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Old September 6, 2008, 03:40 PM   #1
Socrates
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What can we learn from the Rodney King riots and looting?

In Kali, it's real clear. Rich folks live in certain areas, like The Palisades, Malibu, etc. They either have police, or, more likely, they have a very efficient private security firm. They also own guns. LOTS of guns.
When the Rodney King riots were in effect, these folks set up baracades, in Beverly Hills, and West Hollywood, and the Palisades, and, Korea town,covered with high powered rifles, and assault weapons. Don't live in that area, you don't get in.
The police had pulled out of LA, along with the Fire fighters, and, let the burning, looting, and killing go on it's own. Anarchy, for 1.5-2 days, until the national guard got there, and, get this, they went in with NO AMMUNITION, BUT, THE BAD GUYS DIDN'T KNOW THAT...

The groups that were responsible for most of this were gangs, Mexican, Cryps, Bloods, 13's, and 14's, etc. The fires were started at the same time over a very large area. This was an organized effort by the LA gangs to redistribute wealth, given an excuse. THEY are armed, well armed.
The gangs targeted marketable items, stores like Goodguys, were totally looted, and then burned to destroy any evidence of theft.

I pull a couple things out of this situation. First, the wealthy LA rich folks sponsor lots of bills to limit poor people getting guns. Given that they have vivid memories of that riot, and it's situation, do we forgive them for throwing our service members, and poor folks, like teachers, under the bus in their effort to keep guns out of the hands of the gangs?

I don't.

I'm told, even though I live in a nice area, I have to have a 600 dollar plus safe to keep them in. NOT the easiest thing to move. That's fine, if you are rich, and live in a mansion...

In politics, one of the first lessons one learns is if you create a large poor class, a small middle class, and, a oligarchy, as LA is, you are highly likely to have armed insurrections. Rodney King riots were living proof of that.

Finally, the people that MOST need guns are the folks that aren't rich, who are force to live in proximity to gang territory. Because of the lower rents, they are MOST likely to be robbed, killed, etc. and, they are the ones MOST in need of firearms for SD.

In Washington D.C., congress is the one responsible for overseeing D.C.'s laws. CONGRESS let that 25 years of no handgun ban exist, under THEIR WATCH. In our nations capital, a place where one would think all those hallowed places would remind our elected reps of their duty to our way of life, and, our Constitution, they have in fact, allowed Nazi like gun restrictions to exist for 25 years. I can think of little more clear and convincing evidence of the majority of our government reps REAL position, and leanings, then D.C.s gun laws.

Now that I'm off my soap box: The Koreans got prosecuted, don't know of the final disposition, because they used height, roof tops, to cover their area, and, the helicopters took pictures of them. If you are going to use this tactic, where a hat, or some sort of cover so they can't identify you.

I guess the real question is, what would you do with marauding gangs, no police or fire, for two days? How would you get out, or, would you abandon your home, or store? What if you couldn't get out?

Last edited by Socrates; September 6, 2008 at 04:16 PM.
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Old September 6, 2008, 05:40 PM   #2
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We Koreans had the right idea. As you know, Korea town is not in an
affluent part of Los Angeles.

If the police abandon their responsibilities, you better protect yourself
and your neighborhood.

What was Los Angeles' beef with us anyway? We did what we had to do.
Vigilantism is wrong, but not when the authorities have tucked tail and have run
for their lives. These first generation Korean immigrants have
everything invested in their stores. Their stores mean almost everything to them.

Some white guys beat a black guy senseless and do not go to jail for doing
so. Therefore, Koreans stores are looted. I never understood
that.

If the authorities abandon their responsibilities, get together with your
neighbors, barricade the streets, get on the roofs and if a mob comes
shoot to kill.

EDIT: If the mob had rushed the Korea town barricades, you would have seen
some bloodshed. Most first generation Koreans have military training.
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Old September 6, 2008, 06:04 PM   #3
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Wasn't really even in the news, but, this was a gang run, organized major robbery. Under cover of this case, it was an excuse for MILLIONS of dollars in 'wealth redistribution' by the LA gangs.

