An Interview with Selco Begovic
Author of The Dark Secrets of SHTF Survival and the online course SHTF Survival Boot Camp
Are you prepared for the extreme violence that is likely to come your way if the SHTF? No matter what your plan is, it’s entirely probable that at some point, you’ll be the victim of violence or have to perpetrate violence to survive. As always, Selco is our go-to guy on SHTF reality checks and this thought-provoking interview will shake you to your core.
If you don’t know Selco, he’s from Bosnia and he lived through a year in a city that was blockaded with no utilities, no deliveries of supplies, and no services. In his interviews, he shares what the scenarios the rest of us theorize about were REALLY like. He mentioned to me recently that most folks aren’t prepared for the violence that is part and parcel of a collapse, which brings us to today’s interview.
For more of Selco’s personal stories, check out his paperback books, The Dark Secrets of SHTF Survival and SHTF Survival Stories: Memories from the Balkan War. His newest book based on his course, SHTF Survival Bootcamp, is also available on Amazon.
With the recent uptick in violent riots and outright armed conflict in our streets, this article seemed especially timely and worth another look.
How prevalent was violence when the SHTF in Bosnia?
It was wartime and chaos, from all conflicts in those years in the Balkan region Bosnian conflict was most brutal because of multiple reasons, historical, political and other.
To simplify the explanation why violence was common and very brutal, you need to picture a situation where you are “bombarded” with huge amount of information (propaganda) which instills in you very strong feelings of fear and hate.
Out of fear and hate, violence grows easy and fast, and over the very short period of time you see how people around you (including you) do things that you could not imagine before.
I can say that violence was almost an everyday thing in the whole spectrum of different activities because it was a fight for survival.
Again, whenever (and wherever) you put people in a region without enough resources, you can expect violence.
We were living a normal life, and then suddenly we were thrown in a way of living where if you could not “negotiate” something with someone, you solve the problem by launching a rocket from an RPG through the window of his living room.
Hate stripped down the layers of humanity and suddenly it was “normal” to level an apartment building with people inside with shells from a tank or form private prisons with imprisoned civilians for slave work or sex slaves.
Nothing that I saw or read before could have prepared me for the level of violence and blindness to it, for the lives of kids, elders, civilians, and the innocent.
Again, the thing that is important for readers is that we were a modern society one day, and then in few weeks it turned into carnage.
Do not make the mistake of saying “it cannot happen here” because I made that mistake too.
Do not underestimate power of propaganda, fear, hate, and the lowest human instincts, no matter how modern and good your society is right now and how deeply you believe that “it can not happen here”.
You’ve mentioned warlords and gangs in several of your articles. Were they responsible for the majority of the violence or was it hungry families?
Fighting of the armies through the whole period of war brings violence in terms of constant shelling from a distance from different kind of weapons.
For example a few multiple rocket launchers (VBR) could bring in 30 seconds the destruction in an area of 3-4 apartment buildings, and being there in that moment and surviving it gives you a completely new view on life.
Snipers were a constant threat and over time you simply grow a way of living that you constant scan area in front of you where your next steps gonna be. Are you gonna be visible and from where? Etc.
Most brutal violence was actually lawlessness and complete lack of order between different factions and militias, so in some periods there were militias or gangs who simply ruled the cities or part of the city where they were absolutely masters of everything in terms of deciding of taking someone’s life.
In lawlessness, you as one person could be really small and not interesting, or join some bigger group of people to be stronger, some family or militia or gang.
An example of a gang would be group of people of some 300 or 500 people who “officially” were a unit or militia and operate for some faction, but in reality they operate mostly for themselves.
That included owning part of the black market, having prison (for forced labor or ransom), attacking people and houses for resources, smuggling people from dangerous areas.
Violence from those kinds of group was the most immediate violence, the most visible in terms of SHTF talking.
If those people came on your door you could obey, fight, or negotiate, but mostly you could not not ask for help from any kind of authority, because there was no real authority.
