“Experience teaches us that it is much easier to prevent an enemy from posting themselves than it is to dislodge them after they have got possession.” – George Washington
By Samuel Culper
This past weekend, we had the great fortune to see some of the good, the bad, and the ugly in West Virginia. First of all, the physical terrain is an invader’s nightmare. That country, just like the rest of Appalachia, is unforgiving. The human terrain – the people who comprise the populace and make or break insurgencies – are, for the most part, very hospitable and accommodating if you’re the right kind of people. They have their clannishness and infighting, however, their ability to remain otherwise free in an unfree world puts them in the top five percent of the nation.
But there are lots of EBT card holders as well, which makes dependency a significant limitation. One estimate put those on welfare into the 30% range in a nearby county. That’s a problem that local security will have to figure out, and there are no easy answers. Along those same lines, budgets are tight. One town had to release five of their part time/reserve deputies, and are now down to two officers for the town (both of whom are very pro-Constitution and members of Oath Keepers, by the way). That’s another significant limitation for security and stability in an SHTF environment, but it underscores the need for the good men and women to fill in the gaps.
And we heard stories of the corruption in government and law enforcement that peppers the region. What’s most depressing, however, is the drug trade there and the addiction that goes with it. Some politicians and law enforcement are complicit in that drug trade, and the good law enforcement officers who stand up are hammered back down. It fuels addiction which increases associated crimes like theft and robbery.
Now imagine that you’re a member of one of these communities — maybe you already are or maybe this section of West Virginia adequately describes your own area. The drug trade is certainly not unique to this area, and is geographically unrestrained. What’s the plan to combat addiction and the drug gangs (among other factors, like lack of jobs) that fuel it?
Read the Remainder at GuerrillAmerica
Reblogged this on Brittius.