Shooting Times

Article Source:
http://www.survivalistboards.com
In the following discussion, I am posing the following questions. Have we placed ourselves at risk by participating in survival/prepping forums, YouTube channels, and speaking out against the events going on around us via websites we maintain or visit? What possible risks could befall us? What drives us to expose ourselves by participating in these electronic forums, social media, and communication channels? And finally, what is the alternative means for sharing and learning in the prepper community?

Many in the prepping community might say what is at risk by joining in on forum discussions and making YouTube videos are our personal freedoms and rights granted by the constitution of theUnited Statesbeing taken away. Recently there have been cases of preppers having their gun rights wrongfully taken away or of being arrested for stockpiling food, weapons and supplies. Not to propagate any specific conspiracy theory, but who is to say that a list is not being compiled; one containing the names and locations of many of us in the prepping community. How certain are we that our IP address and Google searches aren’t giving us away? And what about our friends, neighbors, or co-workers who are not setting aside food, water, or extra medical supplies, yet are aware that we are because maybe they’ve seen us making a video, or read a comment on a survival forum? In a time of crisis, these “friendlies” can become a greater immediate threat than the coming police state. Having a neighbor, cold, hungry, and “in the dark”, knowing that you are warm, fed and “aware” is a major risk that must be mitigated for.

So, what drives us to join prepping forums, maintain survival “blogs”, YouTube channels, or “troll” and comment on prepper-centered websites? For many it is the only location we can go for information and “how to” advice from those considered more knowledgeable or experienced in the subject. For others, it’s a platform to show off just how much experience and knowledge we possess. Some gain the experience of “community” by discussing useful topics with their like-minded peers. A majority are genuinely interested is sharing what they know without reward. Whatever the motivation, all who participate benefit from the shared information, points of view, and discussions found there. And all are at risk of exposing their preps, tactics, skill sets, and locations.

Finally, what alternative do we have, other than using these electronic means? No one can deny the ease and speed in which we can communicate and share ideas via the internet and these internet gathering spots. In order to change and still protect our identities, are we relegated to secret nighttime meetings in basements, backrooms and alleyways? How about cryptic symbols on sidewalks or sides of barns indicating our participation in prepping? That’s probably not going to happen. We as a society have evolved in lockstep along with the electronic revolution. In short, there is no viable alternative to the instant and widespread communication of the iinternet and social media.

To conclude, while preppers in general are not violating anyU.S.laws, a lot of times there is the feeling that we are. By exposing our preps, views, skills and locations online, we sometimes feel that we have placed ourselves at great risk. Additionally, by being prepared for possible critical future events, while others are not, those around us may quickly become our worst enemies. The innate desire that preppers have to learn and communicate what we know drives us onward to search for more widespread means of communication, such as online forums, YouTube, Blogs, and websites. In this day and age with wireless communications, smartphones, social media and the Internet, nothing is better and more effective at sharing information and bringing the vast prepper community to a common meeting place. With that, I will continue to learn, practice and share through forums, blogs, YouTube and the Internet.

HuskerBill
South Texas