In any society, no matter where you are living, there are a great number of people who are waiting for the SHTF to go out and do violent things. Small time criminals or simply violent persons who are not openly violent because system is there to punish them for that. It is like that.
Some gang leaders that I knew were actually completely sick people with a strange type of charisma that makes people follow them, weird situations that can happen only in a real collapse.
They are people who just waited for their time to rise.
Those kinds of people together with criminal organization that are already there in any city in the world will be the backbone of SHTF gangs
Who were the most likely victims?
A very simple answer would be that the most likely victims were people who had interesting things without enough defense.
But it was not always that simple.
For example one of the first houses that got raided in my neighborhood, right at the beginning of collapse while there was still some kind of order, was a rich family’s home.
They had a nice house with bars on the windows, a pretty good setup for defense, and they had enough people inside so they could give pretty good resistance to the mob.
But they got raided simply because they were known that they are rich, so they were attacked with enough force to be overwhelmed.
It was not only about how much manpower you had and how well-organized defense of your home was, it was also about how juicy a target you were.
If you are faced with 150 angry people attacking your home because they are sure you have good stuff inside your chances are low, no matter how good and tough you are.
People who were alone were a pretty easy target and old people without support of family or friends.
It was not always about killing someone or violence. For example, if you were alone and without resources but you had something else valuable like some kind of skill or knowledge you could easily be “recruited” for some faction or group, not by your will of course.
What were some ways to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of violence? How do you recommend that people prepare themselves for the possibility of violence?
It can be done in steps, or in layers.
Do not be interesting (or attract attention) when the SHTF.
This means a lot of things, for this article I can give a few examples with shortened explanations because it is a huge topic:
- Do not look like a prepper (before or after SHTF). There is no sense in announcing that you are prepping for EMP, civil collapse, apocalypse, or whatever. With that you are risking the probability that when the SHTF, people will remember that you have interesting things in your home
- Your home should look ordinary. For example, if you are living in the city on a street where all houses look similar, there is not much sense in making your home look like a fortress. You’ll just attract attention.
- Your defense should be based on more subtle means. Some examples are having means to reinforce doors and windows quickly when you need it, or to reinforce them from inside. Make changes in your yard to funnel possible attackers where you want them to be (trees, fence, bush…). You can make your home look abandoned or already looted.
Think about what survival is!
Survival is about staying alive, it is not about being comfortable at the expense of losing your life.
I have seen many times people lose their lives simply because they were too attached to their belongings (house, car, land, goods…) so they simply did not want to leave something and run in a particular moment.
Everything can be earned and bought again except life.
Forget about statements like “I will defend it with my life” or “over my dead body” or similar because the real SHTF is usually not heroic or noble. It is hard and brutal. When you are gone you are gone and there might be nobody to take care of your family just because you have been stubborn or trusted in movies when it came to violence.
To rephrase it: Be ready to leave your home in a split second if that means you and your family will survive, no matter how many good things you have stored there.
Be mentally ready for violence
In a way, it is impossible to be ready for violence, especially widespread violence when the SHTF, but you can minimize shock when that happens with some things.
If you are not familiar with what violence is, you can try to get yourself close” to it today (in normal times). It can be done, for example, by doing some voluntary work for example in a local hospital, ER or similar… or simply by working with homeless people.
Sounds maybe strange but activities like this can get you a bit of a feeling of what it is all about, not to mention that you can learn some practical and useful skills for SHTF.
Have means and skills (physically) to defend – or to do violence
No matter how old or young you are, your gender or religion I assure you that you are capable of doing violence. It is only a matter of the situation and how far you are going to be pushed.
It is not just “some people are capable of violence.” Everybody is capable. Not everybody enjoys doing it or is willing to do it so easily.
In today (normal times) you can learn some violence skills and you should do it, again no matter if you are a woman or old or young.
You should own a weapon and know how to use it. You should practice with it, or have at least some basic knowledge about hand-to-hand combat.
The worst-case scenario is to have a weapon that you try for the first time when SHTF.
