SURVIVALISTS

Are people becoming paranoid about the Y2k bug? Recent stories from various news sources describe Survivalists who are stockpiling their homes with food, flashlights, and weapons. These men are doing anything they can to protect themselves, and their families from the social breakdown that Y2k is supposed to cause.

These men feel that January 1st, 2000, will be Armageddon. That the fate of human existence will be challenged. Some feel that Armageddon will not be caused by floods, earthquakes, and things falling out of the sky, but by us. We will create our own Armageddon, and the Y2k computer problem is just the start of it.

These Y2k Survivalists are suggesting that you withdraw all of your money from the bank. So that on that fateful night, when all of the ATMs shut down, you will not be broke. However, you should keep a good supply of canned goods, just in case. Heaven forbid, if someone was to ask you for some food. No, it’s MY food, get away.

One Survivalist keeps a high-powered rifle to protect HIS food. He goes out into the woods and practices his marksmanship by shooting at balloons. "I’m going to keep practicing until I can hit a balloon every time. Nobody is going to touch my food."

Are these people overreacting? The majority of Survivalists are male. I believe that we men tend to be a bit too protective. In times of need, women will share with each other. Although I don’t believe it will happen, if social breakdown does occur as a result of Y2k, men will be fighting and killing each other over an apple , while the women enjoy a huge smorgasbord of roast chicken and baked vegetables in a hideaway warehouse.

--Paul Brechbuhler, Digital Images