I think the case really brings up how undergunned, and, undermanned LAPD is. Also, what tactics civilians better be ready to use, and, the weapons best suited to self-protection is such situations are only in the hands of the LA gangs.
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Old September 6, 2008, 06:08 PM   #4
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Depending on what goes down, . . . I may bug out, . . . I may stay, . . . but if I do stay, . . . there is 300 feet to 900 feet of open, flat terrain before you can get to my place.

No trees, no buildings, and a really good neighbor who would have my back.

Hunkering down here is almost too easy, . . . and we could do that for several days at least. Especially since I retired a few months ago, . . . there is almost no reason I HAVE to go out, . . . except to go to church on Sunday.

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Old September 6, 2008, 07:06 PM   #5
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This is why I wish the mods would be a little more lenient with discussions on "end of the world" scenarios. I know people get carried away with these topics, but situations like this (LA riots) and the Katrina aftermath show us that these things can happen, even in this country. I also think these types of things are just interesting to talk about, but I can see how it can make us seem like a bunch of nuts (who have guns).
I also happen to believe we will likely see more situations like this in the near future - say ten years or so. I'm not going to go into my thoughts on why, as I dont want to hijack this thread.

To answer the question (before this one gets shut down), my reaction would depend on the situation.
As far as roving gangs and people getting killed, you have to defend your family by any means necessary.
If I felt it was only local and would be short lived, I would hole-up at home.
If It was more widespread and seemed more like a "TEOTWAWKI" type thing (mass rioting/looting, murders, collapse of local govt resources like law enforcement) I, with my family, would try to flee to my in-law's cabin which is pretty isolated relative to any major population centers. I would bring whatever food and other necessities I could quickly gather, and worry about getting more once we were out of harms way.
If I can't get out of Dodge, I guess I hunker down here with a shotgun, rifle (which I unfortunately do not yet have) and hopefully enough supplies like food and water to get me through until it ends or I can get out.
Luckily, where I live I think it would really have to hit the fan, nation-wide, for things to go that far down-hill.
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Old September 6, 2008, 07:51 PM   #6
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I think mods are being kinda lenient. They haven't closed this one. (though not technically an EOTW thread)

I think the take home from the RK riots is that law enforcement cannot provide protection from that kind of anarchy. Though well trained, even LAPD are not military units. They are well meaning and dedicated public servants (New Orleans being the questionable exception). When the stuff really hits the fan and they are outnumbered, outgunned, and faced with overwhelming mob violence, You will be ON YOUR OWN!

It is wise to keep a 3-5 day supply of essentials, a reliable weapon with which you are competent, and plenty of ammunition. A vehicle in which to escape the city (if possible) that is large enough to carry your loved ones and but-out gear. A gas or diesel powered generator is helpful, especially if you cannot flee. If possible, live outside of major metropolitan areas as these seem to have the greatest concentrations of gang activity. That is what I take home from the RK riots.

I live in the suburbs but not so far out of town as I would like. There are 4 gangs within a few blocks of my home so even in what seems a quite suburban neighborhood, there is the potential for massed violence.

Fortunately, I live far enough out an close enough to the interstate that, with only minimal warning, I can have my bug-out gear in the truck and be far from the city. IF I get ANY warning.
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Old September 6, 2008, 08:01 PM   #7
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Today someone tried to, and we don't know, commit suicide by police in our area. They shut down a good part of the freeway system.

Another thing, 3000 bikers, being escorted by the CHP, has shut down another part of the freeway system, Pretty much.

It's 101, and, is now down to 96@ 6pm.

We also had a 4.0 earthquake yesterday evening.

I commute to a bad area, and, as I was on my way home, I called 911. As I drove off, I saw about 100 students gathering to watch a couple guys fighting, across the street from the high school.