Be familiar with your means for defense, let your family members know what they need to do in case of an attack of your home, have a plan, and go through it.
Only through practice will you minimize chances for mistakes.
Use common sense
I know lot of survivalists almost dream about how they are going to use weapons against bad guys when SHTF, and that they will be something like super heroes from movies, saving innocents and killing villains.
Truth is that in a real collapse, a lot of things are kind of blurred and you are not sure who the bad guys are. Good guys turn out to be lunatic gang members who want to bring food to their kids.
There are no super heroes when SHTF, and if some of them show up they end up dead quickly.
There is only you and your skills and mindset and what you prepared.
Use violence as a last resort because of the simple fact that by using violence you are risking of getting killed or hurt. Remember when SHTF there is maybe no doctor or hospital to take care of your wound.
It is a time when even a small cut can eventually kill you through infection and lack of proper care.
I’m a single mom with a household full of girls. In an SHTF situation, what would our best strategies be to remain safe?
Just like I have mentioned before, the strategy is always the same for any part of survival, and shooting from the rifle is pretty similar no matter are you a man or a woman.
Being single mom with household full of girls on first look make you as an ideal target in some situations, but we are talking here in prepper terms so there is no reason not to be perfectly well prepared as a single mom with girls.
But yes I admit it is not a perfect situation, even if you are prepared well, some things are sure, you need to connect with other people even more.
House with a couple of girls will always look like easy prey for some people.
It is like that.
Were people in the city safer than people in the country? Can you tell us more about rural living during this time?
In my case definitely no.
In the essence it always come to the resources and people.
City meant more people less resources, country (rural) meant less people more resources, and because that level of violence simply was lower. That was most important reason.
There are few more reasons why it was much better in the country.
People in the country (rural settings) were much more “connected to ground” they were tougher if you like, they grew their own food, had cattle, lived more simple life prior SHTF and when everything collapsed they had less problems getting use to it.
Yes they also did not have electricity and phones, running water or connection to other places but they adapted easier to the new life because they had more useful skills then people in the city.
Life was harder for them too than prior to the collapse, but they had means to get resources: land, woods, river…
Another thing is that people in small rural communities “in the country” were more connected to each other, people knew their neighborhood and some things were easier to organize, like community security watch, help in case of diseases and similar.
What types of weapons did people have for self-defense?
It was different political system prior the collapse where it was not so usual to own a weapon legally. And to own one illegally could mean a lot of troubles.
Right prior to SHTF, it became possible to buy different weapons on the black market but still, a majority of people did not own weapons.
When it all collapsed, it was possible to get a weapon through trade.
Because of the military doctrine here prior to the collapse, we used “East Bloc” weapons. A favorite was AK-47 in all different kind of editions, or older weapons like M-48 rifle, SKS rifle, 22 and similar.
People used what they had, so in one period you would be lucky if you had any kind of pistol and knife.
Later through the different channels weapon become more available so people had them more. A lot of that was actually junk that some warlords somehow “imported”.
Weapons 50-60 years old without proper ammunition, or not in operating condition. A lot of people simply did not have a clue how to use any kind of weapon so a lot of accidental deaths happened.
I remember people storming abandoned army barracks that was mostly looted, but they found in one building a lot of RPGs while other part of the same building was burning.
Two guys were trying to figure out a single-use RPG, and while they were messing with it clearly not knowing how that thing worked, they accidentally armed it and launched a rocket that flew through the crowd, not hurting anyone and exploding in wall 100 meters from where they stood.
They were smiling, clearly happy because they thought they figured out how that thing worked.
What weapons do you suggest to have for SHTF?
It is a never-ending discussion and a favorite prepper topic, and I must say that the whole discussion is overrated.
I have used them in a real situation, and tried and tested a lot of different kind of weapons and what works for me may simply not work for you.
For example, here for me, a good choice is an AK-47 rifle, maybe for you wherever you are it is a very bad choice.
