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Sept. 11, 2001

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Letters and email from readers about Backwoods Home Magazine and the BHM website


Managing Editor Annie Tuttle and Editor & Publisher Dave Duffy.
Managing Editor Annie Tuttle and Editor & Publisher Dave Duffy.
How to send feedback to Backwoods Home Magazine

Archive for the ‘Self-reliance’ Category

 

Living the outlaw life – The Importance of Escape

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Hello Ms Wolfe

Thanks very much for this article.

I have been saying the same thing for years to anyone who would listen.

That includes several local (Houston, TX) science fiction discussion groups
and local political groups.

I got grudgingly semi-favorable comments, but that’s about all.

You’ve given me a little more ammunition.

I’d like to see some website(s) dedicated to this idea.

Thanks again,

John Westerlage

 

Your Preparing for Civil Unrest article

Monday, October 19th, 2009

Claire,

I just wanted to THANK YOU for your wonderfully concise article about Preparing for Civil Unrest. I posted and sent the link onto my Facebook page and have already received KUDOS about how well your article was written.

I THANK YOU for the thousands of others that will read it and will be able to better prepare for what is coming.

God bless you and keep you safe!

Cindy Lou in Texas

 

Repeating mouse trap

Sunday, October 11th, 2009

I normally don’t do this but, in this instance, am willing to make an exception! This repeating mouse trap is simply genius.

My thanks to the author for sharing it!

Regards,

Steve

 

Preparing for civil unrest article

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

I’m sorta speechless Claire, these are things I have been seeing slowly taking shape over the last few years and I have to agree with you one hundred percent.

Suffice it to say, I intend to survive THAT problem if it arises…I have NO intention of going and looking for trouble, I abhor violence, however, if trouble comes here, to my doorstep, my family and I will survive.Ā  I did NOT spend twenty plus years as a combat instructor in the Marine Corps for nothing.

I hope and pray that we never see it happen, and I mean that with all sincerity, but with the same sincerity, there will be hell to pay if unrest comes out our road.Ā  We live fairly isolated, by mutual choice in East Tennessee, so that helps, and we grow our own food crops and our own meat, and that helps, so I’m HOPING we’re fairly well prepared if the excrement impacts the air flow moving device…

Have a GREAT Day!

John Campbell

 

The coming American dictatorship

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

Dear Editor(s)

After listening to a local radio morning show discussion involving the indoctrination of public school children by our latest president I was left feeling drained and disillusioned with the state of our nation. For many years I’ve known something was wrong in America. I was raised as many of us were. Watching the glorious feats of the one off free nation that never was before and always would be.

I was positive of the greatness of a nation. As I have grown older, learned, read, thought and seen; There is something wrong with our system. I grew up extremely poor, impoverished even. Many nights we went without food, in these United States. Even so, I had faith in the natural rights granted to Americans. Slowly though, it waned as the youthful imaginings were jolted by the brutal realities of our situation.

Needless to say, it is an illusion. So many times in my life I have been presented the opportunity to “Do the right thing,” And, have. I have been honest johnny, I have been even Stephen. I have worked and paid and fought to be a good person. Literally from the depths of homelessness, I have rebuilt my life. I have worked any honest job a man can work and I have not tasted that forbidden fruit. Yet, I am at best lower-middle class. I manage paycheck to paycheck and work like that simpleton on a treadmill chasing the pot of gold that never comes.

Now, beyond those physical labor and minimum wage pains, I am still in the cogs of a giant machine turning with absolute [intent] to enslave. I am angry and irrational, often blaming politicians and the idiocy of my fellow citizens. Sure, I’ve learned to play within the rules. I’ve managed to color within the lines and “Yes’sa,” “No’sa” through a corporate society. For a kid who grew up in Los Angeles dirt poor and never finished High School, I am through pain and persistence struggling upward.

But, it still lingers, that knowing, that understanding of the absolute obscured nature of my goals. The distaste of the sweet fruit of life in the eyes of the greater picture. When I see a man on television proclaiming he will be different, crested by his brilliant star spangled button, I taste that concoction of poison drenched in sugar. And still, I blame politicians, shadow masters with unlimited power, time, influence and money. I am apathetic in the hopelessness. That is, until I searched Google for the only thing I could think to call this situation: “The American Dictatorship.”

On this search I came across your article: The coming American dictatorship – Article by John Silveira from Issue #66. [Editor's Note: See also The Coming American Dictatorship, Part XI and The Coming American Dictatorship Parts I - XI]

How apt, succinct, honest and sad I found it. The eloquence of the piece was quite frankly refreshing, disheartening and alarming. I know that is a rather odd compliment, but, I assure you it is true. This article struck a nerve of unwavering truth. And so, I have written you to thank you for stating it as such. Also, to let you know, despite my apathy in regards to our system and the extreme disbelief in any real, meaningful change in our country. I will try, honestly try to be “The people” again. I will not let the feeling of utter helplessness against the idiocy of my peers and the massive size of the machine prevent me from getting started. If you can write, I can write and call and sing and kick and scream and no longer be a bystander to the rape of the inherent rights of humans.

