One of the things I find most disturbing about E. Timor is that it represents so clearly the mob reaction to circumstance. Percentage wise it took few people to create what we see on the news. Some small mob groups created violence because what they wanted was delivered, others because they didn't. Religion was thrown in for good measure. Somehow it always does in these kinds of scenarios. If you understand, however, that mob rule has only one real rule then you can understand why it's so difficult to control. The rule is do as much damage as possible in the shortest amount of time. It doesn't matter what form the destruction takes, it only matters that the individual participates. People get caught up in the emotion of the moment and emotion, by definition, is irrational. The more authorities try to control the situation, the more out of hand it tends to get.

Can this happen here during chaos created by Y2K? Look at our urban history to find the answer. There are plenty of examples. No, it doesn't promote rebuilding. Rebuilding can only begin when the violence ends. Understand that going in. Small isolated pockets of people, cut off from the rest physically, can contend with their own disruptions easily enough if its a well-cemented community. But violence is like a tide which consumes everything it touches like fire. Without enough firemen the house burns to the ground.

If you want to know who would be in control, federally, look to Clinton's executive orders written in the past few years which augmented those that came before. FEMA will have total control of the country. They don't even need permission to take that control. It's already been granted to them. They even superceed the military, if what I read means what it says.

If people can get out of the larger cities, they will probably head wherever they can to get away from the largest amount of people. They will have probably already seen enough violence to last them a while.

What do tresspass laws have to do with rebuilding? If you can't leave your property for fear of everything you've worked so hard for being stolen or trashed, how do you rebuild anything, even trust. Ask those of us who've ducked high-powered bullets during hunting season why tresspassing laws are important and posting land is, too. When you've had 270 shells wizz by your head while going across the yard, you get a bit miffed. When you find that the gun is held by someone standing on your property and shooting across your yard at an elk behind your house, you really get miffed. If you don't survive the tresspassers, why worry about rebuilding? Think about it.

Collaborating with neighbors in rebuilding is the only way it'll get done.

An aside you might find interesting. A few years ago a group settled in a small canyon not far from us. All the locals know about this group and none approach that compound. The locals call it "The Academy". The members of The Academy (no one's seen a female yet) dress as Ninja warriors and train accordingly. If you happen to be close to the compound (and this has happened to friends and co-workers of ours), one of the warriors will appear literally out of thin air, look at you very sternly from behind his black mask and then disappear as quickly before you can get the gooseflesh under control. All the appropriate authorities know about this group but will not go near the place. It's highly secret and believed to be deadly to any who tresspass, even for something as innocuous as fishing along the passing stream. The Academy sprang out of nowhere and doesn't encourage visitors. What are they training for? Those we've talked to have watched through binoculars from a distance. No one knows what they're doing or why. And no one seems willing to ask. Highly armed? It's hard to tell. Mission? Who knows. Recruitment? Not that we know of. The whole thing has many of us wondering the longterm mission (whatever it may be) because we don't know if it affects us. All we know for sure is that they have their own agenda.

What does this have to do with rebuilding? Well, I'd sort of like to think that any rebuilding done around here will not be affected by these people, but the mystery and sense of danger which centers around them puts things in a different light. Especially when I know that authorities will not intervene even to find out who they are and why they're here and what they're doing. It causes uncertainty and a bit of paranoia. Oddly enough, when people here refer to this group, they do so in hushed tones and surreptitious glances in the canyon's direction. None want to talk about them or try to speculate. And as far as we know, no one outside the area even knows they're there.

Gives one pause for thought.

-- Claudette Young (laclaud@cybertrails.com), September 12, 1999

Answers

Claudette,

Just out of curiosity: do the members of "The Academy" shop for food in your town? Where do they buy their gas? Where do they get their Ninja uniforms dry-cleaned? Are they entirely self-sufficient? It seems unlikely ...

My point is simply that if they do show up in town, maybe you (or your neighbors) can try interacting with them in a one-on-one fashion, just to find out who they are, what they're doing, what they believe in, and whether they like pickles on their Burger King whoppers...

Ed

-- Ed Yourdon (HumptyDumptyY2K@yourdon.com), September 15, 1999.

Claudette,

Thank You for you observations and thoughts.

While you are right that trespass is a problem in relation to the preservation of private property. The sanctity of private property is very important to rebuilding. The concept that you have your property properly posted and the law (suspended in a crisis) on your side in the face of a refugee or mob scenerio or even martial law seems like screaming in the face of a hurricane. There are no rules of engagement. You do what is necessary to preserve yourself and your property.

A no hunting sign only restrains in the best of times. If as a hunter I or my family is starving it will be ignored unless backed with force.

As to the exucutive orders, can they be carried out? Or will it be as one ordering the tide not to come in? Certainly they are illeagle (sp?) constitutionally. Does one have an obligation to obey or even consent and further these orders? Will military commanders consent?

The "Academy" is indeed very interesting (interesting in a most disturbing sense). They should be confronted directly now while times are calm. I would try and inlist them as allies if at all possible, and at least as neutrals in the case of chaos. Their agenda may be survival if so then they may be your local guard. If their agenda is to foment violence and chaos with motive to destabilize then you are indeed in a most dangerous situation. I have never heard of such a thing, approximately where in the country are you located?

-- LM (latemarch@usa.net), September 12, 1999.