Good advice is: you need to have a weapon that most people have around you because of multiple reasons: spare parts, repairing, ammunition availability, possibility that you can pick that rifle from other people and you know how to use it.
What caliber and similar is a matter of discussion again. I am talking from the point of owning a rifle.
Another thing is that you need to know how that weapon works. Luckily, most of my readers live in an area where gun laws are great comparing to the region where I am.
You have much more choices when it comes to owning a weapon and practicing with it. Use that.
And do not forget that using a weapon in a real-life situation is not like shooting at beer bottles with your friends after a barbecue.
In real life you might be in a situation to use a weapon while you are tired, dirty, and hungry and while someone is screaming next to you.
It is going to be maybe when you are not ready to do that, maybe in pitch dark, maybe after you have been awake for 48 hours.
At least think about that.
When should you use violence?
Contrary to some popular beliefs in the prepper community, the point is to use violence only as a last solution.
The reason is as I mentioned already, the risk that you can be hurt or killed too, but also once you do violence you change your own rules or push it more forward, and it is easy to get lost in violence.
There are consequences to that, and you are not going to be the same person ever again.
Violence is a tool, not a toy. You need to know how to use it as best as possible, but also to avoid using it when it is not necessary.
It is a good idea to set up a clear set of rules (mentally too) when you are gonna use violence and to try to stick to it.
For example you will use weapon if someone tries to break your home and attack you, and you need to be ready to do that without hesitation.
What else should we know about post-collapse violence?
Think with your head and research.
One thing that is absolutely important when it comes to understanding how violent it is going to be and what can you expect in your own case of SHTF, is to understand how much media can influence people in making their decisions about violence.
In my case, the media built up a situation where people feared so much from other people that they actually hated them. They hated them so much that they actually strip them down from humanity.
In a real-life example, it works in a way that people killed other people, including kids and women, because they hated them so much because the media told them.
It may look ridiculous and not possible to you, and you might again think “that can not happen here” but please trust your own resources, look for independent information, not mainstream media, in order to get the right information about what is really happening in the beginning of the collapse.
Do not be pulled into “popular opinion” just because the “man from TV” (whoever he might be) told you so.
It is easier today. Because of the internet, you have much more choices for correct information than in my time. But still be careful, you might find yourself rioting together with 500 people just because you trusted some media.
If you enjoyed this interview, don’t miss his newest book based on his popular online course, SHTF Survival Bootcamp
About Selco
Selco survived the Balkan war of the 90s in a city under siege, without electricity, running water, or food distribution. He is currently accepting students for his next physical course here.
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 here.
- Buy his PDF books here.
- Buy his #1 New Release paperback, The Dark Secrets of Survival here.
- 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.
What really matters is that you have enough ammo, and not be afraid to use it. Even a large gang will be hesitant to take you on, when you have no compunctions about killing them in mass. Humans aren’t zombies my friend and what happened in Bosnia was because of the culture. In America there will be more trepidation for all out war, because the majority of men and women in our country have never had to defend themselves by putting another person down with a good shot or two.
I understand your position having been through such horrors, and yes humans can be animals at their worst, but I believe America is more advanced than that and will form Self Organized Collectives to preserve some stability within neighborhoods..
The issue boils down to this. You must be able to make snap decisions even if it means shooting someone point blank. You never hesitate when it is obvious “they” want what you have. You don’t listen to them or their arguments of why you need to help them. You tell them to leave, and if they don’t you shoot them dead. When the Jackals are out for your hide, you have better quickly learn to show them you teeth and claws !!!
Spoken like a true modern American. You sir have no clue. If you think firing your pop gun at a mass of terrified hungry people out to feed their children will stop them you are terribly mistaken. We Americans are not special in anyway. Human nature doesn’t have a nationality. Open your mind and allow reality in.
Keith, I’m not as certain, as you seem to be, that “forearmed” is clueless.
He has a valid point about American response to emergencies versus that of other cultures.
