We’ve seen a resurgence in civil unrest over the past couple of years, and there have been many instances when government has decided to institute martial law to restore order. However, many people don’t realize the real impact that martial law has on our civil liberties and basic rights as American citizens.
It is a widely-held belief that the government is just waiting for an opportunity to invoke martial law as a way to make freedom and liberty a thing of the past. Keep in mind that in the post-9/11 world, we’ve already seen signs of martial law and the erosion of our rights. Whether or not things will continue to devolve on a national level is up for debate. However, incidents involving martial law in communities across the country have given us a glimpse of what we can expect if it comes to our backyard.
The Military is the Government
During martial law, civil police and the overall legal system is suspended. Our basic rights such as freedom of assembly, speech, to keep and bear arms, a speedy trial and not to be detained without just cause simply vanish into thin air. We are completely under the rule of the President or generals, and this should make all of us nervous.
We can be imprisoned for saying the wrong thing. We can get taken away and shipped off to a detention facility for no reason whatsoever. We can be tried in a kangaroo court, sentenced and even executed if we do anything that upsets the apple cart. Some of the horror stories that we hear about in countries that have tyrannical governments can end up coming to our communities, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it from happening if that time comes.
We Have to Follow Orders
Curfews will be established, communications, particularly Internet, may be disabled. We may be rationed food, water and basic supplies. We may be told where to go, what to bring and when we can leave. All of us can lose our basic freedoms of movement, interaction and choice at the stroke of a pen. Basically we will become subjects of the state, told to tow the line and follow orders. We will not have choices, and those who defy these directives can expect hell to rain down on them by whoever is in charge at the time.
We May Become Criminals
Imagine our property being searched and seized for contraband that can be as simple as a food or water stockpile. Our communications may be monitored, and who we associate with may be used against us. In the blink of an eye, regular, law abiding citizens can become criminals. Imagine being imprisoned for having a Bible, some food, a previously-legal weapon or some “banned” supplies in the wake of a SHTF scenario or period of severe civil unrest. It’s possible, and probable, that we will face this type of situation sooner or later, and many of us will become the enemy of the state without doing anything wrong.
These are just a few examples of what can happen to us, and the public at large, if the government decides to impose martial law. While most instances of martial law to date have been in the wake of big disasters or civil unrest, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility to see the imposition of more long-lasting restrictions for less serious reasons in the future.
The best thing to do is to get ahead of the problem by fleeing areas that are devolving into chaos. Go to quiet and secure locations in order to improve the chances of being able to hunker down and fly under the radar. Keep movement and travel to a minimum. Don’t say anything to anyone unless you know and trust them, and never reveal the extent of your current or future preparedness strategies to anyone, even now.
Most importantly, take time to learn more about martial law and how it impacts you and your family. This will help you to make prudent, wise and proactive decisions in order to have as much freedom as possible during those dark days. Now is the time to prepare, because once it happens, all of our options will be severely limited.