All of this is a bit unsettling, and, makes the Rodney King riots, and other riots that occured during extreme heat, seem a bit too close to home...

Forgot to mention someone broke into my car, took about 1 grand in stereo amp and CD player, and, 5k in computer equipment.

Maybe I've got some sort of Traumatic Stress disorder...

Last edited by Socrates; September 7, 2008 at 12:27 PM.
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Old September 7, 2008, 03:08 AM   #8
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In November, when BO loses, you will see race riots. Be prepared.
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Old September 7, 2008, 09:32 AM   #9
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Quote:
In November, when BO loses, you will see race riots. Be prepared.
If he wins there will be riots as well. The country is full of idiots on either side of the fence.
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Old September 7, 2008, 10:12 AM   #10
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Both sides of the fence?

I was somewhat under the impression that the same people who will riot if he wins, will be the ones rioting if he loses - just perhaps in fewer numbers?

It's hard for me to picture the 'other side' burning and looting...?

Quote:
Quote:
In November, when BO loses, you will see race riots. Be prepared.

If he wins there will be riots as well. The country is full of idiots on either side of the fence.
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Old September 7, 2008, 10:41 AM   #11
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Quote:
It's hard for me to picture the 'other side' burning and looting...?
Ah, where I'm at the KKK and Aryan Brotherhood have ralleys on a semi-regular basis. Having photographed some of these events, it's very very easy for me to imagine them burning/killing. Maybe not looting, but who knows.
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Old September 7, 2008, 10:47 AM   #12
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I guess the firdt thing is that you can't count on the police when all hell breaks loose. They are not equipped for that and the national guard is needed.

After hurricane Andrew, there was quite a bit of looting going on. When it comes to looting grocery stores, it is almost understandable if you have to feed your family. You can say it was their responsibility to stock up, but what about those who could barely make enough to pay rent? Besides, power was out in some areas for over 3 months. The people that made me sick were those looting the non-essentials. It just became a free for all.

I guess one of the best things to do is form a neighborhood watch and barricade streets. It helps if you know you neighbors before hand and hopefully your neighbors are not thugs. I live in a gated community which only has 2 entrances. That makes it pretty easy to control. If the poop really hits the fan, then we could just post a few guys to control who comes in. For visitors, we could probably have them escorted to ensure they are going where they say they are going. Resources would probably have to be shared to prevent some from going without (getting desperate). I do live in a pretty good area and fortunately we are not that close to the bad areas.

For those not in gated communities, I would still block off both ends of the street and form a neighborhood watch.
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Old September 7, 2008, 12:27 PM   #13
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I had not thought about the entire BO racial riots possibility angle. Since I will be working in an area that has a large % of African americans, I may dress a bit differently that day...
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Old September 7, 2008, 12:36 PM   #14
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I thank God every day I moved from L A back to AZ when I got out of the army. I did live in Bakersfield for a while which is the only place I'd stay in CA.
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Old September 7, 2008, 02:36 PM   #15
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Forgot to mention someone broke into my car, took about 1 grand in stereo amp and CD player, and, 5k in computer equipment.
Well Dah...........leave that kind of stuff in plain sight in any vehicle in most inner city big cities and eventually it will get stolen. Might as well leave your wallet on the dash while your at it.
And this phenomenon isn't something new.
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Old September 7, 2008, 03:27 PM   #16
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Quote:
In November, when BO loses, you will see race riots. Be prepared.
Malarkey. There will be no race riots if BO looses. There will be no race riots if BO wins.
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Old September 7, 2008, 03:52 PM   #17
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Shoot, I got beat to the punch

Quote:
In November, when BO loses, you will see race riots. Be prepared.
I haven't look at this one since last night, but I was going to add that exact same thought.
I think there absolutely will be some rioting/violence if he loses.
We will also get to hear at least four more years of "He's not my president", about how McCain and the republican machine stole the presidency, and this time about how it's because of racism that B.O. wasn't elected.

