[ReverseEngineer]

This thread is inspired by a recent post I made in the Geological and Cosmological event watch thread. I am concerned with the likely potential that Mt. Redoubt, one of the local Alaska Volcanoes is set to blow off here. I needed a Mask to filter the Ash which might fall here, as this stuff is quite toxic if it gets in your lungs and can damage the eyes as well.

In any event, this led me to thinking about Prepping for Gas Attacks of the sort that can happen when the Riot Police are invited to break up a demonstration. Then I thought about the other dangers involved when you become incensed enough to go out on the street and Demonstrate Against the Goobermint, as is your Constitutional Right of Freedom of Assembly. These demonstrations are already happening and gathering size and momentum in Greece, France and Russia, as well as I am sure other places we haven't heard about yet. Its coming to a Theatre Near You also of course as the Unemployment rises and the Foreclosures increase.

Anyhow, you want to participate PEACEFULLY in these demonstrations, but of course they do often devolve into violence since the Riot Police are displeased went you don't comply with their orders to disperse your LEGAL assembly of people. So how best to Protect yourself in a DEFENSIVE manner? I have come up with a Toolkit of Prep Gear for Demonstrations which can fit in a small school style backpack, and I think would be wise to carry to any Demonstration.

Eye Protection: Speedo Swim Goggles
Head Protection: Bicycle Helmet
Gonad Protection (males): Athletic Cup (wear this to the demontration, putting it on could be problematic. lol)
Respiratory Protection: Filter made using a snorkel, hose and hose clams and pop bottle filled with layers of gauze, activated charcoal, cotton balls and drierite. A swimming Nose Clip also since you will be breathing only through your mouth and don't want the Gas getting up your nose.
Hand/Arm Protection: Padded Hockey Gloves (helpful in fending off stikes from a Billy Club)
Foot/Leg Protection: Steel Toe Construction Worker Boots and Hockey Shin Guards

These simple and cheap tools could make the difference in whether you suffer serious or life threatening injuries if the Peaceful Demonstration turns ugly. It's still not a good idea to hang around though when the Tear Gas cannisters start flying and the cops charge the crowd, but this stuff hopefully increases your chances of escaping the melee unscathed. Hopefully you get out of there before they start firing bullets on the crowd, this stuff won't help you there.

Geopolitically speaking, we are seeing a large increase in Anti-Goobermint demonstrations in all the Western Nations now, and you may feel it necessary at some point yourself to make your unhappiness with the Goobermint known in a Peaceful Demonstration. No sense though in going out without your Preps! A good Peak Oiler always Preps Up!
Reverse Engineer

Moved to Open forum. The Geopolitics
Discussions forum is for posts related to the global politics of energy use and acquisition.-FL

[smallpoxgirl]

http://blackcrosscollective.org/pub/aag/viewzine.pdf

[Farknight]

The difference between European demonstrators and possible ones in Amerika is that the latter are heavily armed with firearms. If demonstrations against the financial rape of Amerika and by default their own futures ever resonates with a sufficient mass then there will be blood in the streets. Thus, the GobberMINT manufactures money it believes will buy off the people and thus maintain the status quo and avoid disruptions to wealth-making activities (even if these are now funded almost entirely by the taxpayer's themselves).

It also will take a catalyst to foment the riots as was seen in the Rodney King incident or, on a greater scale, the death of Martin Luther King. I thoroughly agree that the masses have, for the most part, been "dumbed down" by the failing high-priced schools, NASCAR, Beyonce' (though she is beautiful), TVLand, Movieland, Computer/video gameland (certainly NOT a library or bookstore), etc. So long as the drive and brew-thrus operate and the TV has hot blondes and guys with washboard stomachs on the air the couch crowd will believe the hologram.

The key is can this be maintained? And, if so, for how long and at what overall cost, especially future cost. I personally believe President Obama is a smart and sincere person who is working to do what he can within the system we have allowed to be created around us. I really hope he succeeds. We'll see I guess.

And, as a retired cop who had his share of "full on" CS Gas in my face, most masks, etc, do not work well in a tear gas assault if the officers lay it down correctly. What typically happens is that in the melee inexperienced or ill-directed officers fire indiscriminately and this reduces the "field effect" of the gas. I do like the helmet idea because getting hit in the head with a canister can ruin your day (and possibly your life). Also, there are an entire new range of less than lethal weapons now at law enforcement's call including high velocity bean bag shooters that will lay you down in a heart beat.

[RdSnt]

There are cup protectors for women.
I would go with a a skateboard help rather than a bic helmet. The bic helmet doesn't protect the back of your head. Considering the type of swing you will likely encounter from a police night stick (cross-wise) rather than a top down strike, the back of the head needs shielding.

