Why anarchy fails
I was listening to the radio the other day and they were discussing the movie “The Purge“. Basic premise is that all crime is legalized for 12 hours. So, the hosts were discussing what people would do and people called in to say what they would do.
I was just thinking I’d sit at home and load a couple of extra magazines for each gun.
June 9th, 2013 at 5:08 pm
I’m with you, load up and hunker down.
June 9th, 2013 at 5:14 pm
I was thinking the same thing… except I would barricade the windows…
June 9th, 2013 at 5:14 pm
Wasn’t there an original Star Trek series episode where a planet had a day you could go wild and there were no consequences? It was called “Festival”, or something.
June 9th, 2013 at 6:03 pm
Here’s my thought:
In the days leading up to the Purge, three percenters gather, under various pretexts, in hotels within easy reach of the homes of journalists, filmmakers, and of course, politicians and cops.
The law abiding and peaceable gather in packs to target gang members.
Cops, EMTs, and firefighters rove about on a volunteer basis.
etc, etc.
The assumption I hear behind this movie (which I have not seen) is that for twelve hours, the lawless come out of the woodwork while the peaceable (albeit well armed peaceable) cower in place. Or, worse, that the law abiding and peaceable would go just as crazy as the wicked.
I see no reason why five million NRA members, church goers, and Tea Partiers, wouldn’t take their own advantage against the criminal and tyrannical.
We’re living in a permanent Purge right this minute. Oh, it’s still cranking up, but it’s well under way.
All the law abiding need is an excuse to start fighting back.
Putting the genie back in the bottle might be a good deal harder than the planners would like. Why stop when the bell rings? Why not keep going until the purge is well and truly finished?
June 9th, 2013 at 7:20 pm
The Star Trek episode was “Return Of The Archons.” A good one.
June 9th, 2013 at 9:04 pm
The guy who wrote the Purge made it as a thinly veiled attack on the NRA and the tea parties. There was an article online this week where he admitted it. Won’t waste my money.
June 9th, 2013 at 11:09 pm
And of course, government officials and appointees above a certain level are immune from the purge.
Fascinating how even in a movie dripping about how “the rich want to hunt the poor for sport”! They still have to go “Well of course the government is excepted from all this.”
June 10th, 2013 at 12:26 am
I’m sure there are many New Yorkers who are thinking like you: “what would I do if there were no laws for a day? I’d load 10 rounds in my magazines instead of 7… Oh, yeah.”
June 10th, 2013 at 8:11 am
This illustrates the mindset of antigun forces: They believe that the only thing preventing gun owners from killing people is the fact that it is illegal.
June 10th, 2013 at 8:21 am
There’s also the little fact that unless a crime is commited front of a cop that crime is, at the moment of comission, in a state of “Purge”.
Yes, it’s illegal, but all the enforcement mechanisms come after the fact.
So at the very moment when Somedood is having his fun it’s academic if he can be prosecuted later or not.
Again, you’re your own first responder.
June 10th, 2013 at 9:36 am
It’s that whole “thou shalt not kill” thing. I don’t think I could pull the trigger on someone unless they were in the midst of committing a violent crime.
It’s the same reason that you don’t see liberal politicians assassinated by conservatives nearly as often as the other way around. Conservatives typically have morals.
Everytime there is an awful liberal in office my dad will say something like “somebody is going to get his ass”, and I will point out that it won’t happen, because that awful liberal’s enemies are decent, law-abiding people.
June 10th, 2013 at 11:13 am
After reading the movie’s concept, and not having a lot of money to build my own bunker, my thoughts were thank god for neighborhood watches. If something like that were to happen I think you would see a lot of “unofficial” death squads. Not only would vocal and active Tea Party (and similar) activist have to worry about their fellow citizens randomly doing them harm, but what better cover for removing a political dissenter.
June 10th, 2013 at 11:39 am
The synopsis I’ve read says that crime is low because of the 12 hour “Purge”.
Again, people think Criminals desperately want to follow laws and rules.
Its the same idea that GFZ signs keep us safe, and background checks will stop criminals from getting guns.
June 10th, 2013 at 1:53 pm
Pretty sure I’d be fishing in Canada that day….
June 10th, 2013 at 6:29 pm
Why do you have unloaded magazines?
June 11th, 2013 at 2:18 am
Because magazine springs have memory, and if you keep them loaded all the time, you will have feeding issues. My ccw instructor recommended changing magazines at least quarterly, monthly ok, weekly better, and daily best for carry. I change mine weekly, loaded and spare.
June 11th, 2013 at 3:53 pm
Joel, that’s not true.
Springs wear out from cycles.
If you change your CCW springs every couple years you don’t have anything to worry about.
Sometimes its bad for magazine feedlips to always be loaded though.
June 11th, 2013 at 3:54 pm
Joel, I think you got some bad info on magazine springs. Springs wear out from movement, the act of loading or unloading. Sitting loaded or unloaded will not damage your springs. Maybe your feed lips depending on the magazine make and quality.