknowledged their differences and came together to advocate for something all agreed with.

On the other side of the coin, in Stone Mountain, GA, more than a 1000 African Americans who described themselves as a black militia held a peaceful march in support of their Second Amendment rights and to demand the removal of monuments depicting Confederate leaders. The group was strictly black, and no other group joined them in the demonstration.

Here was a chance for groups that have a history of animosity with each other to come together and seek understanding. I do not know what kind of notice was out about the event or if there was an invitation to other groups, but they did call out white militias to either join them or fight them. I am not sure that this is the right way to invite others to join them, but I am sure it would have been better to show up and talk.

Let us circle away from political and social issues and back to preparedness. Why are these ideas important to preppers? Consider for a second what I view as the most likely long-term survival situation, a complete economic collapse. Until the start of 2020 were in a long period of economic growth, a slow one to be sure, but the growth was there. The shutdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic have put a quick stop to that growth and leave us on the edge of recession or maybe depression. Because of these events we can look at a collapse as a real possibility.

Now consider how we get through that and come out the other side. In the last economic collapse, the Great Depression of the 1930s, there were stories of people helping people by providing work and sharing food. Preppers are reminded of those who were not greatly affected by the depression because they were already independent and able to provide for themselves. They were even able to provide a little support to those in need.

Look ahead to the economic crash of 2008 and the events of 2020. The present social order is one of people who lack trust in the people around them. In a number of cases, instead of preparing to get through it and improve our ability to help others, Americans bought guns in record numbers.  I am a strong supporter of the right and need for arms in dangerous situations, but it is a little disheartening to me that the immediate response was to get ready to fight off the hordes instead of getting ready to help.

It is being said more and more that we can not go it alone, especially in a long-term survival situation. This is one of the major truths of not only prepping, but of life in general. Most people have a skill that they are good at that can be used to the benefit of others. Whether it be growing food or repairing needed equipment, we have them. This is the most important reason to build understanding in our social structure. By coming together, we expand our circle of support.

It is a simple fact to me that racism and bigotry are counter to human survival. Cutting out portions of the community because you don’t like them cuts off access to skills and resources you may need. A lack of willingness to share your skills increases the number of enemies you must watch out for.

In the end, if there is a collapse or other long-term survival situation, we have to rebuild. We will do better if we all work together so the time is now to get ready for that possibility. It is time to come together.