If a mob of 150 hungry people ends up at an American door, then things have gone down hard for an extended period whereas the same folks in Bosnia were already dependent on the communist government and a proclivity toward extreme racism with it’s regional coinhabitants.
You are right in that desperation has and will cause explosive violence.
But you are wrong about human nature. We tend toward what libs love to call tribalism.
That is we are social creatures by nature and our culture in America has thus far worked extremely well for us.
SO, if some SHTF event occurs we tend to rely on that, at least in the short term..then again, if it goes on too long…all bets are off.
That is why I advocate to my family friends and neighbors that we keep a loose pact to help each other If things do turn south.
Is that so? Then allow me to remind you and everyone else to the situation right after Katrina hurricane hit New Orleans.
Indeed everyone saw how advanced the american society is, how superb the response of both authorities and the people, and how civilized things remained.
Of course I’m being sarcastic. It was pure, total chaos. Even the police fled the city (but not before committing a few atrocities of their own).
The entire country was fine and in working order. Why did people got so desperate and acted so mean? Should have been a short-term SHTF, help was supposedly on the way.
Yet things happen so fast and escalate so fast for those suffering it. Hunger, fear, disease need constant and urgent attendance.
Not to mention the psicopaths and criminals that Selco mentioned, just waiting for their turn.
After you kill someone because they won’t leave your property I believe you will face murder charges once govt. restores control. Consider the cautionary tale of Kyle Rittenhouse. Video shows him running for his life carrying, but not using his AR-15 escaping from rioters when he fell or was knocked down. The nearest rioter had leaped into the air intending to land with both feet on young Rittenhouse as two others closed in, one armed with a Glock Pistol. Kyle shot the rioter who was leaping on him, and the next one that may or not have been armed, killing both. He then shot the man with the Glock–a convicted felon forbidden by federal and state law from possessing a firearm. Clearly, Rittenhouse was defending his life. The felon with the Glock received a non-lethal wound. The felon has not been arrested or charged with anything. Rittenhouse is in jail awaiting murder charges.
I think Selco is right–violence should be a last resort–because one day, there will be an accounting…
And you don’t go out looking for a fight because you just might find one.
“Even a large gang will be hesitant to take you on”
more likely they’ll just plan their attack more carefully.
I am not concerned, we in the US of A there will always be government to protect us from harm. With BULL DREN out of the way, I think the best home weapon is a shotgun, make every shot count, carry weapon Ruger 357
It must feel great to be so unjustifiably optimistic. Aside from events like the Civil War, our government still engages in all less than martial activities which harm great numbers. And yet, when the chips are down, they often arrest those people who are merely protecting themselves. They even shoot those who are doing nothing wrong, nothing remotely threatening. That’s because the government is comprised of humans, and humans are notoriously self-serving, uncompassionate, greedy, miserable, evil wretches. Of course humans can also be the opposite, but I certainly wouldn’t count on that in a crisis, since we can’t even count on it it “normal” times.
skeptic, you’re right. sometimes the government will turn a blind eye to sins for their agendas sake.
As an example, during the prohibition period, there were lobbyists advocating for poisoning alcohol in order to break peoples drinking habits.
So the government allowed them to put methyl alcohol in with drinking alcohol. (now called “denatured alcohol”) some 50,000 American citizens lost their lives to that little stunt..no charges were brought.
Methyl alcohol is a byproduct of the fermentation process. Distillers must discard the very first product that comes out of the still–it’s virtually pure methyl alcohol and acetone. These two have a much lower boiling point than ethyl alcohol, and is captured and discarded before any ethyl alcohol can be. I’ve heard that there were people advocating the addition of methyl alcohol to liquor to poison law breakers, but I doubt that that actually happened to any significant degree. I suspect that the makers of “bathtub” gin were inexperienced and didn’t know enough to separate the toxic chemicals. Their liquor most likely was poisoned because of this.
Where, Darkwing, was the government during Portland’s and Seattle’s Summer of Love?
Seriously?!? The old “I’m from the government and I’m here to help you” routine?
