A home is more than just a building or a piece of land. It is a place where memories are made. It is where we feel safe and secure and where we can connect with nature if we are lucky to live in the countryside or even off-grid. For many people, a home is the center of their lives, and therefore, they have a deep emotional attachment to it. Including myself.
It’s almost impossible to avoid developing such a strong connection with the home or the land that feeds us and shelters us and our loved ones.
However, when a home is invaded by violent gangs, the emotional attachment can lead to dangerous consequences. In this article, we will explore the emotional attachment to a home and why it would be dangerous to fight to defend it if invaded by violent gangs.
Why we become emotionally attached to a home
If you are like me, a home is a sacred place where you create memories with your loved ones. It is where little ones have their first steps, where they learn how to ride a bike, and where we raise our children. Therefore, it is not surprising that we develop a deep emotional attachment to our home. It is a place that we associate with happy memories and a sense of belonging to something bigger.
It provides a sense of community.
In addition, a home is a place where we feel safe and secure. We have control over the environment, and we can create a space that reflects our values and beliefs. We can plant a garden, raise animals, and build a home that is tailored to our unique needs. Therefore, a home is not just a physical space but is also a reflection of our identity.
We live there on our terms. It’s our little piece of heaven to be free.
And it is as well the most valuable inheritance we can leave to the generations we leave behind.
The emotional attachment to a home is not just limited to the physical space. It is also tied to the land itself. For many people, the land represents their heritage and cultural identity. It is a place where their ancestors lived, where they grew up, and where they plan to pass it down to their children. Therefore, a home is not just a place to live, but it is also a bridge working as a connection to our past and our future.
The dangers of fighting to defend a home
While the emotional attachment to a home is understandable, it can lead to dangerous consequences if the home is invaded by violent gangs. This is the most plausible scenario, indeed.
In such a situation, our instinct is to defend our home at all costs.
However, this can lead to violence and lots of damage.
I am a firm advocate of the right to self-defense. Anyone trying to commit a felony within the borders of private property must be repelled with brute force. This does not come out of the blue. Sadly, there are enough experiences from people close to me that moved me to express these ideas.
The sadism exhibited by thugs under the influence of some substance while holding a gun in their hands is not something to be taken lightly. Young men have been shot dead in front of their parents just because. Women being gang raped for hours in front of their husbands and children, and some other events that seem to be imported from El Salvador and their infamous “maras.” In the early 2000s crisis in Argentina, some families living in estancias suffered horrendous attacks.
If you read my previous articles, you will see the terrible situations some farmers had to face back in the day. The battle with narcos is a serious one, and we seem to be losing it wherever we look.
Albeit never being a member of the military (something very reasonable in countries like these, after seeing how those institutions evolved), I took my time in life to study some of the more traditional tactics, methods, and strategies of attacks on homes.
Why? Because that sorts of attacks on homes and settlements have been a part of human history since the beginning of times. I won’t go into more detail as it is a hairy topic, so use your favorite search engine and ask it, please. Even in these times where law and order should be the norm, where we can connect to satellites 24/7/365 virtually anywhere, we continue witnessing that sort of crime. Ask those living near the Mexican border, where the gangs need to cross their land to expand their trafficking routes. Or those between the Venezuela/Colombia border. Or the Ecuador/Peru/Chile borders. Those are only a few places I have been to enough time to ask the people living there how things are with the trafficking gangs and the border.
Like everyone else, I do not have a clue if, in our remaining lifetime, a real SHTF event will ever be unchained. Unless the most recent event (2020) was only a drill (and yes, I strongly suspect it was), I would say that the odds will be on a cosmic event (an extended and strong Carrington-like), another bug (but this time the real one) or a conflict with unpredictable consequences.
However, the following replicas in every society of the world will be felt very hard. The disruptions that will be felt even at the institutional levels and the high government will be a reality, and that is what will affect us. Allocation of resources to fight a horde of gangs coming up through the South Wall may not have the same priority for white collars hiding in some well-protected bunkers somewhere in the North, that may be struggling to decide how many troopers send where to calm the riots spontaneously appearing everywhere, and maybe other disasters like train wrecks, or even worse.
If you (and I sincerely hope you´re NOT) are in the path of the narco-routes and have a pacifist point of view in life, well…You may want to reconsider your budget priorities and get a good bunker where you can live underground and undetected. Not everyone is willing to combat such soul-less guys fang to fang and nail to nail.
Know when you can no longer stay.
