Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Chileans Defend Themselves From Looters

Scary stuff. 

Garrido’s son armed himself with a garrote and joined a local crime watch whose other members wielded knives and pistols. But it didn’t make Garrido feel much safer. She worries they’ll kill someone.

She also worries that criminals will get in anyway, simply by wearing twisted plastic bags that patrol members use as armbands to identify themselves.

“I’m destroyed,” Garrido said. “Last night I heard gunfire all around me. They’re looting things and walking around with rifles doing anything they want. Nowhere is safe.”

Like her neighbors, she must make the stressful decision each day of briefly abandoning her home so she can fill a wheelbarrow with water from a system that in normal times irrigates a traffic circle.

Under a state of emergency declared by Bachelet on Sunday, about 14,000 troops were sent into the quake zone. They can shoot to kill if necessary. The military says that hasn’t happened.

A homeowner shot and killed a young man entering his house in the town of Chiguayante, El Mercurio newspaper reported.

In Concepcion, an unknown number of looters set fire to the El Polar department store Tuesday and were caught inside by the flames. Their bodies have yet to be recovered.

It’s a good lesson that when society breaks down, you will have to rely on yourselves and your neighbors.  Prepare for it before it happens.

(9) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1213 hrs
Foreign Affairs

  1. buy guns!  that’s the ONLY solution!

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 03, 2010 at 1408 hrs


  2. If you say so.  I was thinking about getting to know your neighbors, having some supplies (batteries, flashlights, water), keeping some cash handy, having a self contained heat source (propane heater), and yes, perhaps a gun with some ammo.  It sure beats a garrote. 

    You think small, George.

    Posted by Owen on March 03, 2010 at 1418 hrs


  3. Sure you were. That’s why you used the word “defend” in the post’s title.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 03, 2010 at 1545 hrs


  4. As I said, I include self defense as part of preparation.  I also said, “you will have to rely on yourselves and your neighbors.”  It helps to read the whole thing in context.

    Posted by Owen on March 03, 2010 at 1554 hrs


  5. Rely on yourself?  Well…we obviously need more police so we can just call 911.  When seconds count, the police are only minutes away!

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 03, 2010 at 1635 hrs


  6. What Jay said. How can you pretend to hide that your pretext/subtext in this post isn’t about guns. Be honest.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 03, 2010 at 1803 hrs


  7. You can see what you want to see, George.  Just understand that your prism doesn’t necessarily reflect reality.

    Posted by Owen on March 03, 2010 at 1853 hrs


  8. George you are funny. Being prepared means just that. Water stores would aleviate the need to travel and transport water in a wheelbarrow while knowing and trusting neighbors may aleviate some of the fear of leaving your home unattended. Being armed also factors in when you have bands of heavily armed looters in the area…unless you figure you could sit down and discuss exactly why they want to take all of your stuff and maybe use diplomacy to get them to agree to leave you alone…That is why when society breaks, city folk are the first to die and the first to crack. They are less likely to have a cold cellar with canned goods, a well, a means to defend themselves and so on…

    Posted by fishaddict on March 04, 2010 at 0050 hrs


  9. What Jay said. How can you pretend to hide that your pretext/subtext in this post isn’t about guns. Be honest.


    What does it matter if it is? Guns are only taboo to leftist morons. Those of us who understand the constitution realize that this country was founded on the notion that the populace should be armed in order to protect itself, especially in case the need for a militia should arise….. Such as a natural disaster where civil society breaks down. All I know is that myself and my well armed neighbors will be able to fend for ourselves should the need arise, can you say the same George?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 04, 2010 at 0738 hrs


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