I would probably go with a filter carried at the waist rather than up in the air snorkel. It would be like a miner's air filter. A safe place for the filter would be in the backpack where you have your other gear.

An avalanche snorkel might be a good alternate.

Martial arts or sparing gloves would be better than hockey gloves, which are bulky, inflexible and really impede holding things.

[ReverseEngineer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RdSnt', 'I') would probably go with a filter carried at the waist rather than up in the air snorkel. It would be like a miner's air filter. A safe place for the filter would be in the backpack where you have your other gear.

[vision-master]

Look back to the 60's. Rebellion against the status quo without any vision for the future. Everyone grew up and joined the ranks of the ones they despised.

[ReverseEngineer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vision-master', 'L')ook back to the 60's. Rebellion against the status quo without any vision for the future. Everyone grew up and joined the ranks of the ones they despised.

[smallpoxgirl]

Tear Gas: For respiratory protection, it's hard to beat a gas mask. The down side to them is that often cities ban them and try to arrest anyone they find with one around the time of a big expected demonstration. It's key to make sure that the eye pieces are made of plastic. More than one demonstrator has lost an idea because of catching a rubber bullet or some such in the glass eyepiece of a gasmask. Organic vapor masks from a hardware store also work well if teamed with swim goggles. Any goggles used must not have vent holes and also must not have a foam seal around the face. Foam will soak up chemicals and hold them against your face. Bad. Clothing wise, for tear gas, you want to minimize exposed skin. Ideally you want an outer layer that is as impervious as possible and is as slick as possible. Rainwear is ideal if the weather allows. Woven fabrics are ok. Fleece and sweaters are the worst. They will soak up chemicals and you will never get them out. Wear clothes to a demonstration that you don't mind throwing away. Things tend to get messed up at demos. If you've been teargassed, first thing when you get home, you need to strip down. Put all your clothes in a thick garbage bag and tie it. Immediately shower. Otherwise you will contaminate your house. Clothing and gear will off-gas until decontaminated so don't open the bag inside. Another key point: Absolutely never under any circumstance wear contact lenses to a demonstration. Contacts lenses plus chemicals is a BAD combo.

Protective gear: Pluses: You don't get yourself broken. Minuses: You make yourself a target for arrest. Steel toed boots have been hotly debated over the years. Minuses with them: They're often uncomfortable to walk in and demonstrations usually are proceeded by marches. In some cases the police have seen them as weapons and given people weapons charges for wearing them. Also some people have concerns that if you get stepped on by a horse the steel toe could give and amputate your foot. I'm not sure I personally agree with the last point, but it's something that gets discussed. The red medic helmet that you see me wearing in the "Peak oil is you" photo is actually a riot helmet that I bought off EBay. That photo was taken at the FTAA protest in Quebec City in 2001. In that situation, I was very happy to have the helmet, but I haven't used it since. In smaller more tame demonstrations it would make you too much of an arrest target. A bike helmet is far less conspicuous.

[Ludi]

Everyone can protest by just staying home. General strike.

Much safer than being in a crowd.

[ReverseEngineer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'E')veryone can protest by just staying home. General strike.

Much safer than being in a crowd.

[ReverseEngineer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('cbxer55', 'B')y not buying a freaking thing! Heck, I have not even started my pick-em-up truck in over two weeks. No buying anything but the barest necessities. We have money in the bank, could continue on as we were for awhile.
And of course, there is always a downside. By not buying anything, as most unemployed will not, soon enough others will end up getting laid off as their companies lose business. Its happening already, the more people get laid off, the more people will soon get laid off. Deadly vicious spiral.
Personally it would take a lot to make me want to get involved in an actual protest, as I do not really think they are effective at anything except folks getting hurt. So I'll just stay home and watch it all unfold on the tube and the internet. And keep my cocked-and-locked .45 close at hand, in case the riots enter my neighborhood.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', 'H')ow do unemployed people strike? Refuse to call in to the Unemployment Office?

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', ' ')Then you March on Washington

[ReverseEngineer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', ' ')How do unemployed people strike? Refuse to call in to the Unemployment Office?

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', '
')I'd question just how effective that strike would be.

[Ludi]

Not saying people shouldn't march on Washington if they want to. More power to those who can do such things. The rest of us can support them by striking.

[ReverseEngineer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'L')et us know when you march on Washington, ok?

[ReverseEngineer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'A') general strike would shut down the economy. I think people would notice.

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', '
')In any event, like Pops you seem to think that its all in action

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ReverseEngineer', ' ')So far your ideas aren't too effective here.