Keep on smokin’ what you smokin’, ’cause the gubment is just in the business of helping theirselves to money, power, leverage…they don’t give a rodent’s derriere about you. Oh, they’ll show up eventually with paper towels and a few cases of water for the photo op, but until they actually set up the tents and start handing out supplies I wouldn’t count on them for s#!+.
Wow! Some of the previous comments here are stunningly ignorant. It’s hard to believe that they’re into prepping enough to have been coming to Daisy’s site or reading Selco’s articles. Aside from the totally unjustified view that Americans will somehow behave better during SHTF situations than those from elsewhere who have actually experienced one, both Selco and Daisy have often repeated that YOU CAN’T COUNT ON THE GOVERNMENT FOR HELP when the SHTF, and yet several of these commenters have implied they’ll do just that. I’ve never made snarky comments on a blog before, but these comments prove that “you can’t fix stupid.” I’m indeed sorry to have felt obliged to say that.
“It’s hard to believe that they’re into prepping enough to have been coming to Daisy’s site or reading Selco’s articles”
well like selco said, they’re waiting for their time to rise. there are some who eagerly anticipate this event and they’re ready to open fire.
Going to agree with you Tumbleweed. The arrogance to believe that WE ARE AMERICANS means we are intrinsically more inclined to BEHAVE BETTER is disconcerting. Human nature has NO ethnicity. Survival is first and foremost the driving factor of behavior. If in the “civilized” society it is accepted to “stab someone in the back”, or steal their idea’s, or throw them under the bus, just to get ahead, it is not a stretch to conclude worse action will occur during more desperate times and situations.
That was certainly eye opening. Thank you Selco and Daisy. I fully agree that this is a ‘mental’ prep as much as a physical one. Having tools for defense and knowing how to use them is extremely important, as is knowing when to use or not use them. I am a former ER nurse, and I agree with Selco’s point about being exposed to violence, especially the consequences, is a factor in helping one assess when violence might be used, or choosing to cut and run.
I read and take note of what Selco has to say. His insights and experiences are valuable.
Having said that, I dont think a civil war here in the US compared to the Bosnia civil war is necessarily a one for one.
Population density is very different, Bosnia at 178.6 per sqmi vs the USA at 90 per sqmi.
Obviously total land area is significantly different.
How something like that would play out is anyones guess, especially in a country where a man beats his roommate over a box of cereal. Capt’n Crunch apparently.
I do agree with him about some warped mentalities, the super hero one for example. You have seen them, the loud, borderline obnoxious yahoo at the shooting range. Name/price drops anything and all things tacticool. Rattles off stats and numbers. Brags about shooting sub-MOA, all day . . . from a bench, off a lead sled, at a 100yrds.
But he gets winded carrying his gear from the truck to the firing line.
And somehow these yahoos always think they are going to be in charge to lead the sheep to safety, because they have over 5,000 posts on the lonewolfsurvivalist forum, or supersniper(but-I-haveneverbeeninthemilitary).com.
I would not follow them to make a sitting head call after eating a box of prunes.
Selcos observations about community/groups/neighborhoods/etc. I found very valuable. Get to know your neighbors. What kind of people are they? Granted, no one knows how they will react in a high stress situation, even ourselves until we are in that situation. But try to keep cool, dont panic.
Those with EMS or military training/experience may be better suited in those situations.
Propaganda. Good grief, in this day and age of social media.
Ultimately, when push comes to shove, people are hungry, people will do all kinds of horrific things.
Could be in a third world country or here in the USA.
Prep accordingly.
Thanks for pointing out the (population/density) differences between us (USA) and Bosnia/Balkan area. Our culture is still somewhat independent and not as dependent on (socialist/communist) governments. We’re a gun-owning nation. Most Balkan area people have become atheists because of communism. Selco’s work is very good and useful but don’t give up your trust in God and being optimistic. For me the best part of Selco’s book Dark Secrets starts on page 127 where he talks about a very tough, god-loving friend ( a true ‘sheep dog’) dying from illness. Selco’s information is very good but remember the word good is just one zero away from the word God.
