Palaver from Persimmon Crossing

with Warren Faulk

 

100 Rifles ... An Antidote

One person with a gun can raise havoc in an urban area with relative impunity. Imagine what it would be like if 100 "snipers" set out to cause chaos. They could overwhelm our police and emergency service providers. If each attacked cautiously every two or three days, became sophisticated enough to seriously wound rather than kill the first victim, then shoot the first person rendering aid, before melting back into the woodwork, life as we know it in these United States would change radically. Weapons of mass destruction? Who needs them? We can be made to self destruct.

It seems we need more effective tactics than those being displayed by law enforcement agencies in the Washington D.C. area right now. The brave officers and their leaders are without doubt struggling with a huge problem presented by one apparent gunman. And it may be that you cannot mount an efficient offense against this type of threat. I don't say you can't, don't even claim to be much of a tactician, but I have spent a fair amount of time trying to come up with a plan of action that would not involve essentially freezing large areas of cities so they could be searched in minute detail. And that is still the only thing of an immediate and offensive nature that I can think of. We simply don't have the forces to operate this way on a large scale ... 100 guns or more. The current threat is likely one person who is capable of firing a rifle accurately and planning a safe retreat. That covers about half the adults in America.

Having failed to come up with an offensive solution, I can list some defensive measures that may be useful. Ways to diffuse the situation and reduce the chances that we will experience more "unprovoked" attacks. Ways to reduce the stresses that most of us feel in living our lives and which occassionally boil over creating a monster. Why not:

a. Bring God back for an encore. He was doing a good job before we asked him to step back.

b. Be kind to others. Appreciate the fact that nearly 100% of the people you encounter are potential friends and burden sharers. Let them know that you know.

c. If, in your occupation, you provide a face to face service, do so cordially. People will usually respond in kind. If they don't, work on your delivery and keep trying.

d. Realize that, as an American, you are flat rich compared to most others in the world. Rich I say, even if you are on minimum wage or social security. Act with humility, generosity.

e. Live beyond the sound bite of the day. Be! There won't be one word about your church social or sporting cattle on the six o'clock news, but they are nonetheless worthy ... and bring a friend. "Part of our world tonight."

f. Keep working the system to bring about the changes you feel need to be made. My main interest is alternative energy but if the Internal Revenue Service disappeared tomorrow to be replaced by one honest accountant with a US Tax Code written on one sheet of paper it would suit me fine.

For several weeks now the questions have been rolling around in my mind ... when does it stop being terror and become revolution? Does it matter? What does a revolution look like on this side of it? Do you necessarily know you are in one before it is too late to avoid it? What if one defeats the status quo with no particular objective beyond that?

-- Warren Faulk
Smarr, Georgia

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