Why was it so historic? Because Barack Obama is a black man? The fact that we’re still even discussing the color of anyone’s skin in this country is shameful. By this point, we really should have moved past that. If race is as big of an issue as we’re apparently making it, we should really stop patting each other on the back for being such an advanced civilization. Our constant focus on the race and gender of the candidates over the past two years is proof that we have not moved so far beyond the caves from whence we crawled oh so many millions of years ago.

Is it historic because of the voter turnout? Yes, people came out in record numbers. People said in one loud voice “we’re ready for change,” and then proceeded to elect a candidate from one of the two preselected parties. Why is that? It’s partially because we’ve become so reliant on the mainstream media for our news and the two candidates on the ballot were the only options offered to us by our televised overlords. No third party candidates were allowed in the debates. None of them got any press coverage. No, third party candidates were once again laughed at and shrugged off a handful of crazies. In America anyone can be president, just so long as your willing to sell your soul to one of the two parties in exchange for their blessing.

Let’s not lose sight of why we fight. Let’s not get wrapped up in the false patriotism and the self-congratulatory “making history” comments. No matter how well intentioned Obama is, he will still uphold the same system that we have deemed unjust, he will still uphold the laws that we have deemed unnecessary and he will still participate in the same politics and bureaucratic nonsense that has made this country into the land of division and sorrow that it is today. We can not forget why we march in black blocs, participate in food sharing programs, tag walls with our slogans and pass out litterature to try and educate those who have not seen the light of true freedom. Though the country we live in thinks they’re changing, we must show them that real change is far from here and that we will not rest until it is within our grasp.

Most importantly of all, we must not despair. If anything, we should be energized by these happenings. The people are ready for a real change. All they need is someone to show them the way; to show them that they too are ungovernable.

How about now…are we allowed to revolt yet?

First of all, let’s talk about body armor. The cops have it to protect themselves against us, so why shouldn’t we have some too? The most important thing to consider is covering your vital organs and your knees. Why? Well, your vital organs are what keep you alive (obviously) and your knees are useful in outrunning an agressor (namely cops). Simple knee pads can be worn underneath the pants for protection, but what about the torso? Body armor is easily made from a sheet of metal or thick plastic (plastic is lighter and easier to conceal) worn like a vest and insulated with foam rubber. The plastic will deflect the projectile or baton while the foam absorbs the shock. This easy bit of protection makes what could have been a broken rib into a minor bruise. Also, imagine the cops faces when their rubber bullets bounce off of you as you continue to move forward unscathed. The gasping disbelief in their faces would be priceless.

They also love to use chemical agents against us. The common solution to this is a bandana dipped in vinegar around the face. It is advisable to bring a gas mask with you because it is sure to protect you and it gives off a look of preparedness that stands in contrast to those who just run away. A gasmask says “I knew you were going to get nasty and I’m prepared,” in a way that a bandana can’t. Once again, if the cops are allowed to carry weapons and armor, why can’t we?

Now as for bringing anything potentially harmful, it is probably best if you don’t. But the police will. They will come bearing a virtual arsenal. If you bring something to protect yourself, be prepared for the worst. Some innocent options are:

• marbles (can be spilled to trip the phalanx of cops)
• a slingshot (used with the marbles)
• hairspray and a lighter (can be dangerous for you as well)
• a shield (trashcan lids can be easily re-enforced)
• mace (the cops usually have masks, but some don’t)
• dog whistle (on the off chance that your can make the pooches turn against the pigs)

Recovering from a chemical weapon attack by the police is a very serious and involved process. For the sake of brevity, you can find more information on recovering and helping those suffering from a teargas attack here.

These are just a few tips on how to take to the street. Use your common sense and get creative. Your imagination is the strongest weapon against oppression.

While discussing survivalism, one struggles to not seem like an alarmist. Most people shrug off the need to be prepared for a breakdown of the systems and utilities that they have put so much faith in, but if history has proved anything to us it is that all systems eventually crumble and those who relied on them are forced to start over. Those who survive the inevitable crash are those who believed that it would happen all along and who were ready for it. The others who naively and wholeheartedly relied on the system will be left clambering for survival. Do not be like those people who live their eyes closed. Be one of the wakeful, watchful minority.

Start with a go-kit: Go to any army surplus store and find the biggest backpack you can. Those bags, though they are used by those who wage war and fight for useless causes, are some of the most durable and dependable bags available. The next step is to fill that bag with things that you might need to survive for up to a week. Some items that will come in handy are

• two gallons of clean water
• a tarp
• a blanket
• a spool of strong twine
• a utility knife
• dehydrated food (once again, military surplus has this)
• waterproof matches
• water purification tablets
• a first-aid kit (including pain relievers and medications)
• extra ammunition (if you’re a gun owner)

Anything else that you might need, you should add to the pack. Be prepared to live off of the contents of your pack for a week and be sure to have a pack for every adult in your house. If you have any little ones, pack extra for them.

