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1122-Article Text-4143-1-10-20130514
1122-Article Text-4143-1-10-20130514
and finally selecting the most feasible. For Marine Boat Retreating. For coastal sur-
some survivalists this process amounts to little vivalists the advantages of escape to sea by
more than a game to be played sporadically boat include speed, a self-contained vehicle
throughout the year, rehearsing one's which can be stocked with food beforehand,
response scenario and mapping esca.pe and access to one of the world's greatest food
routes to the retreat site. With increasing com- sources. Though the marine retreat would be
mitment, there is an increased degree of open to attack by seaborne pirates, there
discipline, planning, and more intense simula- would be no problem from land marauders
tion of the survivalist strategies. As in and looters. However a boat with open sea
wargames, they devise alternative strategies capability costs about $50,000, and would
and become more flexible in order to build equire good seamanship and navigation skills
their response repertoire for various Dooms- (Payne 1982). Knowledgable survivalists also
day scenarios. point out the possible danger of tidal waves
There are micro and macro strategies. For from earth-quake or nuclear attack.
example, a survivalist group may opt for
escape from Los Angeles by boat and travel Wilderness Nomad Retreating. Wilderness
north to their cabin retreat on an Oregon bay, retreating is derisively called the mountain
which is a macro strategy. The micro man approach, and playing Batman in the
strategies concern the type of boat, supplies boondocks. The escape usually involves a
to be stocked, crew composition, cir- van, camper, trailer, motorcycle, or horse. The
cumstances under which they leave the city, approach is criticized as simplistic and doom-
and the exact route to Oregon. Macro ed to fail (1978 Spec Rpt 1, Delta Press Ltd).
strategies are openly debated and discussed A shortage of fuel would limit the escape
in survivalist literature. Once selected, they range, and there would be great vulnerability
must then be refined by individuals or groups to gangs of looters. One cannot carry sufficient
to suit particular circumstances. It should be survival equipment and supplies. During the
remembered that from the survivalist perspec- Pasedena Expo, a survivalist panel sponsored
tive, thoroughness of prepartion can mean the by the Survive Journal thoroughly discussed
difference between life and death. this method without a single panelist recom-
Urban Retreating. Few suburban and urban mending it. One member of the audience was
Americans are in any position to quickly cautioned against it.
retreat to a rural community (Mitchell 1983).
The majority of survivalists no doubt must Wilderness Group Retreating. This retreat
remain in urban areas because the greater mode requires small isolated farms, cabins,
number of high paying jobs, and emotional or subterranean sites. It appears from the
bonds to family and friends are there. Very few survivalist literature that the majority of
plan to remain in urban areas after Dooms- survivalists, who recognize safety in numbers,
day. Here is a grim scenario for the post- either belong to a retreat group or are seek-
catastrophe city: ing to join one. However, small retreat groups
Without utilities, sanitation and a public health would quickly become targets of hordes pour-
service, most cities would become nightmares of ing out of devastated urban areas. The retreat
disease within a fortnight, and if that weren't area should offer a low population density and
enough, the inevitable arson committed by looters a reasonable climate for agriculture and
and other violence-prone denizens would -- available areas for hunting, fishing, and trap-
without the customary services of the fire depart- ping (Tappan 1981).
ment - develop into firestorms, incinerating every Small Town Retreating. The small town
structure and creature in the area. (Tappan 1981 retreat with about 2,000 to 3,000 population
30) offers the best opportunity for collective
defense and subsistence farming. Such a
Field research clearly reveals that the more community should be sufficiently isolated from
committed survivalist views urban life as even moderate size poplation centers, military
threatening and may choose to keep firearms bases, and nuclear power plants. It should not
handy at home and in vehicles. be vulnerable to natural disasters such as
FREE INQUIRY IN CREATIVE SOCIOLOGY Volume 12 No 1, May 1984 46
floods, quakes, and forest fires. It should also bows. Maintains a 3000 volume reference
have a mild climate and adequate rainfall. library. Wife is a registered nurse. The couple
Finally, the community should be inhabited by have developed homesteading skills such as
hard-working, disciplined, barter-conscious bee-keeping, canning, and butchering. Most
people (Tappan 1981). of their savings have gone into survival
PREPARATIONS preparations. They plan to move to a perma-
Preparations are categorized as micro and nent retreat, buying the land, and living in a
macro. The macro preparation may be to trailer temporarily. Eventually, they want to
acquire medical supplies for a retreat group build a small earth-sheltered home with inter-
of perhaps 15 adults and 6 children. Micro nal greenhouse and aquaculture biosystem.
preparations could include purchase of Would use aquaculture and hydroponics in
specific medicines, drugs, bandages, and two planned greenhouses. Have stocked a
other items. Containers of suitable sizes and professional grade medical kit, and are
types must be selected. The following types assembling a dental kit. Own large quantities
of survival preparation are categorized by of preserved and dried foods and grains. Have
level, based on gleanings from survivalist a garden area totaling 150x150 feet, with
letters. The names are fictitious. apple and nut trees and grape vines. They
Level 1. Jim a 56-year old man has had have several security devices with electronic
experience in paneling, roofing, painting, floor and mechanical perimeter alarms and listen-
tiling, furniture repair, and woodworking. He ing equipment. They have collected several
enjoys barter, but has few financial resources. hundred burlap and polypropylene sandbags.
Owns many tools such as garden implements, Saving money for a ham radio transceiver,
and carpenters' hand tools. Letters reflect and two portable transceivers. Maintain a full
abundant anti-Communist rhetoric but little in workshop of tools, and have kept a cast iron
the way of active preparations for survival. wood/coal kitchen stove.
Level 2. Roger, a 31-year old dentist in Texas
has nuclear war as a prime worry. Skills REFERENCES
include dentistry, weapons repair, marksman- Besser James D 1982 The Doomsday Decade. Pro-
ship with a high-power rifle, and care of gressive 46 66
Douglas Jack D 1972 Observing Deviance.
casualties. Extensive collection of guns and
Research on Deviance. New York. Random House
ammunition. No food storage. Few supplies. Epperson Dave 1982 To the point. Survival Guide
Has sketchy emergency evacuation plans to 44
two possible retreat sites, but admits possible Henslin James M 1972 Studying deviance in four
problems with jammed roads. Knows that one settings: Research experiences with cabbies,
suicides, drug users and abortionees. J Douglas
of his biggest challenges is to create or find ed. Research on Deviance. New York. Random
a survivalist support group in his area. House
Level 3. Frank, a 50-year old Air Force retiree Liebmann A 1982 The Survivalists. Public Broad-
now works in civil defense in Kentucky. Life casting Service. PVT Productions.
Linder Stephen N 1982 Survivalists: Ethnography
member of the National Rifle Association.
ofan Urban Millenial Cult Unpub PhD thesis. Los
Hunts for sport, and has 3-month food supply. Angeles California, Univ of California
Periodically visits his survival base (retreat), Mitchell John G 1983 Waiting for Apocalypse.
a large farm. Has supportive relations with Audubon 85 18-24
long-time neighbors and nearby relatives. Payne Nick 1982 Seafarer Survival. Survival Guide
79-11
Level 4. Rance and Ann, a married couple Tappan Mel 1981 Tappan on Survival Rogue River,
with 4 children live in central Massachusetts. O~egon. Janus
Their prime worry is nuclear war, but now they
feel that an internal conspiracy, planned by
Trilateralists, Bilderburgers, and Rothchilds is
occuring in the United States. Rance is a sur-
vival supplier, writer, and consultant, member
of the National Rifle Association, experienc-
ed attack dog trainer, and skilled with such
weapons as small arms, long bows and cross