The best thing I’ve heard Selco write is, “For me, the point of having preps at home is not to survive the whole SHTF event. The point is to survive the event up to the moment you can have a clear clue about what to do next with getting yourself over-exposed”. Thanks for all your good work, Selco.
“You can make your home look abandoned or already looted.”
I absolutely disagree with this statement on the basis of, if you are living in said home or hiding out there, as soon as you make it look abandoned (especially), or even looted, you risk marauders coming in to see what they can find or to hide out. What they will find is YOU – the worst possible scenario.
Make sure you home looks just like everyone else’s in the neighborhood – no obvious differences, no visible preps, no loud generators, no delicious smells coming from the grill in the backyard. Be sensible – try to be invisible and very low key.
The typical home in the USA is made out of sticks like the second little pig and wouldn’t stand a chance against a group with rifles. They would just shoot you through the walls and walk in. Unless you are fortunate enough to live in a home with solid concrete walls you have little chance of defending it.
Be prepared physically and spiritually as well. Remember this:
Psalm 18:32 It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect.
Psalm 18:33 He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places.
Psalm 18:34 He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze
My hands are registered weapons. ive taken on over 5 criminals at one time.
US Marine
The first rule to follow to not have violence perpetrated against you is to not be where violence can likely be perpetrated against you. Maybe not achievable for most, but everyone can lessen the risks to some degree. If anyone really believes there is something about being here in America that will tamper down violence they must not have been watching any news lately. We are now in class warfare under the false premiss of racism, and its being exacerbated by the very people who were mostly elected and whose responsibility it is to prevent and/or stop the destructive violence we are currently faced with. Those who live in or near a major metro area should seriously consider relocating while you can, especially if you are very dependent on government services. One thing should be clear by now – neither elected officials nor government can or will protect you!
Good article, Selco. One of your best.
“We are now in class warfare under the false premiss of racism, ”
Make no mistake. It’s racial warfare as well. If it wasn’t they wouldn’t be indoctrinating everyone to hate whitey.
Good article, Selco. I think many of us don’t see (or don’t want to see) the kinds of animals that are hiding under a fairly thin veneer of civilization. Best to be low key and not attract attention if unrest comes to us. Based on the sniping and backbiting I already see on sites like Nextdoor.com, I know I can’t trust my neighbors at all.
One person with a rifle could not defend their home against 150 armed and determined to breach your home. That person could not defend all four sides of that home. Make yourself a ” tribe”
I have a lot of respect for Selco and his advice, I read the comments and have to shake my head sometimes. Americans have a normalcy bias and between a job and family commitments often miss the handwriting on the wall.
America is under attack now, we are in the early stages of a Communist insurrection. The means to destroy this nation will be a real Civil War brought to you by the world Globalist cabal and supported and enabled by corrupt treasonous politicians, Central Bankers and the corporate MSM. If Biden manages to steal this election it is over for the middle class patriots, it will only take weeks for the lockdowns and gun confiscations to lead to FEMA camps and a Communist backed government genocide.
Bosnia, Cambodia, Maoist China, Stalinist Russia, Rwanda and Nazi Germany are glaring examples and indictments of man’s inhumanity and the lack of Communist/Socialist morality. ALL Communist regimes end in genocide against a vilified and demonized segment of society. If you think the rhetoric coming from Antifa/BLM about “white guilt” and ” white supremist” racist Trump supporters being Nazi’s and needing re-education isn’t a Marxist labeling of the enemy you aren’t paying attention.
Marxist governors of Blue States are shutting down churches and public gatherings, a mechanism to isolate and control a specific segment of the population. Conservative, Christian patriots are the Marxist’s target and will find themselves in the middle of a kinetic Civil War before they are even aware it started.
