My phone ihas been ringing at least 10 times a day since Tuesday.

[SPBCTS]

Good people, not sheeple.

The kind that are 100% American, but are simply working too hard to have been able to pay attention to the news, and most have long since been disillusioned by the media so they just get up in the morning drink their coffee and go to work.

They've been completely absorbed by the work involved in keeping financially afloat, or trying to help their families stay afloat. They were certain that America would wake up and that the 2012 election would prove that Americans and America were just fine, and a course correction would begin. They educate themselves at election time, and most, if not all, have never missed an election since they became of age to vote.

They thought that this was an aberration, a hiccup, a brief excursion into the malaise of socialism in the light, and that America would now smell the stink... and sweep it out the door.

When it didn't happen, their concern level went way, way up. They started to look around and listen to the propaganda the media was putting out, and the light went on.

Many began buying things they'd put off, and the gun buying panic was to follow. It kicked into a higher gear after the tragedy in Connecticut.

And my phone started ringing...and it hasn't stopped.

I've never made a secret of my beliefs, and I have lived in this community for over 30 years, serving as a peace officer. There are only 100,000 ish folks in the entire county, and I know a lot of them. I keep a strong sense of "OPSEC", but my friends and family know I believe in the Constitution, and that I took my oath as a peace officer very, very seriously....

And the phone has been ringing off the hook.

Most people just want to know what is going on.

Many people want advice on the purchase of a gun.

Some want me to come over and talk to their families.

There is one thing for certain, theses people are awake now. I am certain  that at least 25 new NRA members can be directly attributed to me, LOL.

Here is the reason I am sharing all of this.

If, by some chance, we dodge this Socialist Fastball that has been thrown directly at the heart of America, perhaps...just perhaps...between you guys, and me, and the other people like us, the sleeping giant is stirring.

I sure as hell hope so.

Anybody else sensing this, or am I hoping against hope?

[98Z5V]

You're not the only one, brother - not in the least.  Friends that have been asking me for the last year, or more.  What should I get, where can I get it, what good deals are out there, etc...

NOW, they're very serious about picking up what they want, or need - and it's almost too late.  I made a post here, on this board, last March.  Buy, buy, buy.  When you see AR-15 lowers on sale, in a 3-pack, or 5-pack, during the "holiday sales," then get them.  Some people here gave me some poop.  I got teased and messed with (you guys know who you are...  :fawkdance:)...

I told friends the same thing - you see it, get it.  It's plentiful right now, and it won't be come election time, no matter who wins. 

Now, we're in a world of hurt.  It might go south real fast, too, and get much, much worse.  And maybe, it won't.  Chances aren't likely, though.  I've watched parts, from companies that you never thought would raise their prices - raise.  My favorite bolt carrier groups have gone from $139 to $159 to $179.  Everything will be like this, and ban-or-not, will stay up for quite some time, probably through next year (if 2008 was any indication).

I'm still trying to find parts all over - not because I need them, though.  I still look, all the time, for friends.  I just know where to look, and they don't.  They're desparate now, so I'll do what I can for them, but it's really tough not slapping them in the back of the head, and saying, "Dumbass..."  :bitchslap:

At this point, brother, it is what it is.  We tried.  We can keep trying to help them, too, but who knows what the outcome will really be.  The cards have to fall where they may...  <thumbsup>

[Powerman]

You want my honest answer?

No, you are a dying breed. It has been going on for some time. A societies natural tendency is to abrigat responsibility to others for them to take care of. We started as a republic, and WE have been giving power back to the state every since. You are just taking an up close snap shot... zoom out. It has been going on for 200 years.

Sorry. The only way things change is a reset by Mother Nature. Yellowstone, meteor, mass coronal ejection that fries every electronic thing on the planet... only then will we return to the true meaning of living free.

[greenhornet-1]

I'm like you Powerman. I really don't know if we are going to be able to turn this around. Very scary days are ahead of us i'm afraid...

[SPBCTS]

Power and hornet I didn't express confidence, if the unwritten communication in that post expressed it I didn't intend it to. I am a student of history and am very much aware of the long view, and the historical "life span and life cycle" of a republic.

I did express hope. I have asked around and have heard from friends that their past few weeks have gone like mine, which has given me a glimmer of hope. My sons give me hope, my nephew gives me hope. If I am a dying breed, they are also members of the endangered species.

Because they have been taught well.

I posted up here to extend the look around into cyberspace. I know first hand what things look like when they get ugly. Real ugly. 

those life experiences have driven me to make the choices I have.

