First, that was mostly a conservative fantasy. They pretended to be waiting for a corrupt government because they were big and manly. Most of the "left" (I mean, you know, left of Republicans) wanted gun control ranging from sensible roadblocks to an outright ban.
Second, no matter whose fantasy it was, it was going to be a fantasy once modern war machines were invented. Let's say I go get a semi automatic rifle. Convert it to automatic. Build IEDs and homemade grenades. But the second drones start dropping bombs on my house I'm fucked, as are my family, probably my neighbors, my friends, and anyone in close contact.
I'm not saying this to be defeatist. I'm not saying this to try to prove you wrong. This is what it was for. But this ain't gonna get the job done with the modern state of technology and the people in charge being walled away from the general population. I don't know exactly what the answer is but I'm open to suggestions.
Nah. The people having the kids aren't generally thinking about another source of labor. I come from a stinking, filthy kind of poverty. Sex is free entertainment and family planning costs money or time to get to the clinic and you have to deal with assholes who think the family planning clinics are abortion factories. So you think "if we're careful it won't happen, I'll just pull out".
A lot of quiverful ministries are also home to the very poor. Some of them are given teaching for how to get extra money from the government for every kid. The man works, the woman does not, and the older kids are in charge of the younger ones. Childcare solved, in their eyes. I could be mad at them for gaming the system, but I've already got too much anger in my heart over the government blaming it on the "welfare queen" stereotype. You know the lie. Black woman with 5 kids from 6 daddies, every one of the daddies is gone. When in reality the system gamers are poor white evangelicals of a specific flavor.
Hey! They also destroy communities by forcing them to pay for infrastructure upgrades while the companies get tax holidays in return for a bunch of jobs that only last 2 years during the construction phase and only add about 25-50 permanent jobs to the local economy long term.
Let's also not forget bringing back mothballed coal plants instead of building new ones.
Americans aren't falling for it. We range from "I don't give a shit" to "Let them poor workers just fucking work, man". Middle managers who want to look like they're doing something and store managers who believe they are the Lord and Master of their little fiefdoms do though.
The issue is that studies show that friendliness will improve business through retention. It's cheaper to fake friendliness than it is to actually build an environment where people give a shit.
It's along the same lines as retail establishments who force their employees to stand because it makes them look more professional/busier/more hard working. Instead of either letting retail employees sit down (especially cashiers, what the fuck?) or giving them something meaningful to do that isn't cleaning the same square foot of floor or rearranging because you're tired of seeing your workers happy and want to force customers to look in a different place every time they walk in, you force them to look busy. They're building a cargo cult of management.
I'm going to ask a stupider question. Why haven't the parents killed him outright? It's not the smart thing to do but I've seen some parents lose their everloving shit over much smaller stuff than this. It's wild to me that he can do that and not get the hell beat out of him at the least.
You bring up a good point. No, I wouldn't. I phrased it poorly. Imagine I'm having empathy for those in need or redirecting dumb ass kids doing dumb ass kid things.
But honestly criminal gangs aren't generally doing penny ante local shop bullshit. They'll shake them down, but it's just not worth it to steal from local shops when big retailers offer more goods in one place. Unless it's a boutique shop, and I'll be honest, I don't go to those.
Whether or not I saw something has zero to do with what they're stealing and everything to do with where they're stealing from.
You do not steal from Mom and Pop shops. I will may not say anything to the staff, but I might pay for it or I might direct you to a better place to go steal.
If I see something in Walmart, no I fucking didn't. I don't care what it is.
Edit: based on the reply. It's a good point, but not something I've personally run into so it's not something I've had to consider. I've seen idiot kids doing idiot kid things. I've seen people in need. I've not seen a gang or tweakers stealing from a local shop, only large retailers (no I didn't, I do not give a shit) or individuals (I give many shits about this and my response ranges from stopping them to getting evidence to give to the owners depending on more factors than I can list).
Seriously though, this whole thing has me curious about the current state of things so I shot him a message asking about it. I'll pass it along if he still needs the advice.
I've seen it online but it always looks like obvious interaction bait. Someone trying to get clicks and comments so they can be an influencer or similar.
My grandfather worked in NYC for over 20 years and he commuted by train. During those commutes, he sat next to the same man, twice a day - on the way there and on the way back - for years, and only once in at least a decade did they ever speak to each other. "Are you finished reading that?" Those were the 5 words that man spoke to my grandfather, who handed him the paper he had finished reading, and they never exchanged another word again. I don't think they ever even looked at each other.
Best friend he ever had. They still never talk sometimes.
A psychopath that doesn't want to make a habit of drinking at the house because they know it'll become a problem but doesn't want to interact with people because they're going through shit? Possibly a psychopath that gets to drink for free because of the gear loan? A psychopath who wants to watch his gear and take it home with him rather than leaving it in a public place or with a group of drunk musicians overnight?
I don't know what it is. I used to get approached semi-regularly, maybe once every few weeks when I was younger. But this dude, for whatever reason, was approached often. I think part of it is the places he was a lot of times. We'd be out at the bar (he would lend music/PA equipment to bands or small bars for a small fee and show up to basically drink for free) and there was one night I watched it happen half a dozen times. Not by the people who were borrowing equipment, but just random people who he didn't know.
He said it never happened at like the grocery store or whatever, but very often in bars when he'd sit alone, less often in restaurants when he'd sit alone, and occasionally at the park when he'd go sit to read (headphones in). He's good looking but not extraordinarily so and never looked especially friendly so that wasn't it. It was both men and women, men more often but women more persistently.
Some folks just have something that makes others want to talk to them I guess. I imagine it's worse for women for a few reasons (the way certain demographics of dudes are socialized, not knowing how a guy will react when you shut him down, etc). And some folks seem to believe that everyone is just waiting for them to strike up a conversation, even if the person they're trying to strike it up with is obviously actively avoiding people.
It stopped happening to me. I'm not sure if I aged poorly over the pandemic or if I just look meaner these days. He moved away so I don't get to watch that particular trainwreck anymore. I'll have to ask him.
It was a very small event on November 3, 1973. Interestingly one of the three raptured made big news, but it was covered up. He was a pilot.