No matter how carefully secure your home is, there could come a time when you can no longer stay there without risking the lives of every member of your family. And regardless of how attached you are to a place, the people are more important. If you are hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned, staying put and fighting it out may not be an option.
If you have a secondary location, then put in a guerrilla garden and have the alternative place(s) stocked up. This is not easy, but e it could work as an insurance or “hedge fund” against the loss of the main home, at least for some time while the team reorganizes the counterattack.
Live to fight another day from a more strategic position.
Does this sound like military action? Absolutely. Because it is. It is a worldwide trend. Just check this link on the topic and this other link. By stocking up some gear and food in a cache, your capacity response will be good. The possibility of a gang receiving “reinforcements” after invading a home or a homestead is almost zero. They are not a military enemy force with experience and theoretical training. They´re criminals, and unless they are extremely well organized, this won´t be a risk. So it will be worth the effort…depending on our degree of emotional attachment, though.
I know this article can be scary and portray a shady future. However, that is far from my intention. On the contrary, by opening our eyes to what happened in other parts of the world, we can be aware of how bad things can go in our surroundings and plan according to this. There is a reason why most organizations have protocols (tested and re-tested) for every possible situation. It’s because they are an insurance policy once the event occurs.
If your bonds with the neighbors are not particularly warm, it is in you to change that. Try a casual approach. Make some tea, fill up a thermos bottle, go up to their front porch, and drop in a light chat something like, “Hey, I noticed some odd-looking guys the other day driving around. Do you know them? We should start thinking about preparing a plan just in case someone trespasses with unknown intentions, and yaddah yaddah…”. You know the drill.
Keep tuned, and stay safe!
What are your thoughts?
Would you stay in your home no matter what, even if to do so was to suicide? Do you have a secondary location to which you could retreat and regroup? Have you considered what would cause you to take your family and flee?
Let’s discuss it in the comments section.
About Jose
Jose is an upper middle class professional. He is a former worker of the oil state company with a Bachelor’s degree from one of the best national Universities. He has an old but in good shape SUV, a good 150 square meters house in a nice neighborhood, in a small but (formerly) prosperous city with two middle size malls. Jose is a prepper and shares his eyewitness accounts and survival stories from the collapse of his beloved Venezuela. Jose and his younger kid are currently back in Venezuela, after the intention of setting up a new life in another country didn’t go well. The SARSCOV2 re-shaped the labor market and South American economy so he decided to give it a try to homestead in the mountains, and make a living as best as possible. But this time in his own land, and surrounded by family, friends and acquaintances, with all the gear and equipment collected, as the initial plan was.
Follow Jose on YouTube and gain access to his exclusive content on Patreon. Donations: paypal.me/JoseM151
good point, but we’re in our 70s, not best health, and have no where else to go. besides, would we even be able to get there? so knowing our home is just a building, we’d have to fight as much as we can, and if we lose our life, well not much to do about it. we’ll be better off anyway…cant believe at my age, I’m living to see happening what I’ve seen in sci fi movies, books, etc. I wasnt as much scared growing up in the 60s as I am right now. everything we’ve worked for, home, retirement funds, etc. is at stake and theres nothing to do about it….our America and world will never be the same, and I’m pretty sure that seeing whats happening now, people wont be woke enough to stop it!!!!! so prepare for worst, hope for the best, and pray to God to live one more day to enjoy his once beautiful world…….
I am older myself. and surrounded by a boat load of older idiots that will probably never figure out that the only solution is pulling together …… until it is way past too late:
“If you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed; if you will not fight when victory will be sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all odds against you and only a small chance of survival. There may even be a worse case: you may have to fight when there is no hope for victory, because it is better to parish than to live as slaves.”
~ Winston Churchill
I will be 89 this August, married to my wife since 1964, who I am now care giver.
You said it: PRAY TO GOD and wait for our homecoming.
See my comments when you have a chance.
Daniel
I am in my 70’s he is 81 we are in a retirement community (Ind. living) several widows recently moved back with family, said they felt they would be safer if things got worse (bank shutdowns, people rioting, etc) The southern border is letting anyone in and they go to various cities in the country, many men are military age from C. America, China and the middle east. Gov. plans to flood this country then they will be killing and pillaging thru out the country, people will have to defend themselves best they can. Those without a spouse will have to go with family members (safety in numbers) This article is on MIchael’s website, he documents the migrations from Panama Canal zone where many are bused up here, while C Americans are bused from their countries to the borderhttps://michaelyon.com/dispatches/this-is-an-obvious-invasion-force/ see his website for updated details and videos.