You are right, Powerman, the public has been exchanging liberty for goodies from the .gov since the first part of the 20th century, when the economy was begining to throw off enough money for taxation to buy said goodies. As with all experiments in socialism found in history, we are proving that it only works until the .gov runs out of other peoples money.

I believe we can reset without a CME or other extinction level event, but it sure as heck won't be a walk in the park. We are, as hornet said, living in very scary days indeed.

For the moment, I will hold on to said glimmer of hope. I am a grandfather, I see it in the eyes of a beautiful little girl every morning when she crawls up in my lap and says, "Poppa, can we watch Bugs bunny?"

[planeflyer21]

Same here but I'm not getting the calls from friends.  They don't like to hear "I told you so."

I started telling people in 2011 to buy ammo while they can get it...all they can get.  That's the people that already owned firearms.  The people that start off with "I've been thinking about getting a gun," don't get it.

Until they're sitting in their car 1 1/2 miles from the gunshow parking lot entrance.

Personally, I feel this was all foretold and there is no turning it around.  Dear Leader is going out in a poop storm but it won't be by violence.

You think he has rock star status among the statists, wait 'til you see his successor.

Jon

[Powerman]

I hate being a pessimist. This country was not founded on pessimisim. And honestly, I really do not think human beings have changed much. I think society has changed drastically. Even from history... we have examples of different forms of government... but not with 6 BILION people on the planet. Not with the Global ecconomy. Not with dwindling resources. We have never been here before.

We sit here in the comforts our ancestors have provided completely detached from life. Not everyone on the planet is, or all Americans, but most. Society has taken on a life of it's own. Government has taken on a life of it's own. Not a conspiracy. Not a planned power grab... just people doing their little selfish things looking out whats best for them and theirs and here we are. Because society has grown too big to feel conected or have any sense of community or to think that the small little thing you do will have any impact at all. And we wonder why we have mass shooting where the idiot can be immortalized on 24/7 entertainment/news channels for decades to come.

In order to get the pendulum swinging back the other way... it is going to take something DRASTIC. The entire global economy nearly melted down by the abuse and greed of others, and barely a whimper. sure people suffered, sure people are hurting... meh. What really happened.... nothing. The people did not rise up and take power back. The People did not put DC in it's place.... the people sat back and demanded the very ones that caused the problem, to do something to fix the problem. The new administration that said we were in this problem from spending too much... actually sold the American people that spending more was the fix... And yet I did not see one single pitch fork on the White House lawn.

In the grand sceme of things, I'm OK. I'm still alive. I still live comfortably. I still have a standard of living 80% of the other people on this planet do not. But when I look at the future of America...it is hard not to think our best days are behind us. People came from every corner of the world to come to a place they could be free. They could make their own destiny. They coul dsucceed or fail by their own hand. I'm not really sure how one does that today with 6 billion other people and counting.

[Magwa]

The simple answer is "To many rats in the cage" and they are getting hungry. We as people have been so far removed from nature ,from how to live and support each other, just look at tribal living it is one for all and all for one their is no I in team..... now I look around and it seems it is everyone for themselves, Yes we have small pockets of folks who think alike and that I hope will be what we need in the next twenty years... It will be what it is we have to make the most of what we have to work with...

[Madhouse]

What sucks for me is lately when some of these friends call is that we can't laugh it off and I can't, with good conscious, say I told you so.  It's almost to a point of desperation (obviously a bit exaggerated here), and these people are realizing they may actually never get what they need, be it for enjoyment or eventual necessity.  I'm actually feeling bad for these friends of mine, but the acquaintances I've made, I can still say "nah nah, told ya!"

[BLKSHEEP]

We're screwed! :( That doesn't mean i'm giving up,I'll fight the system till my last breath.We are doomed to follow the same path as the europeans. Why? It's simple...the takers have out breed us and now they can out vote us! As y'all already stated and I agree100% it would take something drastic to change this such as a natural disaster of the likes we have never seen in recent human history. Or Civil War.

I think they're a few things that we can do to slow our demise. First we must demand that the government seal our borders 100%. If the Government wont do it citizens in the border states should form Militias(already being done on a small scale) and take care of business :sniper: That's right :sniper: it wont take very long and that poop will cease! Next all of the 20+ million illegals must be rounded up and deported! That cost savings alone would likely balance the budget in 10 yrs. Next the welfare programs that have created 10's of millions of takers/leaches must be gutted & reformed. The incentives to have children you can't afford must end! The government should offer all types of birth control including getting tubes tied 100% free ,it would save us tax payers countless billions in the long run.

LIBERALISM  WILL BE THE DEATH OF AMERICA

POLITICAL  CORRECTNESS IS A CLOSE 2ND!