So You Don't Think So

September 2, 2005
by Wendell

I think everyone can agree that the current situation in NOLA (and the rest of the Gulf Coast) is a real learning lesson for the people of this country who have not prepared. For years before 9/11 we were considered ‘nuts' by our family and friends. From stockpiling NBC gear to long term food items, to answering the questions "What you gonna do with all that food?" and "Why would you waste your money on that stuff?"

How could family members watch bits and pieces of videos by people like Alex Jones, and say "I don't think that would ever really happen here in America"? What about these comments?

I don't think you would ever need that much food on hand".

"Well you know the Government would never let that happen." 

"I don't think people who take advantage of their neighbors, and surely they would come together for the common good".

Now after 9/11 with our Government saying daily that an attack may happen at any moment, we aren't considered that nuts. Friends and neighbors who might have panicked in the days following 9/11 have maybe added a few items to their shelves. Oh, they have nowhere near where they need to be with the preparedness supply levels, but they got that extra box of ammo and maybe a few extra jars of peanut butter. It's token effort at best. Sure they were asking a few more questions about "what to do", but probably never did anything about it.

What about the spouse who doesn't support your efforts to see that YOUR family would be taken care of with supplies in the event of an emergency like Flood / War/Terrorism/ etc - natural or manmade.  These are not the people in a far away city, not even the people across town, but YOUR family.

I received a voice mail message from a friend of mine from a crackled cell phone call yesterday from Mississippi, saying there are trees down, phone lines down, "but we're OK cause we were prepared".  It makes you sigh  a sigh of relief, knowing people you know are OK. And how much trouble did he have over the years with the wife? Maybe none or maybe they fought tooth and nail. But maybe now everyone in his family can appreciate his efforts and sacrifices to have this stuff on hand and not soon forget after the clean up is over.

If no other lesson is  learned here, look how many are without water and food. Read the stories of women getting raped in the Superdome, in a city full of Law Enforcement and Military and Law Enforcement officers dying in gun battles in the street. People are pushed in the corner after they die, with just a sheet covering them.

All you spouses out there with your heads in the sand — you will be the reason your family dies in front of your our eyes and cause of the grief you gave by hampering the efforts to prepare.  How do you explain that? How will you explain that? Because you don't think so.

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