We may not see a repeat of the LA riots or a race war, but we will see some ugliness.
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Old September 7, 2008, 04:02 PM   #18
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Malarkey. There will be no race riots if BO looses. There will be no race riots if BO wins.
Malarkey.....Malarkey.....Haven't heard that word since my grand dad used it in 1955. But I agree, win or loose probably won't be cause for rioting but if the climate is right almost anything can "start" a riot.
About the only way BO could have anything to do with a race riot is if he somehow couldn't finish the race.
No pun intended.
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Old September 7, 2008, 04:09 PM   #19
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You hit the nail on the head

Quote:
but if the climate is right almost anything can "start" a riot.
I think there is enough anger right now stewing in this country in some groups that the climate is indeed right.

edit: I don't just mean racial groups by the way. I live in St Paul, MN (where the GOP convention was just held); We had a lot of unruly people trying to cause havoc during the convention. Some guy was even arrested with a bunch of Molotov cocktails. There were some incidents which were coming real close to rioting. If McCain wins this Nov, I cant imagine these people won't take to the streets again, only this time they're going to be real mad.
I don't know how much attention this got nationally, as I usually only watch the local news, but a lot of downtown St Paul was cordoned off and looked like a military or police state (lots of National Guard and tons of police). I guess they needed it too, lots of vandalism, some violence, plenty of tear gas and about 700 arrests (I think only a handful of felony charges though). I even heard some rubber bullets were fired, but I'm not sure if that's true.

Last edited by EastSideRich; September 7, 2008 at 04:26 PM. Reason: clarification
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Old September 7, 2008, 04:24 PM   #20
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The point of my post was that Rodney King was a situation orchestrated by gangs in LA, with one goal: Make huge amounts of money by looting.

These gangs are armed with any firearm they want, since they don't care about the laws, and, if they can smuggle enough people to make Kali a 48% Spanish state, how many AK-47s, and ammo do you think they have???

The timing with Rodney Kings' trial was just window dressing...
This is NOT about RACE. It's about gangs...
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Old September 7, 2008, 05:02 PM   #21
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Gang "orchestrated" violence and hooliganism...maybe. But there will be no "race" riots.
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Old September 7, 2008, 06:22 PM   #22
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i posted the story in another thread.

that time of the rodney king stuff, we were literally barricaded on our land, armed to the teeth, with people standing at our property line screaming death threats at us.

law enforcement refused, even after repeated calls, to come out.

we felt betrayed by the LE we trusted to help us.

so we came up with a plan. we loaded up everything in the house, including black powder. my brother and i went up the hill to try and stop em before they got to the women.

fortunately they never crossed onto our property so i didnt have to light em up with my galil.

it was very very scary.
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Old September 7, 2008, 08:43 PM   #23
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I was in one of the riots in South Los Angeles. The LAPD didn't bug out, just outnumbered when an entire community came out to steal, loot and burn. Gangs were there but so was most of the community. It's easy to say but you can't shoot unarmed citizens for looting. The RK riots had nothing to do with RK, it was just an excuse to go out and loot because everyone else was doing it.

My hat is off to the Koreans for protecting their community. When things get that bad defending your home, business or community is the answer. Get a shotgun and a lot of ammo. One blast will scare off rioters and move them to an easier target. If you shoot someone, deny it. Its every man for himself and you need to put yourself and family first. If they get hurt it's their tough luck. The police can't protect you because there are not enough of them. The trouble with this whole thing is most people in the city are cowards and unable to take up arms. They think all their problems will be solved by calling 911.
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Old September 7, 2008, 09:34 PM   #24
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To answer the last (first?) question: I wouldn't live there in the first place.
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Old September 7, 2008, 09:46 PM   #25
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Bill DeShivs and Sparks2112

Bill,

I have wondered why this has not been metioned before...I am afraid this might happen.

Sparks2112,

Give me a break. If he gets elected no one will riot...something else might happen but not a riot.
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