I would also like to point out that I have loathed the loud mouthed opinionated political persons and as such, it will be difficult for me to begin on this path, however, it must be done. I thank you.

Sincerely,

Isaac N. Acuna

 

Backwoods Home online

Friday, September 25th, 2009

Dave,

I think your magazine is very nearly perfect.

We will store our print copies forever!Ā  An online version would make poor toilet paper in a disaster situation!Ā  So, don’t waste your time and effort on an online version!

And this comment is from a “buy nearly everything off of the Internet” high tech geek guy with a degree in electronics!

Oh, as an aside, some of us are vegetarians and are NOT left wing whacko’s!Ā Ā  So an occasional vegetarian recipe is always welcome at our house .

Thanks for such a great magazine!Ā  This will be the last subscription to go as we go softly (or not) into the Greatest Depression….

Another Libertarian abandoned by the R[epublican] party!

Joe Olson

 

Bounty of eggs

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

Just a suggestion – eggs can be frozen in their shells. You just place them in a ziploc bag and freeze.

When you are ready to use, take out what you want and let thaw for about an hour on the counter in a bowl. You can run the egg under warm water, crack it and slip the shell off easily. Place in refrigerator covered with plastic wrap to thaw.

These are best for baking. The yolk will be a little tough but when beaten will return to normal.

Sheila Darden

 

Thank you!

Friday, September 18th, 2009

I just read online: Start a self-sufficiency garden even in a cramped apartment By Nancy Wolcott

I want to thank you for the article, especially because it contained very specific plants and sources.

So often articles speak in generalities and leave one with more questions than answers.

I’ll be subscribing to your paper magazine soon.

[Name withheld by request]

 

I’m afraid!! What can we do?

Monday, September 14th, 2009

I subscribe to your magazine and look forward to each issue. I especially enjoyed the most recent article on the Coming Dictatorship. I agree with you, and that is why I am deeply concerned about the future of our country.

There is a huge machine (U.S. Government) that is out of control. This machine is consuming everything in its path, but mostly it is consuming and wasting our hard earned tax dollars, and borrowed money (T-Bills, etc.). I fear for my children and grand children. They most definitely will not spend their lives in the same country you and I grew up in.

I’ve been thinking about how to bring this machine to a halt, non-violently, before it is too late. The machine runs on a lot of tax dollars. Without those tax dollars it would be slowed down, and maybe stopped. Would it work to organize as many people and companies as possible to quit sending tax dollars to D.C.? This might be a really bad idea, but something along these lines must beĀ  done.

People in other countries hold worker layouts and strikes to cripple a country for a short period of time. Sometimes it works. Do you think it would work here?

What if truckers shut down their rigs for 24, 48 or 72 hours? Think what that would do, especially if the trucks going into Washington D..C. did this. We the People have the power to bring this machine down if we organize. My guess is that would be the problem. Getting enough Americans to agree to stay home would be very difficult.

I hope I don’t sound desperate. I want the best for our country and all of those that will have to live in it. I don’t really think of myself, only my family. I do not want to exclude anyone, harm anyone or discriminate against anyone either. I realize not everyone will agree with what I have said here. All I know is that those who were elected to represent me are not representing me. They are completely disconnected. I can only imagine who really controls this country now.

By the way, I am a military veteran, and I took an oath to uphold the Constitution and defend it from enemies both foreign and domestic, and I will do so. I am afraid there are those Americans who also took similar oaths who will not do what they swore to do. I just wanted to share with you that I recently found an organization called OATHKEEPERS.org. I think this is a step in the right direction, if this is a legitimate organization.

Thank you for listening to me, and thank you for your magazine.

Thomas Wilson

 

Civil unrest article

Sunday, September 13th, 2009

Good job [with the article],

I’ve read about and have ‘adopted’ a strategy in regards to a “Level 4′ type scenario.

Dig In.

Our food/gas/electricity/medicines deliveries are so just-in-time these days, that any lengthy scenario (over a month or two) massive amounts of the general population will die. An on-your-own scenario of six months encompassing the winter months may trim the population by 50%. If this ever happens it will be Mad Max time.

Dig In and be invisible.

After the unprepared population is weeded out, sadly, that may be the reason that calm and reason reappear.
I do disagree with your (and others’) philosophy of massive military and police control in a very bad scenario.

Here is why:

They are us.

In China and other countries we have seen the military and police seem to have a ball beating down their own people. I do not believe that will happen here. I feel this mainly because in other countries the military and police enjoy a certain better standard of living than a majority of the population. In the USA our cops and military are just like you and I. In fact, a great many will probably be in the Dig In mode protecting their own families.

On the other side, I live smack in the middle of Iowa; lol, yep, I can only imagine the coastal populations flocking here……

Dave


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