Mobs and Beatings

Hi FerFal,

I've enjoyed your book immensely - reading through it once fast - unable to stop. Then reading it again slowly, thoughtfully, underlining key phrases and making notes for my own preps. It's a refreshing real-world view of life amidst collapse -- and a fascinating antidote to some of the chest-thumping survivalist literature and blogs.

My question is this: have you seen the footage of Derrion Albert's death from a teen gang in Chicago, and do you have any thoughts? Have you seen violent events like this in since 2001... and how would you have reacted if you were Derrion Albert? (Besides the obvious, of course, which is to make sure you stay away from unruly mobs). Do you think the death is simply tragic "collateral damage" in urban gang wars... or do you think this kind of tragic event is going to be on the rise -- in non-gang areas -- as times get tougher in the US?

Thanks again for a great book and the updates on your blog.

Tim

Hi Tim,
I didn’t know about that video and just looked up the incident and well as the footage.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/27/beating-death-of-derrien_n_301319.html

It pains me to see another young man killed in such a way.
It also hurts a little to see in youtube black people commenting on how much worse it is because its “black on black” crime, as if there were differences between black on white, or yellow on brown or whatever, as if the color of your skin made a difference.
Fortunately here we don’t have that kind of racism. We think of it as people killing each other, no matter if they are blue eye blonds or darker skinned.
All I see here is a young boy (apparently smart, promising) beaten to death by a bunch of animals. He’s wearing similar clothes to some of the other guys there, as if they belonged to the same group or had some kind of relation.
And yes, happens here a lot. The kind of violence we have here is even worse because we’re kind of accepting it as “jokes” unless someone ends up dead or close, schools rarely doing anything at all unless someone dies. We don’t have that zero tolerance thing.
Not long ago a teacher was caught on tape as a student set her hair on fire… she had big hair full of curls and the same student stopped the fire from spreading. It could have been one seriously messed up video clip.
These things happen mostly in schools, night clubs and bars, or other places as well if your just unlucky.
The big lesson here in my opinion is of course, don’t get involved in these fights. He could have just left, that decision most of us would have taken cost him his life.
Also, stay on your feet, if you go down, the chances of you ending up dead just multiplied.
Many objects can be used to kill, specially when you’re in such a weak position, on the ground.
A rugby player that was killed last year, once he was on the ground someone just picked a big rock and crushed his chest with it.
Stomping, and kicking, its all too easy when there’s little defense.
A person that knows where to stomp someone in the grown can hurt you a lot or even kill you in few seconds. Kicking brutally also works, and once you are unconscious, strikes to the head when you’re unable to defend yourself cause significantly more damage than when you at least manage to keep your hands up or at least a fetal position on the ground.
Also, a 2x4 strikes like a bat, and a bat is a lethal weapon, one or two strikes are pretty much all they need. Knives are statistically more lethal than guns, but of course gun control makes for better politics and sounds better. Why attack the violence itself and the killers when you can attack the inanimate object that doesn’t vote?
Chicago should ban all wood boards from now on. That would make it a much safer place according to what we saw in this video.
Personally I would have avoided the situation, as I’ve avoided many others.
Be aware of your surroundings.
If you cant avoid it keep your distance and keep your person space. In a wide open area such as that and during that situation, why would anyone walk into your immediate space, 5 to 7 feet or so?
You just move and walk away, keeping your distance. The person still closes in? You’re in a fight my friend, and you better have a weapon.
Preferably gun AND knife.
Humble personal opinion here, I’d rather over react and get my gun out a second too early than a second to late. If I see any change of a fight, I get my gun out, then we can talk philosophy or you can walk the other way or whatever, but you’ll to that with a gun drawn.
A knife at those ranges is better than a gun. In this video the kid wasn’t only outnumbered but also the length of the board gave the attack greater advantage. Without other weapon involved they would typical surround the on the ground and kick. You have few seconds to start slashing and cutting.
When you see something like that, walk away, run if you have too. If they chase draw and be ready to start shooting if they don’t stop. They will. No one want to get shots, not even these animals.
An out of control mob is a lethal threat, very dangerous because the attackers feel excited and encouraged, protected by anonymity.
Dont doubt it, this kind of crime as well as other will become more and more common becuase of the crisis.


FerFAL