What are the chances the U.S. economy could eventually trigger violence in our country?

reply to post by Advantage


Aye. I'm neither white nor black nor hispanic either. I'm what white folks call a "breed" or a "half breed", white and indian. I live in an "economically depressed" mixed neighborhood of mostly black, the rest split between whites and hispanics. Not another injun for miles around. I live in a big brick fortified house, one of two here. About 4 nights ago I caught some joker sitting across the street on a moped, working lookout and watching the house. He'd look all around, look at the house, then whisper into a cell phone, then look all around some more. I allowed as how he needed something to look at, so took a couple of choice looking items out on the porch, proceeded to load one up and set it aside, and tear the other down and clean it.

After about a half hour of some hard staring and swearing into his cell phone, he precipitously bailed out for greener pastures.

Most of the locals know that I'm not to be screwed around with. Had one guy, from another county, break in to my house through a back door a year or two ago, thinking no one was home. Surprise! All the cops that swarmed in after HE called them on ME to save his raggedy skin got folks' attention. I ain't had much trouble since then, but still I watch. I get along pretty well with most folks here. They all know that I'll do anything I can for them until they piss me off, then I'll do anything I can to them. It works out well.

The thing is, I believe that folks who aren't living quite this close to the bone can't see the undercurrents that are seething quite as well as those who are. They just can't see it coming, because they are "insulated", and can't conceive of that insulation ever getting burned away. It will most definitely be a shock to them if something doesn't give. I've got crack-heads and winos all around. I help 'em out when I can, and it was something of a revelation to learn recently that they're looking out for me as well, keeping an eye on things from street level. I didn't see that coming. I reckon you could say I've got friends in low places, and to hell with the ones who THINK they're in high places. Any ladder can be jerked right out from under them, in an instant.

About a month and a half ago, I had just gotten off from work and walked down to the Mexican Bodega on the corner to pick up a pack of smokes, still in uniform. Stopped a robbery there, and never even knew it until the next day. Whether it was the uniform, or just word getting around that I really don't mind shooting a fella all that much, something shook their nerve, and they left, post haste.

It's not just coming, it's already here, in the formative stages. Most folks, I believe, will not see it though, until it's too late. Like the proverbial ostrich, they will stick their heads in the sand to attempt hiding from adversity by just refusing to see it, until something comes along and takes their legs out while they're not looking.

I believe the way I outlined it above is largely the way it will proceed, just from observation, and God help those who ain't prepared for it.

Originally posted by nenothtu
reply to post by Advantage

 

It's not just coming, it's already here, in the formative stages. Most folks, I believe, will not see it though, until it's too late. Like the proverbial ostrich, they will stick their heads in the sand to attempt hiding from adversity by just refusing to see it, until something comes along and takes their legs out while they're not looking.

I believe the way I outlined it above is largely the way it will proceed, just from observation, and God help those who ain't prepared for it.

Im the first generation of my own family ever born off rez. Im Blackfeet.. yet Im called a cracker and mistaken for a "raghead" or "cholo" at times... it really doesnt matter.. people just hate to hate at this point. Its not even focused IMO.

You are absolutely right.. as I can see it myself. I was called a racist on here a month ago for telling what exactly has happened in my community and what is now getting worse. It wasnt my intention to bash anyone, just tell the truth and let others know its actually happening.. and its not slowing down. I believe that the links to the news stories I provided may have clued some in, but others are pretty blissful in their ignorance of what is occurring outside of their little bubble. I am no longer an RN.. so I dont have that exposure anymore, now I work with victims services at the court house.. its an as needed thing as we do not have even an established Vics svcs in this county and share ONE woman that works in St Louis. I see whats happening pretty clearly... and its ramping up this spring already. The thing that gives me pause is that this is occurring when there is just the hint of trouble.. the real economic crush hasnt even truly hit yet. I really cant even imagine what it will be like when it truly hits the fan.

reply to post by kro32


The population during the great depression was 1/3 what it is now. Also, the majority of people back then lived in rural areas, where they could have at least some access to food from farms and gardening. Plus during those times people were more civil and didn't have the sense of entitlement they do now. So just because rioting didnt take place then it is not really a good indicator of whether it could happen now, because the demographics and social attitudes are very different.

