I was able to observe the mess that was the EBT mess this weekend and you can call me a nut if you want but I'm going full speed into prepping.
I've seen the issues that arise from hurricanes. I've watched the run on supermarkets just before they hit and the mass purchasing of essential gear if/when the lights go out or roads are closed due to flooding or debris afterwards.
But the drama in the supermarkets from this EBT stuff was on a different level. I walked into my neighborhood Wally world and within two secs was clutching my sidearm, was grabbing the wall with my back in 10, and within 30 seconds was doing a tactical retreat to my truck, all the while wondering why I had no overwatch, watching how I was bounding to evac and hoping that I didn't set off a trap on the way.
Lessons learned...
1. Stay armed regardless. I don't care if you're going out to grab the paper, have your G26/19 on your hip.
2. If you have been delaying prepping and stated to yourself that its a fad, get past it. This shit ain't fringe. If you saw what I saw then you'd be aboard too. The federal govt says that you should have two weeks worth of food and at the same time says that preppers are suspicious individuals. Screw them. Get a pantry that will sustain you for a month. I'm going for more (won't tell you how long...opsec).
3. Public places are public places. I got into the habit of thinking about things like "nothing good happens after midnight" and if you're hanging out with "stupid people, then stupid shit happens" but that's wishful thinking. We live in a society that appears frayed at the edges. If something as simple as this could cause commotion then what happens during something more serious (what that could be, I don't know but imagine it). If you're out in the public when the bad stuff goes down then you stand a chance of getting swept up into it.
4. Grow your own food. I don't even want to think about how fragile our "modern" just in time supply system is. Its built to fail and it will. When that happens and food supplies are disrupted by forces beyond local control then what will happen? Not only can't you buy food but there is no food to buy.
5. I don't know what Washington is thinking but this nation is a powder keg ready to blow.
Final lesson learned.
We're inches away from a mad max moment.