I will be 89 this August, married to my wife since 1964, who I am now care giver.
You said it: PRAY TO GOD and wait for our homecoming.
See my comments when you have a chance.
Daniel
I’m there with you… I’ve talked to my kids and friends till I’m blue in the face. I can only do so much.
We’ve done the best we can when it comes to getting ready for what is definitely coming. I feel like you do. When it’s my time, I’ll die on my hill. God help the rest.
Are you serious? Of course you should defend your home at all costs. That’s why we all own guns. I would rather fight & die in my home protecting my home, than running as a coward. You can kill the body but you can’t kill the soul & how can I face God as a coward?
Well, some folks have young children or elderly parents to consider. I could understand the decision to leave if one has vulnerable dependents, especially to save them from rapists and monsters who would torture them.
Dear Kerrie Kanda,
In my particular situation where I don´t have a gunroom full of ammo, the wisest choice will be to live and fight another day.
That´s why I mentioned the caches though…
My secondary place of retirement is Heaven. I will protect my home against all invaders, as I have the weaponry to do so. I will not turn tail and run like a sniveling rat. I want to look those criminals in the eye when I take their life. I want them to know they barked up the wrong tree coming to my home thinking they could take whatever they wanted with impunity.
If you run, you’ll be running the rest of your miserable life on this planet. We must make our stand have meaning to those who look to us for safety. The saying, “Freedom is not Free”, must be inculcated to the young that freedom must be carefully protected WITH OUR LIVES. I am disgusted by the implications espoused in this article
Fighting as a stationary unit is bad tactics bro. There’s a reason the police/ military cordon off an area and it ain’t because its harder to fight a pinned down enemy.
Hit run, hit run, hit run an overwhelming enemy if total retreat is out of the question. Don’t get pinned down.
I am in agreement for the most part.
A tactical retreat can be a smart thing sometimes.
The thing missed everywhere is neighborhoods working together to defend from outsiders. If you alone try to defend your home you are not going to last very long.
We cannot depend on anyone but ourselves unless there are likeminded near where we live. Unlikely that people will work together since few know their neighbors. Most people have scattered family members, some living on opposite coast or far off to be with.
I’m in full agreement. I’m not going to run and be a Rambo. I’m fully prepared to defend what’s mine, things are in place for that…. and if my time is up….my soul is right with the Almighty. I respect other citizen’s right to bug out if that’s what they choose. (BTW when I say “I’m” I am referring not only to myself. I’m not that ignorant LOL)
She misses the point that neighbors fighting for their homes used to be called the militia.
And that some things are worth dying for.
…”our instinct is to defend our home at all costs. However, this can lead to violence and lots of damage.” Ya think…that ship has sailed, we’ll stack bodies until the ammo runs out.
If you are fighting from a stationary place you WILL be pinned down and surrounded.
All forms of combat require movement, and gun play is no different.
If you are going to fight an overwhelming force. Hit run, hit run, hit run. If you’re serious, create fighting positions on various defensible areas ahead of time as you fall back. Force them to walk into ambush after ambush to pursue you.
If they loot your home you had better have well hidden caches or you’re out of luck. Again, ahead of time.
Dear Patriarch,
That´s why I wanted to rise a little bit of comments. Not all of us have military training and information like the tactical approach, for us civilians is invaluable. And yes, I mentioned caches too as something that must be done.
An emotional attachment to a home is difficult even in peaceful, prosperous times. I experienced it firsthand when my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and needed to relocate near relatives. Many, many tears were shed and it likely contrived to her end state. While everyone who knew the situation knew it was best for her to relocate, she could not see it. The time of trouble is upon us and if you are semi-religious or not, everyone needs to be mindful to keep treasure in heaven.
I Believe I would defend my home and our Families with my group for as long as we can hold out. The plan is to succeed in that endeavor, however, if for any reason it looks like we will fail, we have an exit plan. I will not sacrifice the children as a matter of pride. There is nothing worth the lives of our families to me.
Amen.
It is worth knowing why and how many of our ancestors came to America. In one case an ancestor of mine was a POW on shipboard just offshore from Latvia during
Sweden’s Great Northern War circa 1700. He managed to escape and eventually made his way to New Jersey by 1704. Another ancestral couple told a US Census taker in Illinois in 1860 that they were born in Ireland. That could easily place their exit in the middle of the Irish Potato Famine where the British military was blockading all incoming food relief supplies — with their intent to forcibly starve millions to death. Another group of ancestors had been in Ukraine for a handful of generations when in 1872 the new Russia czar decided my people’s exemption from slavery in the Russian army (euphemistically called the draft or conscription) had officially ended. By fall of that year three shiploads of my people arrived in America. In contrast … descendants of those who either chose not to emigrate or could not afford to ship out … were starved to death when Stalin confiscated all their farm crops in his 1932-1933 Holodomor.
So if I ever have to make a decision whether to pick up and flee to “somewhere” it would be with full knowledge of why and how a number of my ancestors had to make similar decisions to come here — to whom I owe my existence today.
–Lewis
the concept of home was stolen from me just a few short years after birth by divorce and then an endles string of homes and then foster homes which were in some ways even worse than living with my parents….i barly have a connection to my blood relatives now…at age 64 it bothers me a little but i beleive when things go south and they are headed that way at a very fast pace this ugly messy life that i have led will infact be a blessing to me and to those around me,i wont be troubled by any thing ancestral or any property because i dont have any of that every thing i have is mobile or can be moved while i have the fuel to move it…but after this war starts and has gone on for about 8 weeks or so i will be able to pick and choose where i will live as the owners of those properties along with their entire families will be dead entire towns will be emptied out and murdered not by me of course it i beleive will be the chinese that do this genocide…i have moved into a smallish town in the rocky mountains and when this starts i will disappear like a mist into those mountains and just listen both with my ears and radios and when things have calmed down in my area ill start to look around and see what is available to me and then i will have figure out where i need to be on what side of what line on what map i need to be and then get their…good luck to all of you and god bless and keep you safe
Good article that generates a lot of thought. Seems like one key issue would be to identify the threat far enough in advance to escape the home before violence begins. Leaving a home that is already under attack may not be possible. With enough warning, escape by vehicle may be an option, assuming you have somewhere to go. But leaving on foot (with a threat in the area) might not be possible.
I’m sure some readers could walk out the back door and into a forest, then pick up a cache to get by until returning home after looters leave (would they stay more than a few hours or days? Just clean out your home?). I’m in a suburban area (moving isn’t an option). While there are forests and fields within half a mile, I’d either have to either follow the roads or cut through neighbor yards, potentially jumping fences; probably not a good idea if some neighbors are feeling “defensive” and probably not possible with my three dogs. We could go to family member homes, two options about 40 miles away (different directions) and one a couple hundred miles away (probably not coming back from there).
But to leave by vehicle, I’d need sufficient warning to clear the area without getting stopped or trapped. And while a suburban neighborhood might be a target, I suspect that homes on the edges would be more attractive. An attacking group should be less likely to choose a house in the middle of a block (surrounded by other homes) due to risk of potential crossfire from other home defenders (lots of deer hunters around here!). A house on the edge or corner can be approached more easily, with field or empty land on two sides. Maybe that attack would provide warning? But it would also mean that attackers are on the edge of my neighborhood, which would require leaving in a different direction.
Long story short, I’d leave if possible (by whatever route available) rather than die facing overwhelming odds. But only if I could take my dogs (we don’t have kids). And I’d hope that within a day or two, the gang moved on and I could come back home, however damaged it might be (hopefully not burned down). As someone noted in another comment, my supplies can be well-hidden and likely never found, thus available if I could return. Leaving home does not necessarily mean never coming back, unless the gang stays at your home indefinitely.
But lacking sufficient warning, leaving may not be an option. In that case, I’d hope to put up enough fight so the gang moved on. And I understand that I could die attempting to accomplish that. But at that late stage, leaving could mean death anyway.
I know several of my immediate and extended neighbors, not necessarily bosom buddies but at least on amicable terms. There’s no militia here today, but unknown uglies showing up in.the area would cause a few phone calls and local get togethers in addition to contacts with the sheriff’s office. We’re a few miles from the closest state highway; if something was going down nearby I’d likely hear about it and elevate our security posture.
What if the gummit and the narco gangs are in cahoots? I doubt it. What would be the benefit to TPTB to wipe us off the map? Can they replace farmers with narcos and expect anything to get harvested? Ask Zimbabwe. Stores sell cows and pigs, which run on grass and grain; that would all go away if they drive off the grumpy Trumpsters. They could replace us with homesick troonies and Tik Tok influencers from Floydsville but they can kiss their porterhouse steaks goodbye. My family would more likely be driven away by forest fire.
A secondary location? I’ll follow my PACE plan; primary would be a local motel. Alternate, a neighbor’s place. Contingency and Emergency? We’ll just have to keep that under OPSEC wraps…
Ahhhh… to live in a neighborhood where you have like minded people… it would be nice! In my hood I’ve been asked, “You’re not one of those Conspiracy Theorists guys are you?” Well no, of course not. What good would it do to try and educate you? So, I shut up and move on. Problem is, those same people will be coming to my door someday when they run out of food. Formulate your response now and rehearse it as it will be very difficult to turn people away.
Best not to talk to anyone, others have tried and neighbors refuse to get together or plan anything like bartering groups or watching the street when things collapse. Most everyone is in denial anyway and live in the now. Besides making ends meet, their spare time is on social media, video games and texting. Nothing else seems to matter. People around us don’t know we have preps or other items. I learned decades ago as others have, that most people don’t care much about anything real. After the covid hysteria, I cut ties with covid cult members who refused to listen to warnings, and those who think things can be fixed politicially. I assoc. with few now.
Dear Laura, you HAVE to talk to others in your surroundings or otherwise, you´ll be targeted. It´s a way to maintain your camo.
But you should just let them know information about you that won´t make them storm your place…
My credentials:
I will be 80 this August 2023.
My wife (the only one) and I have been married since 1964.
The control/destruction of the family and the failings of mans churches are destroying our nation. No nation can survive the failing of it’s foundation – the Family.
Mans churches are failing as we enter the end of days of which we have been forewarned.
I started to write a letter years ago to my family which turned into a website. Money has no value there, no trips to Alaska, no books to buy, NO – NONE OF THAT. Be prepared to think for yourself.
If nothing else at the top of the home page from left read from: GOD’S FAMILY, GOD’S CHURCH,
MESSAGE OF THE VALE AND THE WOMEN AT THE WELL, REBUILD-RESTORE-RENEW, AND ABOUT.
What is God’s Church? It’s Jesus Christ and Born Again Believers having the indwelling of the Holy Spirit our True Guide, our True Teacher, our True Comforter along with God’s Word and the Testimony of His Creation. They are the living breathing Church Of God, adopted Sons and Daughters of God destined to be with Him throughout eternity.
Mans Churches have assumed to themselves as they supposed priesthoods and authority thereby dividing believers one against another. They also assumed responsibilities which God ordained and appointed for Men and Women (The Family) – not men’s churches. This is the main reason christian marriages are failing at the same rate as secular families.
Best to all and your loved ones in Jesus Christ – Daniel https://www.knowingforyourself.com
Some are fed up w/ corp. 501c3 churches with apostate pastors coming from seminaries, they are muzzled from preaching warnings, but most don’t care. They have turned into social centers and money pits with hollowed out sermons and new style music. Civic clubs likewise social centers accomplishing nothing. The church has failed because they condone most anything. Best to home church or meet with likeminded in small groups.https://newswithviews.com/and-the-pulpits-are-silent-2/ also:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E34XoDLJ4I
We all know but nobody does anything about it. They will not reinforce the border but leave it wide open. Nobody does nothing. NOBODY!
Im adding some perspective here for nuance that I know Jose would appreciate! “Know when you can no longer stay” has to be How can you go IF You can go!
Many of us who are in this community may be subject to extenuating circumstances. Yes you can leave if you can drive away or can ride away … but what is your assessment if you need to walk away or run away if the need calls.
I know I cant do the later very well or far or at all.
This adds a whole new dynamic to your decision. You will have to plan accordingly.
My thoughts are clear – I am rural – I will make this a hill one no one wants to climb unless truly life and death intent. Will I outlast all the skirmishes – not likely – but every human has to pick a final stand for their existence
And this is not a bad place to make that stand.
Dear Ric, sure your perspective is highly appreciated!
Braveness and courage are values that seem to be low in demand.
I have a personal story of someone who fled with his family when an armed gang stormed out his place…only to return a few hours later, in the night, with hired gunslingers and found all of the gang passed out drunk, laying on the floors. Can´t say what happened later, but many happy people can defend their places now with the commandeered tools…
I see the great point you made Jose. I didnt include that strategic point but it adds a whole new dynamic – is it a storm and loot or storm and seize.
I have friends that plan to leave with interior man traps in place invaders will not catch or know … the variables are truly endless so that in end you may still return and reacquire that which you worked so hard for!
I just not know? I am old and where will I go?