Keep Up With Reliable News Sources: Of course, when we say reliable, we don’t mean anything you can find on television or in mainstream papers. The BBC has some reliable reporting, though lately they’ve been leaning more towards the American standard of “all the news your paid to print.” Oddly enough, the Christian Science Monitor (don’t be fooled by the name) is a pretty great paper. Other suggested sources can be found in the links on this site. It’s helpful to stay  up to date on what’s going on in the world for obvious reasons, of course, but with the level of communication available to us, there should be no such thing as a surprise catastrophe.

Have a Plan!: Of course, all of this preparation will be of no use to you if you don’t have a plan to get out of dodge. If you live in a rural area or on a farm, you may be fine. Outside of cities, the only thing you really have to worry about is defending your home and your family from intruders and finding or growing food.  If you’re a city dweller you may have a harder time. Know how you are going to get out of the city, where you are going, and what you are bringing with you.  Do not depend on public transportation because there is a strong possibility that it won’t be running in an emergency scenerio. If you have a car, drive. If you don’t have a car, make friends with someone who does. If you can’t get in a car, walk to the nearest helpful friend or family member who can aide you. Do not stay in the city because there will almost certainly be violence between the police, looters and possibly even the National Guard. No matter how much you love your apartment or your city, don’t stay unless you’ve prepared to fight to defend your home.

Gather Information: The internet is both a spectacular and horrible thing. It allows us infinite knowledge at the touch of a button and has allowed us to communicate with each other over vast distances in just a matter of seconds. It has also been used to spy on us, keep us in line and it will not be around forever. It is advised to make a list of topics that could come in handy in the case of an infrastructure collapse and print information on those subjects to go in a “doomsday book.” This book can be used in case of a prolonged emergency as a textbook for how to do the things that society used to do for us. Topics to explore include:

• farming
• first aid
• wind & solar generators: how to build and operate
• weaving
• hunting
• food preparation
• maps
• great works of literature that can be found online (perhaps you can save a book that would otherwise be lost)
• building shelter
• history (so that those in the future won’t be doomed to repeat it)
• paper making
• sewing and clothes making

Please feel free to mention any other topics not covered on this list in the comments section. If we all pool our ideas, we’ll be better off.

This is by no means a complete to-do list for survivalism and self-sufficiency, but it should get your imagination going. Keep in mind that the human imagination is the most effective tool in survival and self-sufficiency and that there is no limit to what you can dream up.

The failure of the banks and lending companies in this country are based on a number of things, mainly greed. However, the government takeover of those banks and lending companies is just one more step towards a new kind of American fascism. First, the government consolidates the power of a market that has failed, re appropriating that power for itself. This will continue until the federal government, by way of the Treasury and the Federal reserve, has absorbed the majority of the assets in this country.

How far will this nationalization extend? What will be next? The defense industry is practically the industrial wing of the government already. Will the federal government get a hold of the failing airline industry and, in their signature Of Mice and Men fashion, crush it like an oaf with no idea of his own strength? What will become of the “American dream” when the only jobs offered to Americans are working for the government either directly  or by way of some government controlled industry? How long before we’re all employees of the state?

Well, they’re determined to make us unwilling creditors of their operations first. The $700 billion bailout is basically a no interest loan that the taxpayers of the United States will be giving to the same white-collar criminals that ran the economy into the ground in the first place. Perhaps they’ll shut us up with some sort of tax exemption and a lot of rhetoric about how we’re saving our country from extinction, but you can bet all of those green pieces of wallpaper in your wallet that we won’t see a dime of that money back. One could also place a bet on the odds that this bailout will not do anything but delay the inevitable collapse of this flawed experiment in free market capitalism. Those odds look pretty damn good.

Aside from the corporatization of every aspect of our government, there is a rampant nationalism that also stinks of fascism. Everywhere you turn these days, there’s a bumper sticker, a news story, a sign, a song or a person screaming “America is the greatest country in the world! These colors don’t run! I’m proud to be an American! God bless America!” It’s actually quite funny that people have been so easily and stupidly sucked into this cult of nationalist nonsense but it’s also quite terrifying. Under the spell of blind nationalism and foolish patriotism, people have done terrible things to each other.  The Holocaust springs to mind as does Mussolini’s Italy. Just a few possibilities of the fun things that our government may have in store for us.

Now, this kind of talk has been called alarmist before and sometimes it has been. But when it hasn’t been, the people who were called alarmists weren’t around to say “I told you so” because they were dead. If our government and our history has taught us anything, it is to expect the worst. Let’s not let these criminals get away with any further fleecing of our personal soverignty.  What can be done though? Is anyone willing to give some ideas on how we can fight this constant degradation?

Information on the protest can be found here. Just a reminder: The NYPD are some of the biggest thugs in law enforcement and those attending the protest would be wise to come prepared for the worst.

This really serves as further proof that the laws and systems set in place in this country are an absolute joke. We are being forced to follow laws and rules by people who have no respect for the law themselves. Somehow, the American public is stupid enough to just sit back and not get furious about it.  Why aren’t we out in the streets demanding answers en masse? What does it take?

How about now? Are we allowed to revolt yet?

What do you think? Is this the direction in which  we must head to finally be free?