Originally posted by SpaDe_
reply to post by Butterbone

 

Nice story, and sorry your family had to suffer hardships, but tell me where I said everything was better back in the day. I didn't, what I did say is people did what needed to be done just like your grandfather did. He didn't sit around and get a handout to take care of his family he went out and did what everyone else did at the time, and that is work! I am sure he was proud of every bit of what little he had just for the fact that it was his, and he didn't have it handed to him. I understand that it wasn't right for the coal company to come in and buy up all the land, but that didn't happen in every depression era community.
My point is people today (not all, but the numbers seem to be growing) think they should just have their 3 meals a day handed to them and not have to work for it.
I don't need a history lesson either, because for every good story there is always a bad one on the flip side. The point is people were different then than they are today. Simply put they just had more pride.

edit on 6/9/2011 by SpaDe_ because: worded wrong.....

Well I don't agree with your assertions.
Saying people had more pride "back in the day" is saying that things were better. Because people had more pride. And I think that is rose colored glasses.
The idea that people have less pride and that the number of prideless lay abouts is growing is a cynical view being handed out by specific groups of people. It's a spoon fed simplicity that just doesn't exist in reality.
Given the option to work, the majority will work. Without options, people choose to do whatever it takes to survive, and in a culture where we constantly advertise the good life, people, even of no means, will try to achieve the good life even if it isn't in an honest fashion.

Society teaches them their value is based on their consumption. If you take large groups of under and un educated people and deny them the ability to reach the levels of consumption that they are told is normal, and desirable then they will seek out new means of getting "theirs".

Have you been to a food stamp office? Have you ever collected months and years worth of paperwork and waited for 10-12 hours talking to 5-7 different cases workers in a day just to get an EBT card that might feed your family of 4 for 8 days? Then gone the next day with more paperwork for more hours so that your rent can get paid, and medical, and school clothes, and electric and gas??? Being looked down on and talked down to constantly during this process?
Probably not. So constantly assuming that being on public assistance is some kind of gravy train where you don't have to wake up until 3 pm and then just saunter off to the grocery store with your magic gubment credit card is a cynical fallacy that has been taught to you by someone else.

I'm not telling you that your opinion is wrong. I just think that you should consider the source from which you are taking information and forming your opinions. I certainly disagree with your point of view, but I cannot say that my point of view is more right. It's just from a different perspective.

Now I stay supplied and armed, and honestly, I don't have any plans of starting some kind of homeless shelter for people who couldn't plan ahead and didn't conceive that their government assistance would someday fail.
But at the same time I don't just write them all off as lazy moochers who won't do anything for themselves. I just think that they are under educated in the realities of the world they live in and without the benefit of understanding history and the complex systems that drive the world around us, they are simply doing the best they can with the little they have absorbed and processed about the world. Yes, most of it is their own fault. But that doesn't affect my opinion about their character. Just the process they use to make decisions, and ignorance should not be considered shameful. You don't look down on someone for simply not understanding something that in all honesty, they have been told repeatedly and for generations that they shouldn't try to understand cause it won't make a difference in their life anyway.

The people who will be the most dangerous if there is a systemic failure of government and law and order in the US will be the ones with the strongest will to survive and the lack of resources already available. They will be inner city people who realize quickly that there is nothing left for them inside the cities. They will move outward as quickly as possible and probably try to attach themselves to more prepared groups and most will be humble, and helpful. As the groups close ranks and shut out new people, those "recent" new people will become the real threats. The ones who started out of the cities earlier will be viewed as "clever and helpful" and their contributions will be recognized.

Very quickly, the later people to come along will be dehumanized by all the groups, and that is where conflict will come from.