Why America's Desensitization to Global Crises is a Dangerous Mistake: Understanding the Impact of Indifference
As I was reflecting on an incredible week in El Salvador, filled with eye-opening experiences, I scrolled through X to catch up on world events. That's when I came across a post about another assassination attempt on former President Donald J. Trump. The story quickly gained traction on X, but curiously, there was little mention of it on other platforms like Facebook or Instagram—perhaps because there wasn’t a dramatic, attention-grabbing photo. Have Americans become desensitized to assassination attempts on presidential candidates & former presidents after just one recent attempt a few months ago? Are we seeing the same desensitization with the provocations of World War III by multiple countries overseas? I genuinely believe most Americans have become so numb that they won’t care unless it directly affects them. This is a serious mistake.
Political candidate assassinations are not atypical in countries like Mexico or Colombia. During Mexico's 2018 general election, which included the presidential race, an alarming number of political candidate assassinations occurred. Over 130 politicians were killed between September 2017 and July 2018. This included candidates for local, state, & federal offices, making it one of the most violent election seasons in Mexico’s history. The violence was attributed to organized crime groups attempting to exert influence over local governments, particularly in regions where drug cartels operate. Many of the assassinated politicians were running in local elections and were targeted for resisting criminal control.
During Colombia's 2018 presidential election, several local & regional political figures were assassinated, particularly in areas where violence & criminal organizations were more prevalent. Although the violence did not reach the same level as in Mexico, the climate of intimidation and targeted killings of political figures has been a recurring issue in Colombian politics, especially in the context of local elections. While not as high in number, Colombia stands out as another nation where political assassinations have marred the electoral process.
One may read the last two paragraphs & detect the similarities between the United States, