An Interview with Selco Begovic
Author of The Dark Secrets of SHTF Survival and the online course SHTF Survival Boot Camp
Let’s talk about martial law. This is when the normal law of the land is suspended and the authority comes from the military or federal government.
One recent example of undeclared martial law in the US was when the police were looking for the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing and went door to door, forcing innocent people to come outside with their hands on their heads at gunpoint, while their homes were searched without warrants.
It turns out that many of us have some serious misconceptions of what it’s really like to live through a martial law situation. I asked Selco, who has personally been through it, to clear up the myths and tell us what it’s actually like. You can always count on him for the unvarnished truth, and that’s what we need to be prepared to survive extreme situations.
Would you say that your city in Bosnia was under martial law for any part of your ordeal? How long did it last?
During Yugoslav wars, in different regions (states) based on particular timing and events you can say that martial law was in place, or “state of direct war threat” as some call it here.
There were different “stages” or even levels of it, but one common fact is that during that all normal civil rights and laws were completely and absolutely a matter of the will of the “war government.” (Or “military council” or “war headquarters”.)
The names were different for different regions, even cities, but the results were the same.
In the case of my city in that particular time, it was “war government” that had little influence on ordinary citizen simply because there were too many factions.
But prior to that time and after that year I experienced and went through something that looks more like real “martial law” as your readership imagines it.
Many people in the prepper community think they’ll be able to take on the militarized police or army rather than bending to the new rules. How do you think that will go? Can you give any examples of people attempting to defy the military?
Yes, I am aware that lot of preppers imagine martial law to be like some black and white situation (with clear causes, solutions, and views). In reality, it is quite different.
It is a situation where all stakes are much higher, and solutions-actions that the government ( ruling party, military leaders or whoever in your case) wants to achieve will be attempted with all means. That can include some new rules where what you think about it usually does not mean anything.
A lot of preppers think about “martial law” but in reality, they think about it still in normal terms, with rights, law, constitution, and rules…
You cannot defy military, at least not openly, because they will deal with you fast and efficiently. In times like that it is so easy to get labeled that you are dangerous, an enemy of the state, a terrorist or anything similar, and most probably you will not have any help.
Forget about the movie illusions of openly being a freedom fighter.
No matter how well-organized you are, those who impose martial law have better organization than you. Remember that martial law usually means an information blackout. “They” will own information and present it to the public the way that they want to present it.
There are a lot of myths about martial law in prepper lore. Can you discuss a few of them?
In my opinion here are a few really widespread myths in prepper movement about martial law:
“The UN will somehow “occupy” my land, impose martial law.”
When it comes to martial law I would choose to be worried about my own government first when times get really hard. That’s because most probably your freedom will be taken by those people through the martial law so they can achieve they own goals, or in order to stay in power when all goes to s..t.
It is not about who lives where, and what kind of system you have, and how much you love your country. It is about powerful people staying in power when times get really hard, even if that means taking all your rights and eliminating all possible threats from the common folks.
Patriotism does not have anything to do with that.
While you are looking for some outside “exotic” threat, the danger may be next to you all the time.
“I will recognize the threat (coming martial law, repression etc), and fight against it.”
Most probably you won’t because it will be arranged into something easily “digestible.”
For example, it will be a fight against terrorism, foreign threat, patriotism euphoria, or something similar, and then one day you’ll realize you are living in the middle of “no more rights” situation. Maybe even you’ll even be labeled as an enemy of the state simply because you have a weapon, or an off-grid retreat or similar.
Do not expect to see one day a big neon sign that says “martial law is coming”, because it will be smartly packaged into something reasonable and understandable. And most probably it will not be called martial law.
It will be packaged in a way that most people will actually welcome it, because they will not recognize what is actually, and those who openly recognize it and call it by its real name will be the first in danger.
The majority of people will look for it and ask for it, because they will think it will resolve a hard situation.
If you are going to be able to fight it, most probably you’ll have to fight it in a silent way, like a real underground resistance movement.
“I just need to obey the rules and look after my own business and all will be fine.”
Actually yes, this is true. But it is hard to obey rules when those rules actually take all of your freedoms.
One of the first actions in martial law situations is to eliminate possible threats – or let’s say “subversive elements”.
It can be done in a soft way by shutting down free press. for example. Or making you obedient (docile) by taking away your resources, and making you dependant on resources that they will give you. Or it can be done the hard way by making “problematic” people “disappear” after raids for example.
You can be that problematic man if you are openly opposed to them taking your rights, if you have other political opinions, are in the prepper movement, or similar.
Maybe you are already on some list of “emergency detention people” in case of an event.
Run away, or obey publicly while you are silently working whatever you can against it.
You simply need to be grey.
What is life really like under martial law?
There are two faces of it:
The outside face: martial law is there because of whatever reason. There are new rules, and if you obey all will be fine.
The real face: martial law means whatever they want at a particular moment. For example, the military may confiscate all your food and meds and you’ll be hungry and sick the day after. Or you may be detained for as long is necessary, or even killed.
The real problem is that in the case of serious martial law for a prolonged time (nothing like bad weather event or similar) people will hear only information that “they” want you to hear (remember free press and speech is gone). So it will be quite easy to after some time to make the majority of people to believe in whatever they want them to.
It is really scary how easy it is to make people believe in something ridiculous if that is repeated enough times and i the situation is out of ordinary.
There was a period in time during martial law here in my region when the order was that people were to leave all doors (on houses and apartments) unlocked and only partially closed (ajar) because the authority issued an order that all folks are subject to house searches at any moment. The authority did not want to lose time breaking through the door. Any closed and locked door would be considered a threat and would be attacked.
Now you can say “I will defend my home”, but I will say that if you are already caught in that situation (you did not bug out somewhere or you do not have a big organization) you will simply die, and everybody else in that house will too, because you’ll be labeled an enemy of the state or a terrorist.
Homes like that did not even get searched or checked. They were blown up from the outside.
You were labeled simply as a threat.
Just obey in situations like that.
How much do the laws change?
There are no “laws.” There are proclamations which direct your aspects of living. You obey or you are a target.
In some of the regions here where martial law was in rule but still no real war or violence, the press that still worked had completely identical headlines, full of praise for the rulers, generals or those in power.
It was ridiculous to see the same stuff in every newspaper, but people read it. Actually, most people, after some time, believed it.
That is scary.
I remember the case of one journalist who opposed ruling people in some article in his newspaper.
A few days after, he disappeared. Later he was found dead. He had been tortured.
Years later the truth emerged that the ruling party leader paid a few criminals to do that.
But what was really scary is fact that in the moment of his death most of the common folks commented with words like, “He got what he deserved” and “he was traitor.”
The point is that after some time of living in martial law conditions, a lot of people start to believe all that is “for their own good.” They are ready to get rid of everybody who thinks differently, even if that means one day they will be next who will “disappear.”
The sad truth is that the majority of people are sheep.
How does martial law hamper your efforts to survive?
It is completely opposite to what survival movement is about.
A big part of survival is having the means to be independent, self-sufficient, and ready all the time.
Martial law is about having people under control, with less than needed resources(so they can be controlled by it), with constant fear and threats of the unknown. It is about taking your rights and freedoms.
It is about control.
You are not in control anymore. You are not in control of your life.
Were there ways that people got around the rules of martial law or were able to fight back?
Yes, but you are going to be “outlawed” and hunted like a mad dog. You’ll be labeled as a “great danger” and you will not have any rights at all in terms of expecting to be spared.
It is (again) how strong you or your group is, if you are common man with family, you need to obey or look like you obey.
If you have some organization, maybe a prepper group, and you belong to something bigger and stronger, then your options are different.
But the big thing here that you’ll be labeled by the majority of folks as a “enemy” or “terrorist” or” lunatic” or whatever because it is what majority of folks are going to believe. In times like that, the majority of folks will obey because of blind trust, fear, or simple stupidity.
Are members of the military held to different standards of behavior during a martial law situation?
Yes, there were different actions from them based on the individuals who were in charge during the particular situation.
There were cases of soldiers rejecting orders from some officers because they felt it was against everything they were taught.
Usually, those soldiers disappeared too.
The military was big machinery, and parts of that machinery operated on orders like any military. In martial law times, orders are rarely questioned because punishments for that were hard.
Can you tell us anything else about this?
Do not adopt opinions about some romantic version of martial law, because that does not exist.
You as an individual may have huge preps and means and plans, but in a martial law situation, you are way too small to count on any real results if you try taking your rights and freedoms back.
About Selco:
Selco survived the Balkan war of the 90s in a city under siege, without electricity, running water, or food distribution.
In his online works, he gives an inside view of the reality of survival under the harshest conditions. He reviews what works and what doesn’t, tells you the hard lessons he learned, and shares how he prepares today.
He never stopped learning about survival and preparedness since the war. Regardless of what happens, chances are you will never experience extreme situations as Selco did. But you have the chance to learn from him and how he faced death for months.
- Read more of Selco’s articles
- Buy his PDF books
- Buy his #1 Release paperback, The Dark Secrets of SHTF Survival
- Take advantage of a deep and profound insight into his knowledge by signing up for his online course SHTF Survival Boot Camp.
- Learn the inside story of what it was really like when the SHTF with his online course One Year in Hell.
Real survival is not romantic or idealistic. It is brutal, hard and unfair. Let Selco take you into that world.
Yes.
I know of more than a few preppers who honestly believe they will be the ones, the freedom fighters, who will lead the charge against NWO and the UN Blue Helmets from taking over the USA!
More than a few have never been in the military, and even more than a few cannot run to the fridge without getting winded.
But their tricked out tacti-cool weapon somehow bestows mad Rambo like training and skills as well as physical fitness, just by owning said tacti-cool weapon.
Or, because their father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate was a Navy SEAL, that makes them one too.
Regardless, I do not know how similar a situation would be here in the US compared to Bosnia. Differences in land mass, population density, climate and terrain differences vary greatly. Race, religion, politics, etc. You might be the lone pro/anti-whatever in your area, but due to that, you might have to adopt the other side just to stay fed or safe.
Who is on whos or whats side? LEO, the military, the NG? Would local militias pop up? How many regions would break away from their state to form their own states (i.e. parts of CA and CO come to mind)?
The main thing I got from the article was it is more important to NOT be dependent on our current BAU/JIT food system and be as self-sustainable as possible. And stay gray.
Keep prepping.
I agree with your take-away of the article. My take-away was similar – staying gray. But also thinking “gray” – remembering that nothing is black and white and if something is presented neatly that way – alarm bells should immediately go off. Thinking gray would be using the current situation we live in to take every morsel of “media” with a grain of salt – training oneself to view all news stories with a discerning eye and an inquiring mind. Doing the mental exercises of peeling back the layers to expose what the media spin is intending to acheive by their tactics and viewing all situations with a bigger agenda behind it. When the propaganda machine becomes oppressive those who have trained themselves to think around and through things rather than simply react will, perhaps, be more enabled to quietly resist and anticipate what’s coming.
Shey, that is a great analysis concerning what information is being reported in the media.
I would not call the MSM as the enemy of the people, but they and their blatant bias is a disservice to the American people.
They have lost all objectivity, and only promote their agenda and view point.
And I agree with your last statement; thinking vs reacting.
Marine,
You hit the nail on the head.
Thank you, sir.
” You might be the lone pro/anti-whatever in your area, but due to that, you might have to adopt the other side just to stay fed or safe.”
Did they teach you that in the Marine Corps? Personally, I’d rather die than submit. My life, my choice.
I would like to know why you feel the need to disparage that group of people who express their patriotism and willingness to fight rather than submit to fascistic authority. I’d also like to know why you assume they are all a bunch of fat worthless pogues.
SERE training isn’t just about survival.
No, they did not teach that in the Corps.
I am talking about the average American, suddenly finding themselves in a potentially hostile situation, surrounded by people who might do them harm.
Take the recent demonstrations at the Target Center in Minneapolis. It is one thing to be big and bold on the internet. Quite different when trying to leave a rally and you are beset upon. and surrounded by a dozen or more protesters who have no problem with visiting violence on you.
I’m not certain, but I think I see your point. I just don’t see me ever being that guy. Even when that Beltway Sniper incident was going on and my area had suffered several casualties I still went about my business in public. Naturally my head was always on a swivel. I don’t have a death wish.
And I’ve been assaulted by multiple assailants in the past as well. Three guys tried to mug me on my way from the base to the laundromat one night. The first one hit me from behind with a pipe in the head and put me on my knees as the other two closed in. Fortunately I didn’t pass out. I stabbed pipe boy while he was going for my wallet. His screams caused the other two to flee in terror. I picked up my seabag and continued to the laundromat.
My point is that you don’t have to be Rambo to defend yourself and that applies in every situation in life. So, when I hear people say,”They’ll pull that crap on the wrong person one day” I just grin. I AM that “person”.
Obviously you want to extricate yourself from a hostile environment with as little engagement as possible…especially if you have loved ones with you. But I have to ask the question…why would you (generic, meaning anyone) bring loved ones to a venue you KNEW might turn violent in the first place? Why would you go to such a venue if you weren’t prepared to defend yourself from what you knew might happen during or afterwards? Is it terminal normalcy bias? Total lack of situational awareness? A moronic assumption that the cops are there to help you? Or just stupid arrogance?
Personally, I wouldn’t be caught dead at a Trump rally any more than I would willingly stick my head in a wood chipper…and for the life of me I’ll never understand people who do these kinds of things and then act surprised when they get hurt or killed.
My idea of being the grey man is a ghilly suit and a wood lot. In public I’ve always been the “medium height, medium build” guy in jeans, a plain tee shirt, ball cap and tennis shoes. I don’t need to affect “greyness”. I AM greyness.
And I stay the hell away from crowds as much as possible…especially violent ones. I would certainly never pay hard earned money to put myself in that kind of environment. I’ll never understand people who do.
Peace out.
Who do you think staffs these armies, police forces and guard units, dimwit? It’s Americans and if you think for one minute that they’d go to war with their countrymen you are as dumb as a bag of hammers. I’m surprised that neither you or the other third-worlder Selco stated “but, but, but nuclear weapons!”. You are a foreigner who doesn’t have clue about the people of my country.
You’re being naive if you think it’s not possible. Take a look at how the media has changed citizens’ political views already- people in the streets demanding repeal of an amendment, not even just a post-thought amendment, but one from the Bill of Rights. If the media can bulk up a story like that and turn people against their own families, who is to say this isn’t possible? If everyone thinks a “rebel” is a traitor because the media says so because the government or whoever is in charge says so, then it’s absolutely possible. Don’t be naive.
The media hasn’t changed anyone’s political views. They only reinforce previously held beliefs. An electronic echo-chamber. People have been marching to repeal the 2A since before I was born and you know what? Gun rights have actually gotten stronger and public opinion has actually swung to the side of gun rights. Distrust of the gov’t and the gov’t media complex is at an all time high. Everyone isn’t going to think anything. Don’t be naive.
I have to jump in here. So many times I have read a response such as yours
and am gravely concerned for you.
True. America has more gun owners then any other country.
Yet, what Selco is stating has already been planned for and you apparently aren’t aware of it.
Under Bush, an emergency plan was written up to deal with a “NEED” to use martial law in the US effectively.
Divide the country into 8 sections first. Doesn’t mean immediate all over martial law. No.
Let’s say “something” happens in the northeast; ie New York; Boston.
It spreads just enough to cause major concern it will spread and worsen.
And let’s assume, that in some areas events occur where citizens take matters into their own hands. Not unjustifiably, but that won’t matter. The gov’t cannot allow citizens to enforce law by taking action which may have prevented death of others, such as their family. Or, maybe worse, citizens acted based upon circumstantial evidence and the result was again, death.
The northeast is sector one. And a ‘governor’ is appointed to control this sector. Given military support to suppress any uprisings, lootings, or further “terrorists” acts.
ALL NEWS is controlled. Even ham radio is interrupted.
Martial law is declared.
Within that sector, guns are now banned. Still, not everyone will comply.
Reports spread about how so and so, died on his front door at 5am, when THEY came for his guns. Why? Because he was a bigmouth. And prior to the “event” that invoked martial law, he made it known he was a Patriot, and would die for his country. Well, now he is dead. What happens to his family if he has one?
Or, he was part of group known as Patriots, etc, this group will now be hunted. You honestly believe this small band of conscientious men are going to out gun the gov’t of their sector?
Let’s say you aren’t among those specifics.
Yet you own and will not surrender your weapons.
Can you trust the neighbors? When everyone is told “rewards” exist for turning in troublemakers? Now YOU live not only under martial law, you live under suspicion of everyone around you.
To keep it short, this is just the start. Sector one goes martial law.
As for the rest of the country? They get told what the gov’t feels is necessary for them to be told. The gov’t has everything under control in Sector one. Yes there are out breaks of violence by gangs, and Patriotic groups who feel violated, and terror cells, but despite these everything is under control.
Slowly, each other Sector, begins to enforce “new laws” to ” provide a sense of security and well being”. “Do.not.be.alarmed. We.are.only.ensuring.that.further.trouble.does.not.spread.into.this area.of.the.country.” As long as you comply, what is the problem?
Food shortages begin. Rationing begins. Checkpoints arise. Power shortages may occur. And YOU know better. And who are you? What ‘large army’ are you a part of? Who is the voice of command for you?
This is a BIG country. Ever consider what it would take to travel from say W. VA to Wisconsin undercover? So you can stand side by side with all the OTHERS? And give them a what for?
Ever pay attention to the volumes of news AND PHOTO’s showing just how much military power is moving around the country. And I would say NEVER do any of these vehicles of war, display the US flag, designation nor known military insignia of the US military.
If so, the where is our Constitutional Militia hiding?
Where is that one voice of command making the rallying cry to take up arms?
My friend, you are somewhat delusional. Not dumb. Yet not taking the time to evaluate just how easily it could be done to initiate martial law across this land we once called FREE.
Would a ‘take-over’ be successful, I pray not. And do believe it could be possible to reverse and regain our country. YET, at GREAT COST OF LIFE.
A great cost! More to the point, Americans having to kill Americans. Again.
I KNOW, Freedom, is not FREE. Spare me the cliche’.
What Selco is trying to do, is clarify, that what you think you know, and what can be, are two DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT things.
P.S. boy, are you WRONG about how influential the media can be, and is.
Well, it sounds pretty hopeless. I guess we all better just roll over & die.
I always wonder why people automatically believe every member of the armed forces, LEO, NG et al will do whatever the government says.
We have already seen people in our very government who have actively ignored their civil duty to perform their job because of their political beliefs (e.g. Lois Lerner and the IRS scandal).
In the military we are trained about following lawful orders, The Constitution, and ethics.
More than a few members of the military, NG would not follow a unlawful order.
There are a lot of LEO who are pro-2nd.
Dear John:
First of all, I’d like to point out that I have many loved ones who have served and I am grateful for their service. I can’t imagine any of them behaving in a way that is unAmerican, but it is you who are delusional if you think that it can’t happen at all based on your patriotic belief system.
Please refer to these links for some examples of what some folks in uniform will do.
Kent State: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_State_shootings
G20 Pittsburgh: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_G20_Pittsburgh_summit
The Ruby Ridge Massacre: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Ridge
And here’s a video of the search for the alleged Boston bombers, just in case you need a visual.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJwSDMjU_qY
You can learn a lot from Selco if you aren’t closed-minded. All the theory and speculation in the world isn’t worth 1% of his actual experience.
Best wishes.
Daisy
That’s nice of you to cherry-pick two examples out of the millions of patriots who’ve served and continue to serve. LOL I can’t learn anything from “Selco” because I don’t live in a third world S-hole. I live in a country that has a history of a Second Amendment, individual liberty and rugged individualism. His actual experience can inform those who live in similar circumstances not those who live in the first world.
John, I don’t believe you understand what I’m saying at all because you’re choosing to be outraged instead of opening your mind to learn.
I’m not saying that every member of the armed forces or police department will be willing to turn on their fellows, but I guarantee you there will be plenty who will if they’re being fed and cared for by the person in power. This is human nature. And they will recruit those most likely to agree to dominate their neighbors. There are many more examples I could give aside from the 3 that I have, but I don’t have all day to show you what you aren’t willing to see.
As for your comment about nothing to learn from Selco, I can do nothing but laugh. Bosnia is not America but it’s far from the 3rd world. He has experienced things you couldn’t imagine and to scoff at his knowledge is truly ridiculous and shows a blatant lack of adaptability.
Those who think they have nothing to learn are actually the ones who could benefit most from listening.
Now, I’m not going to continue to argue with you here on my website. I’ll welcome any civil conversations but insulting my guests is going to stop right now.
I wish you all the best, sir.
Daisy
Beautiful response! Keep doing what you’re doing, Daisy. There are many people in your audience who want to learn. Let John do himself a disservice by being close-minded. I enjoy Selco’s input and stories- they give us ideas to consider and apply as necessary.
“I guarantee you there will be plenty who will if they’re being fed and cared for by the person in power. This is human nature.” – I guarantee you that these few people you believe would turn on their countrymen have to live in or return to their communities and have families that have to live in those communities. You are trying to take a limited example and extrapolate it to the wider situation and it isn’t anywhere near reality.
To riff on Margate Thatcher
Where will the 3rd worlders go when there are no more 1st world nations to leech off.
People from the 3rd world create the 3rd world wherever they are, & we have been importing them hand over fist.
An HIV+ somali moslem refusegee increases the GDP by more than an average family practice Dr because all govt spending increases the GDP, but not per capital GDP. HIV medications alone run ~$8000 a month per person. This is why Bloomberg thinks filling Detriot up with refugees on welfare is a good idea, as people like him can profit off it.
Take this article written by form Delta Force operator Paul Howe regarding what would happen to those who took up arms against the citizenry:
http://www.combatshootingandtactics.com/published/2nd_amen.pdf
Paul Howe must live in a different country, because police here have already taken up arms against the citizenry– breaking down doors, dragging half-naked people out of their homes in the middle of the night, handcuffing and jailing young children, confiscating (stealing) property, assaulting whomever they want, and shooting innocent people and even their dogs. The police are warring against anyone they choose, especially if they’re old, young, or disabled. There are no repercussions. Very few have been charged with crimes. And no one does a thing. Where are the patriots he says will defend us? And now police departments are arming themselves with tanks and other weapons of war. It’s certainly not for use against illegals, and no one has invaded us, so these weapons must be intended for us. These are the people we pay to SERVE us! What makes him think military folks will behave any differently, if they’re even on their own soil when the SHTF?
You are obviously a cop hater and are conflating local police action in a libtard controlled area with federal government tyranny. Nice attempt, though.
“What makes him think military folks will behave any differently” – probably because he was at the tip of the spear in the most elite military outfit for over a decade and has trained thousands of military, law enforcement and citizens.
Tumbleweed,
And if this is how they treat us when we’re armed to the teeth, what do you think they’ll do to us if we give up our guns?
You’re right on point here.
If you believe wikipedia, there’s more to the story.
Take the example of Kent State—most of those in the national guard were scared kids who were in the guard to avoid being sent to ’Nam. They were being pelted with rocks and bottles, then heard a shot in the crowd. Years later, Jack Anderson, the investigative reporter, reported on witnesses who had observed a man going around in the crowd taking photographs of those involved in the demonstration. One of the people he photographed objected and attacked him, whereupon the cameraman pulled out a pistol and shot at the person. Only afterwards, the scared kids in the national guard, thinking that the shot was aimed at them, fired into the crowd. I believe Jack Anderson before I believe wikipedia.
Waco is even more instructive—the government agents controlled all the information the public received during the siege. Were they telling the truth? We don’t know. In fact, there’s good reason to question the government’s account. We know that the same sniper who murdered Vicki Weaver was firing at civilian targets in Waco. Was the leader of the compound a religious nut who held his followers in mental slavery as the government claims, or was there something else? There’s evidence that the government’s plan was that nobody from the compound would survive and in fact the majority of the victims who were women and children were deliberately murdered.
Look at how the control of information has shaped the public’s attitude towards that event! And look at how the government narratives of the Las Vegas massacre, the Florida school shooting, the El Paso Walmart shooting, etc. are drowning out eye-witness testimonies that show that the government narratives are false!
While I don’t think things will turn out exactly how Selco describes them, I think his general guidelines, backed up by specific examples, are definitely worth listening to.
I expect a world war, with nuclear weapons, within the next few years. Tens of millions will die in the U.S. with the world-wide death toll over a billion. What will happen then? Civil war? Martial law? We need to stay flexible and prepared for whatever happens. We have no guide book telling us what will happen, what side to choose if sides are chosen, how to respond to overwhelming force, and other issues that Selco brought up in this article. Thank you, Daisy, for publishing it.
I think you are right.
@John Blankenshipsmith: Police officers, Federal agents, and military members are loyal only to their paychecks, their cadillac health insurance benefits, and their gold-plated pension plans. They will cheerfully attack, kill, imprison and torture their fellow Americans and support the establishment of tyranny, just to keep their fabulous benefits package. Every tyrannical government knows it’s imperative to purchase the loyalty of LEOs and military members by offering them benefits unavailable to the masses. There will be no liberty until LEOs and military members are deprived of their benefits package. Then watch how fast they drop their weapons and shuck off their uniforms.
Maggie, going to take a wild guess here and say you must not know any LEO, Federal agents or military members.
I’ve met good ones and bad ones (VERY bad ones) in each of those categories. I’m even related to a few. I think if you value intellectual honesty you would have to admit the same.
We all have to move past this monolithic way of thinking if we are to truly understand the nature of the threat against us…nay…to understand the very nature OF “us”. Even this little band of prepper brothers we have assembled here is wildly diverse. It is plain to see. It is, however, a difficult thing to wrap our minds around. It requires a level of thought that actually burns calories. Some are not capable of that level of understanding. Others are simply not willing to expend the effort.
Sadly, it falls to the willing and able to do the heavy lifting. In the end I don’t think it will be enough…and that is the root cause of the fracturing (not dividing) of our civil society.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but there’s no stopping what can’t be stopped. As I see it, we’re already over the cliff and in free fall right now. All that’s left is the sudden stop at the bottom.
@1stMarineJarHead: I retired from the military after 20+ years. Joint service for 6 of those years, so I met a good sampling of personnel from all services. Most of those with whom I interacted were honest about the venality of their motives for serving.
A complete lock-down/martial law is not at all possible in this country.
Can’t happen. Never will happen.
Not even if the US DC regime imported a million foreign soldiers into this country would it be possible.
There simply aren’t enough law-enforcement types, alphabet agents and military to pull the job off. FYI–there about 2 million of these kinda’ people presently in the USA–and not all of them will go along with the program even if martial law is imposed by some despot.
Perhaps ‘they/them’ will be able to lock down just a few major cities in this country–but that’s about all. Perhaps they will be able to shut off the internet and censor some talking heads–but restrict and lock down every town in every state?! You are delusional if you think this is possible.
And if some thug/regime in this country decided to impose a state of martial law–it would be over for this regime and for these thugs in a matter of weeks…. such would be the reaction from the people. The outrage and protests and outright uprisings would not be containable.
Wrap your skulls around this please.
Wrap your mind around this. They won’t have to. All they have to do is cut off the food supplies and power down the grid. Blame it on “terrorists”. 90% of the civilians in the country would turn themselves in willingly for the promise of a green bologna sandwich and a warm place to sleep. They wouldn’t even have to fire a shot in anger to get control of 90% of the population. They could then hunt down the remaining holdouts at their leisure.
You do realize by cutting off the power and food supply, they will be in the same boat as everyone else.
And by cutting off the power, they lose control completely.
As military men, we both know about logistics and supply lines. Those FEMA Kamps will be well supplied, as will the troops guarding them. “Everyone else” IS the target. Evil always looks after itself.
If the goal is depopulation, why would they want “control”? They want a zombie apocalypse scenario. They WANT chaos and death on a massive scale.
Look at the beta test going on in CA right now with PG&E cutting power to 2 million citizens. The disabling of radio repeaters killing ham radio comms. Within 24 hrs there’s already reports of nut jobs taking pot shots at PG&E employees.
You see where this is going?
And then came the coronavirus in 2020. Medical martial law instituted GLOBALLY. Never say never my friend. TPTB have every trick up their sleeve.
@Shinmen Takezo
Evidently you missed the “Medical Martial Law” that was imposed on the American people recently under the guise of “Safety”. Did you not take notice of the millions of small Mom & Pop businesses that the government ordered closed, while they bailed out their friends in big corporations?
Take off your blinders sir, it IS happening as I type.
Hey Chuckman… you’re nuts with most of your assumptions. Anyone who listens to a defeatist, doom-spreader like yourself should have their heads examined. FYI– 3% of this country would rise up in arms (actually around 5% to 8%). What is 3% of 350 million people? Please do the math. How many thugs would THUGFOR have at their disposal? Answer: about 2.2 million (assuming they all showed up).
Please compare the numbers and decide which is bigger.
FYI–the USA has at the peak deployment in Afganistan about 150,000 troops (from all over the world) in that country, against at the most 5,000 insurgents… and still we could not get a handle on the Afgan problem and cannot to this day. Imagine if these numbers were flipped wildly inside a country like the USA where people actually know how to operate flush toilets–and also where large numbers of military veterans of all types reside.
Go away with your crybaby comments please.
Afghans successfully resist invaders in large part because they live in the stone age. They don’t operate in a first world country with a nightmarish Orwellian high tech surveillance and data-gathering system.
But whole cities have been shut down by the failure of single components in the power system. What has been done accidentally or by nature can also be done with malice aforethought by men.
That said, I find Selco’s depiction of the reality of martial law depressing. They have control, they have numbers, they have power, they can do what they want, you can’t win.
Reading that, I wonder why to even try to prepare? What’s the point of making the effort? I might as well enjoy the day and spend the time and money on something else because it won’t matter that I’ve set it up when the overlords move in. Entropy at it’s best: You can’t win, you can’t break even, you can’t quit the game. So, somebody tell me: Why keep trying?
You keep preparing and learning because as long as you’re still alive, there is hope.
Selco has been through more than most of us have ever imagined. But what is evidenced is that he’s still here. He survived martial law. He survived snipers. He survived a brutal SHTF. And he is here today.
He made it through what probably often seemed hopeless and now he shares his lessons to let us know that we can survive too. Will we face dark days? It’s not a stretch of the imagination to believe that we will. What we do today gives us a better chance to survive and get through to the other side. Use this to become stronger, not to feel hopeless.
I believe it was Winston Churchill who said, “When you’re going through hell, keep going.” Martial law isn’t something that will continue indefinitely. It would be a period of time. The strong will get through it and be free again one day.
Amen, Daisy. You really pulled the scab off the wound with this article, didn’t you? LOL!
It’s interesting to see all the different positions here, although they mostly fall into two camps.
Keep encouraging us to cling to hope and bringing us information to help us prepare. As old as I am, I still learn a trick or two by visiting here. Thank you for that!
CRW,
Yes you can quit the game. I did and I’m still here! As for “winning”? That’s simple. Just redefine your conditions for victory. Nations do it all the time.
Mind over matter, baby. If you don’t mind…it don’t matter! Put another way, “free your mind and your ass will follow!” – Platoon
It does require some hard choices and a great deal of commitment, but it can be done. Just look at Daisy’s life as an example.
Life rarely turns out as we plan it but it still beats the hell out of what’s in second place.
Assuming that the author’s description of “martial law” and its effects on average people is correct, the proper response now is to convince every American (or at least as many Americans as possible) of the absolute illegitimacy of “martial law”, so that anyone in the future who advocates it or tries to impose it will be met with overwhelming resistance at the very threshold. This is not Europe, where “marital law” has long been tolerated as somehow within the powers of government. One can read the Constitution of the United States until he goes blind before he will find a justification for “martial law” here. There are a few good books which substantiate this point. That information should be widely publicized and taken to heart, before one accepts the author’s notion that nothing can be done, whether now or later on.
Uh…Lincoln did it. And he got away with it too. And it was “legitimate” under the Constitution at the time…which was well before the War Powers Act. It would be even easier to do today.
I’m retired military, and my sad conclusion is that military members, cops, alphabet agents — the bully boys — are motivated by a paycheck and a pension. Nothing more. The bully boys commit crimes against their fellow Americans, and impassively watch and do nothing as others commit crimes against their fellow Americans, because it’s all about the paycheck and the pension. This is why every dictator makes sure his bully boys are well cared for. I sadly believe our fellow Americans the bully boys will all participate in violating our rights and oppressing us, for a paycheck and a pension. And they will not stop until their paychecks and pensions stop.
I think you’ll find today’s military (zero’s and enlisted) will be every bit as divided as our civilian population should it come to that order. To a certain extent it will depend on the nature of the reason for the order as well as how it is presented by the POTUS (or acting POTUS as the case may be). It is a hard thing to decide whether an order is lawful or not. It’s not like they’re going to open the floor for discussion. There will be a lot of factors to process and little time to do it.
I think a majority WILL follow orders, lawful or not, just because it’s the path of least resistance.
Piss off Daisy lived free 60 years will die fighting, must be a guy thing.
What a constructive comment! You need to learn some manners. You’re no “man” if you think coming into someones house and insulting them is proper behavior.
At last, an intelligent article about living under military law.
The law is whatever the man in uniform says it is. Much like the police of today. You can resist, get arrested, shot or disappeared and they will NEVER be held accountable.
There is no-one to appeal to, like the people in Gitmo, you don’t have rights.
So remember when saying that the Gitmo detainees deserved whatever they get, you will be the next.
Pastor Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for the quotation:
“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
You let it happen.
Emigrate with your children ; now.
you got to have the will to win and it always looks bad initially. make them launch every missile, nuke, and bomb. force them into their underground bunkers and pummel them there. the fight isn’t over until everyone of the idiots that caused the loss of freedom and voted for stripping americans of their rights by some contrived martial “law” are gone.
Excellent discussion with diverse opinions. This country has become more divided with a destint line drawn down the middle. We may be all Americans but as for I, I do not trust liberals/ socialist. Based on what I read and see, liberals hate America and what it stands for. I can see them turning on Americans to achieve their socialistic goals. Choose your side wisely because if the Libs have it their way, a storm is coming. Just my thoughts
Would ’twere it was divided. It is not divided. It is fractured like a poorly struck diamond ready to fall into 100 worthless pieces. It will be irreparable…just like the former Yugoslavia.
I don’t believe Selco is describing martial law, he’s describing anarchy caused by the break up of Yugoslavia into, eventually, 3 separate countries. It spread internationally with the U.N. getting involved (of course) as well as the usual culprits, U.K., France, U.S., Pakistan, etc. It was a war of ethnicity and tribalism, with ethnic cleansing, genocide, and rape perpetrated on the people. It started with just armies, but of course, the populous always gets dragged into the fight – if just to survive.
I personally cannot see anything like that happening in this country unless we have a “failed state” condition, meaning our Constitution is overridden by those in power and/or we have a civil war. With the hate and anger that is prevalent in our country right now, a civil war would not surprise me. It also would be about ethnicity and tribalism I’m afraid….
Maybe you believe in God maybe you don’t, maybe you believe He still gives visions/prophecy maybe you don’t, but I know one day the US is going to be fully under martial law, citizens will hide from the sight of militarized cops, the country will look so war torn it will look worse than a third world country, before that there will be a collapse in local governments resulting in Street gang control, the streets will be literally filthy at that time and all supplies taken by the gangs. I would never have believed had I not been shown (and my husband was shown this), unfortunately exactly what many people think won’t happen will happen and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. Traveling light at a certain point in time will be best, not in vehicles, and having the ability to run for a long time is a good idea. By the way, if you bug out to the woods don’t get comfortable cause I also saw government snipers there who would kill anyone hiding in the woods, seriously they know all your plans. Hopefully you put your trust in God (of the Bible) cos its gonna be a seriously tough time when these things happen. Enjoy your free time now. By the way I knew nothing about prepping till God showed me in a vision what He wanted me to do, thats how I know to travel light (& why I subscribe to this site to learn more), not saying you shouldn’t get the big stuff just be ready to ditch your stash and your car before the checkpoints. And find ways to hide your stash should gang rule happen. And Americans (which I am) are no better than any other people from any country in law breakdown situations, there will come a point in time you will only look after yourself, thats how bad getting captured is. It’s human nature. What this guy is saying you will experience only worse (that’s prophecy), she will reap what she has sown. I’m not excited about it but it’ll happen. And as far as the ‘freedom of speech ‘ you are already losing that more and more (obviously) in more ways than one. You are experiencing control of information. And, back to something I wrote above, the placr looked war torn worse than Syria but there was another dream of a nuclear attack which many people have also prophesied, this covered a lot of land mass (the smoke) so would it be easier to use martial law on a depleted population? Of course it would why do you think certain politicians want to start a war? This of course is a seriously old plan and nobody is standing in the way. So get ready to literally be on the run at some point in the ending of a great nation. Sorry if this sounds all doom and gloom, I was not excited to learn what I had to know. You dont have to believe me though you’ll see it for yourself. Anyways (enough prophesying) I think the warning this man gives is good to learn from though, it’s better psychologically to understand the alternate scenario (what you didn’t or couldn’t consider because we are all in a cultural box of some kind and its not the same box as the other people who are trying to survive) before you end up in that situation. Maybe it won’t get that bad but at least you would have been better prepared to handle it and adapt or make changes. With that being said I’m not surprised many people take offense to this third world guy writing stuff like that. Obviously he’s scum and doesn’t have a clue what better Americans would be like in shtf. (Sarcasm)
I’ve read or watched the recounting of several NDEs in which the person was shown America not too far into the future (they said it seemed like about 50 years or so, but that’s a rough estimate and the NDEs happened a decade or more ago). These were independent experiences. They each saw the United States in ruins, with the western and eastern seaboard under water and only the central portion above it along with scattered islands on the east. In their visions the east was in chaos, ruled by gangs and racked by violence. The cental portion fared better and emanated a spiritual glow because there were still believers (in truth, justice, God…) there.
I believe such visions (and yours) are true and will come to pass.
Mr. Chuckman,
Opposing tyranny is no joke. That is a dreadfully horrible statement.
Opposing tyranny is a duty.
Donning a uniform and running out into the streets is not how it happens either.
Well considered steps would need to occur.
If we’re talking about an “after shtf ” tyranny.
You bet there will be organized opposition and it won’t be a few yokels in uniform waving guns like a cartoon.
The difference from this selco’s and an American situations would be who is dedicated to what end.
Think on that a bit. The folks up in Boston are all predispositioned to communistic rule anyway, that would’ve gone very differently, say down in Az. or texas. The cliven Bundy event should be a clue.
So if you fight back you are dead, but if you coward down they can abuse your Spouse and daughters or maybe a homo wants you and that is ok…???
How do you want to live? Licking boots or going down in a fury and maybe just maybe change the outcome of the country… NEVER, Never give up your Guns…
Amen!
“I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees” – Emiliano Zapata
There are a few trends I am seeing I think needs to be addressed.
We can use the recent school shooting to point these out.
The Big Brother, mass surveillance apparatus knows everything about you! All the websites you have visited, all your emails, your entire Amazon shopping history, which side of the bed you sleep on!
And yet that same Big Brother apparatus missed some mentally ill kid, and all his posts, rants, pics, etc.
It took a concerned citizen, who saw the posts, contacted the FBI hot line and the local field office . . . and “There was a mistake made” is the headline I am seeing this morning.
LEO are going to come in and round everyone up. This mornings headlines reads there were four, count them 4, LEO who waited outside for backup and there is question if they even went in.
Then there is the report that 40 of 130 responding officers actually went in. Good for them. Not trying to take anything away from our LEO.
Seems to me, the 4 yahoos who were waiting for backup, they were the back up to the on site security officer, who reportedly sat in his car while the shooting was going on.
From a manpower perspective, the numbers dont add up trying to round even a small percentage of the US populace up.
The military and NG are going to round everyone up.
For every one (1) trigger puller in the field, there are three (3) troops in the rear acting in support roles. Admin, motor-T, comms, finance, supply, and a whole lot more.
If you think you are going to hand a NG admin type an M4, and he or she is going to roll into a town, and conduct mad SEAL Team Six room clearing skills . . . not so much.
Yes, you can resist martial law. You just have to value freedom more than life. Our ancestors did. We must as well, else, we’ll end up enslaved or dead anyway.
Well spoken, Joe! That is the American Spirit.
“Is peace so sweet or life so dear as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? FORBID IT ALMIGHTY GOD! I know not what course others may take, but as for me…Give me Liberty or give me Death!” – Patrick Henry
At some point in every man’s life he has to make a choice to be a victim or to be a man. Men have no respect for the choices of victims. They simply can’t afford it. We all get one life. Make it count for something and you will not be ashamed to look God in the eye when the dust finally settles.
“Luck oft enough will save a man…if his courage hold” – Viking proverb
Sounds like Communist propaganda to me. Friends and family have been on the other side of the wall.
What don’t you understand about, “Shall not be Infringed” ? The government should NEVER have control of We The People.
MAGA
Golly, it’s too bad you weren’t around to share your can’t do “wisdom” with those farmers who fought and beat the greatest military power on earth during the revolution? Too archaic a reference? OK, Then maybe you could’ve “saved” the North Vietnamese from, again, arguably the greatest military power on earth…. Hell, you might have even saved the Afghanis from the Russians during the 80s since they were “only cannon fodder” Or again, you might STILL be able to save the Afghanis from US,….. again…. Your Either dumber than a bucket of shit or, and I find this more likely, you’re simply intellectually dishonest regarding how well small unit tactics and conviction to a cause can impact far larger forces. Whatever. Don’t let HISTORY cloud your delusions.
Thank you for a start reminder of the danger of having any powerful cartel proclaim themselves rulers. Blankenship should read some American history. Indians, Japanese Americans, war of northern aggression. Perhaps Lysander Spooner’s Constitution of no Authority could explain the reality of Government.
If it gets this far, it will be a war of assassinations. That’s the only way a populace can win. I wouldn’t want to be a leader on either side.
The fact is those in power will do anything to stay in power and they have plenty of uninformed and uniformed dupes who will follow orders” do their job” to put down any insurrection because they want their paycheck and benefits.. the 2nd amendment was created specific for this but it is a joke in the face of military industrial technology. But 3% of the present gun owners does outnumber themitary police state. They must just use small team tactics and goit alone. If one wants peace, prepare to fight for it. They control everything already but resistance is not futile. The afgahans booted Soviets and will boot U S invaders also hopefully. It’s Same here in US but this time the good guys will hopefully win and tyranny halted in the world
Military technology is overrated. A bunch of tribal goat herders in Afghanistan are doing just fine against the US military using 30 year old weapons. Tactics are what matter. Weapons are secondary…
Actually they used our technology against us. We are too dependent on it and they exploited that dependency.
“many people in America are killed by their own police – over 1,100 per year”
John Chuckman stop exaggerating. 1,100 people out of 230 million are not “many” and the majority of them killed by police were justified. I looked into some of the so-called list of people supposedly murdered by police and found nothing wrong with the police shooting someone who had committed a crime and fired at police or refused to put the gun down after several commands to do so.
“People shouldn’t fear their government. Governments should fear their people. ” Those who disagree, deserve to be oppressed.
ZOG’s fearsome gun grabbing army turns out to be made up of the 4 DieVerse deputies cowering in the FL school parking lot at kids died.
White people have not changed their views except for generation z being more conservative & redpilled on media bias & seen thru leftist lies
Selco is a fraud and whoever still buys it is dumb as dirt.
The only fraud here is you, boot-licker. Crawl back under your rock.
The author forgets that just 3% of the population took on the worlds most powerful military at that time – the British and won. This appears to be disinformation to cause fear and doubt. “you want to win the war before any battle is ever fought” – Sun Tzu.
Served in the blue beanie club in Selco’s homeland and other places nearby.
“Observe and Report” lol taking zero action unless fired upon. It was a joke run by “generals” who’s UN budget was larger than their nations GDP so corruption and greed were the priority not actually making a difference for people. That’s why we ended up stepping in and coming back with regular forces.
Selco I love to hear your perspective man. It makes those times of my life worthwhile.
It had to be so hard to merely “observe and report” on some of the atrocities that you saw. I can’t imagine how helpless you must have felt to only be able to watch.
Daisy it causes me issues to this day.
We went back with regular forces but still had one hand tied behind the back for PC.
I had to make a positive out of it. I took a job where I can act quickly and decisively.
I look for the other positives like Selco and him teaching and seeing The Republic of Macedonia walk across at the Olympics.
That’s wonderful you’ve used this to compel your life in a direction in which you can help people. There was a study I read at one point in time that discussed the extreme PTSD suffered by many of the observers. All interviewed said that having to watch helplessly made the whole thing far worse for them mentally.
I love your attitude – we should all work on finding the positives and celebrating the lives of the survivors.
Control the food, control the people. What will you do to feed your family or yourself?? You cant live without food.
@Sis,
Lot to be said about that.
There are those who blatantly dismiss the so-called fly over states.
Hostilities ensue and the BAU/JIT system is disrupted or all out fails, kinda hard to grow a rutabaga in the city. (I say rutabaga as I picked one from my garden, slightly bigger than a softball last night)
Not to mention that when TSHTF is no time to start planting rutabagas or anything else for that matter…unless they plan on eating rats and cockroaches until their crop comes in!
I think Daisy’s reliance on this Selco guy for this kind of information is ill advised. Firstly, Bosnia was not “under martial law”, cities like Sarajevo were under siege by Serb forces. The reason they weren’t able to completely overrun the cities and they started using snipers was because the citizens living there organized and fought back. If they hadn’t, they would have faced ethnic cleansing. I’ve seen a lot of bad advice come out of Selco, like how he sometimes promotes bending or breaking your morals in order to “survive”, or how he sometimes argues against organizing, which is exactly what people did in Bosnia and was necessary for survival. But, this is probably the worst advice so far. The bottom line is, if you’re faced with annihilation or slavery by a totalitarian power, you have no choice but to fight back. At that point, what do you have to lose? There are worse things than dying in a fight for your freedom. Selco doesn’t seem to get this…
You may need to re-read some of Selco’s information if that is what you took from the article. He is advising not foolishly going out in a blaze of glory. You’re probably not Rambo and if you are, you’re in the minority. He has many other articles that advise living to fight another day, caching weapons, and building community. He constantly recommends against being a “lone wolf.” His body of work is enormous and what I admire the most about him is that he went through what he did and he spends his time now digging into those memories (nightmares) to help others.
As well, the ethnic cleansing did occur. I’ve been to Bosnia and seen the remnants of mass graves. I’ve seen the buildings pitted with war damage to this day. Every single building I laid eyes on in Bosnia had at least one bullet hole or mark from shells if it was around in the 90s. I’ve seen the heartbreaking relics in museums that were the only things survivors had to hold onto – things like a dish towel or a single shoe. I’ve read and heard their stories.
He isn’t referring to martial law occurring in the midst of the siege, but before the siege happened when the authorities were cracking down due to the threat of immediate war. Wise people were able to hand over their known weapons and survive to protect their families with the weapons they had hidden away.
Being apparently submissive but living to fight and protect your family throughout what is coming is probably the more difficult move, but eminently wiser than flailing at windmills and leaving your family defenseless without you. What you should take from this is not “I’ll shoot every dang one until they take me down!” It is “Sure, take these guns, have a nice day. I have plenty more where you’ll never find them, and I am not “losing” if I survive this day, but winning because I’ll fight another day when I have a better chance against my enemies.”
There are many ways to be a freedom fighter. They don’t all require carrying a gun.
There are many ways to put a monkey wrench in the PTB’s plans without violence.
No More War
What a great idea! I seriously doubt if it will happen anytime soon. Eventually though . . .
Good to know. I wasn’t aware Martial Law was that…. lawless. Thank you.
Well…not lawless per se. Law of the jungle is more like it. It ain’t pretty whatever you call it though.
“It is really scary how easy it is to make people believe in something ridiculous if that is repeated enough times and i the situation is out of ordinary.”
Remember Adolph Hitler’s statement that if one repeats a lie often enough, people will come to believe it. He was right.
Secondly, the bigger the lie, the easier to get people to believe it.
You can expect that one of the first casualties will be the truth. In fact, the truth is already under attack.
I took a few minutes to read through the comments before I posted my two cents worth.
What is horrifying to witness is the number of people who think that it can’t happen here for “reasons”. The Civil War was a perfect example of what can happen here in the USA. This time it would be even worse/ more chaotic because it’s not going to be geographically delineated. It’s strictly an ideological divide with people on both sides living in the same area.
The military will follow orders until they don’t, and if you think you and your AK can stand up to a platoon of armed, trained and experienced people, well, where do you want the flowers sent? Seriously, that’s how to get dead fast.
Information is your best weapon, and the ability to keep a low profile. Head down, mouth shut, eyes and ears open.
Remember the Viet Cong? Thousands of American families and confused generals will never forget them. Target, position, surprise, boom, disappear. Patriots have had 15-20 years to become the American equivalent.
Prepper types always seem to discount ballots over bullets, like they ignore the state superweapon of widespread poverty. It just doesn’t fit the movie in their head where they’re the hero with the stuff.
Martial law in North America on a large scale is not likely. Even accounting for the TSA and Constitution-free zones, they only get way with it because so few are actually affected. That’s the real threat; becoming a random victim in a regulated sociopath’s playground.
Local police ran some sort of random evening police checkpoint drill on my main street a few months back. It was unusual as this was not some holiday breathalyzer thing. Everyone caught had to pull into a local mall parking lot for a license check.
Fortunately they seemed as eager to get things over without incident with as we civvies were and not in jackboot mode. As in, the cops were still seen as part of the community at large and not in an adversarial relationship with people.
Seemed a huge waste of everyone’s time. Unlike Selco’s country, North America is a big place still with a lot of people who don’t want trouble and vote accordingly. Mass martial law is not practical without mass cooperation and only works in small localized instances for a short time.
Regulatory abuse; excessive regulation backed by fees, fines and taxes can become martial law-ish, but then election time comes around.
If voting is not considered the first line of defense and resistance, then there’s no point in prepping because then the State and its supporters can do anything including take your preps in civil forfeiture or leave you naked to criminal and official (but still criminal) assault.
How many people still remember Roswell’s Chicken man, rallied to him, or understand that it could still happen to them? Probably no-one.
https://offgridsurvival.com/chickenmandeadafterfightinggovernment/
https://www.naturalnews.com/035524_Andrew_Wordes_Roswell_chickens.html
https://theperspicaciousconservative.com/roswell-corruption/
For Roswell, the Chicken Man should never be over, especially in the prepper community. Martyrs are useless if they are forgotten. Yet people likely associate the name Roswell with aliens, not the martyrdom of Andrew Wordes.
Everyone got over a random act of community caprice because they were spared and the uncaring herd moved on. That’s the real threat over martial law.
To get pedantic — “martial law” has happened in this country twice, I think — in the South, after the Civil War, and in the Hawaiian territory after Pearl Harbor. “Martial law” is not a curfew, or the governor calling out the National Guard to put down a riot, or the Boston police thuggishly overstepping their authority. Martial law is a situation in which the military controls the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. That means a military member acting as the governor of your state, a military member acting as the mayor of your city, a military member acting as the chief of police in your city. Or possibly allowing the civilian incumbents to operate, under the supervision of the military and taking orders from the military. It means dissolving civilian city councils and state legislatures, or perhaps allowing them to operate in a limited way under military supervision. It means civilian judges being replaced with military members. It means no elections. It means, basically, a military coup in your state, authorized by the civilian White House and civilian Congress and the civilian Secretary of Defense. Or a military coup in your city, authorized by your civilian governor and civilian state legislature. Civilian authorities using military might to impose their preferred version of law and order upon the citizenry.
But, I know it is common for people to say there is “martial law” in effect when military members support a law enforcement mission, or LEOs run amok.
Wellll….Yes, you are correct in your assessment of the situation.
I hope you are wrong about the outcome.
America is the most technologically advanced electronic prison the world has ever seen, and it has the firepower 1000 times over to murder its citizens, in which the state will revel when given the chance. It will be the model of the New World Order police state, especially when combined with China’s techniques and audaciousness in the outright sterilization, imprisonment, and murder of its own people.
BUT…All good things must come to an end, and word has it that we are going to enjoy the mother of all collapses in our lifetime. The elites think they have it all figured out and nailed down. Funny how other heads of the same order of smugness and conceit have rolled down history’s blood rivers. I think in all of our agony we will still have occasion to rejoice at the spectacles of utter violence done unto those who sought to rule the world and how richly they deserved it.
Somehow I missed reading this article before. Creepy how close they got with their Covid “test run”.
A mind that does not recognize tyranny will never inhabit a body that is capable of resisting tyranny.
I WAS going to comment based on many years of Real World experience, but with this crowd, it’s a wasted effort for most. Clueless.
Luckily, Trump is coming to save us. Or Q.
Right, gang?
And no need to worry about the military because they won’t follow an illegal order, right?
Except ‘aiding and abetting’ ISIS an al Qaeda in Syria. And protecting oil theft of a sovereign nation’s resources. Protecting opium crops so the heroin can make it to Amerika?
Wow….My heee rows.
AmeriKan troops are LOATHED in Syria, and are often pelted with rocks. The citizens KNOW they aid and abet the US and the Israel’s terrorist proxy armies in their attempt to seize Syria, it’s minerals, oil, AND Syria will get a brand new shiny Rothschild bank to bleed their country dry!
And ALWAYS remember: Amerika and it’s troops got served up by Vietnam and Afghanistan, both unconventional wars – which is what it would be here.
No one knows what will/would happen. ‘Hope for the best…..’ Make your decision when faced with it. Don’t waste it, but make it count.
Oh. By the way? The “I know someone who knows a SEAL so therefore I’m one too”?
Early on in this complete covid hoax, I approached some ex-Spec Ops acquaintances. To them, ‘everything is fine’, and “It’s just a mask, dude” (which I NEVER wore. Nor did I ‘lockdown’ like some sill beta male this country is pathetically overrun with), and was tossed off Joootooob because I began asking all the Spec Ops traitors – who were more worried about monetizing their channel than standing for their oath and honor – WHEN THEY THOUGHT THEY MIGHT SPEAK OUT THAT WE HAVE A SLIGHT PROBLEM?
So I was removed for ‘bullying’.
pah…. What a pathetic bunch of ‘Khaki Heroes’.
This guy nails it:
https://fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/a-call-to-the-militia-why-america-is-dead/291537?unapproved=1935148&moderation-hash=cb90a34773d5c5df3b623976f368e955#comment-1935148
Ahh this is emergency preparedness not the militia, any association with heroism is purely coincidental.