Keep your head on a swivel, pay attention to what the media is selling and finalize your plans and preps. Get your family, friends and neighbors into support groups. When you hear that 3:00 a.m. knock on the door what are you going to do…Selco gave you the answer, obey, fight or negotiate. Never give up your guns and once you allow yourself to be handcuffed in a Marxist purge… you’re dead.
“When you hear that 3:00 a.m. knock on the door what are you going to do”
never happen. what will happen is you’ll attempt to use your credit/debit card or access your bank account and you’ll get a message: “it has come to our attention that (something). access may be restored to your account once this situation is resolved and a determination made. have a nice day comrade.” by the time anyone is knocking on your door there will be no need to do so.
Good overview of the situation.
Many competing factions in the US are openly calling for blood, once the blood starts flowing the people will become rabid dogs wanting more.
Rather interest that shortly before the conflict in Bosnia that weapons became more available according to Selco. In the US weapons have always been available but never so abundant as right now.
I’m glad that I live in a place that does not have these competing ideologies or perhaps I should say that my area is heavily weighted toward one ideology making the other ideology a lesser threat and less like to assert themselves. Hope I’m right about that assessment.
This a time in the USA where advertising your beliefs of alliances might get you killed, I told my family months ago to never have any political or religious advertising on their vehicles or homes. A lot of stupid people believe that publishing their political or religious alliances is a badge of honor but really it’s a bullseye and makes you a target.
I wonder if in Bosnia during the war there were areas less effected do to their demographics?
Thank you for posting these thoughts from Selco.
“we were a modern society one day, and then in few weeks it turned into carnage”
did christianity, or any religion, impede this?
“They had a nice house with bars on the windows, a pretty good setup for defense, and they had enough people inside so they could give pretty good resistance to the mob.
But they got raided simply because they were known that they are rich, so they were attacked with enough force to be overwhelmed.
It was not only about how much manpower you had and how well-organized defense of your home was, it was also about how juicy a target you were.
If you are faced with 150 angry people attacking your home because they are sure you have good stuff inside your chances are low, no matter how good and tough you are.”
worth repeating.
I have a question or two. “Where are the Peaceful Protesters” getting their posters, banners and signs printed so quickly? Who pays for it? Future target since they want to play with were we sleep at night? DC MAGA peaceful protest.
“Who pays for it?”
we do. our enemies use us to pay for everything they do. it’s their religion. “they will plow, they will sow, they will reap. we will sit like an effendi and eat.”
@gman, I think I didn’t get my message across. Why let them advertise? They are starting to make pointed attacks, Hit the printers of those ads. No propaganda. Right? Seems that they get them there signs pretty darn quick. Stop that and it lessens the effect of the vocals. Would you not agree?
True words as usual
I do not believe in the bunker mentality that seems to be the common thread expressed here. Mobility is a key to survival. An old Dodge Power Wagon with a slide in camper stocked with the essentials will give you a better chance of survival than trying to fight off a mob.
“Use violence as a last resort…”
In the Bible, we are commanded to work for justice Micah 6:8. This is not merely personal justice of treating one’s neighbor justly, rather societal justice, the justice of the court. Unfortunately, that pursuit of justice sometimes requires violence against violently unjust people.
In civilized societies, we hire police to do that violence for us. And to protect from violence from other countries, there’s where the military comes in.
But when SHTF, then what? There are no police. There are no courts. How then do we work for societal justice? One thing remains true, “Use violence as a last resort…” If you need to use violence, do so without fear or hate, especially not hate.
Finally, will SHTF come here to the U.S.? It looks like it has already started. I’m surprised at how brazen was the electoral fraud this year. It’s almost as if they wanted to get caught. Did they think that Trump and his supporters would just shrug their shoulders in the face of all this injustice (see above) and accept it quietly? Once they got caught, what did they expect Trump and his supporters to do? Trump’s a street fighter, and so are many of his supporters.
If Trump’s challenges succeed and Trump is declared the winner, what do you think Biden’s supporters will do? They’re already rioting and killing. Will they start a civil war?
I have to agree with Selco, we can’t say it won’t happen here.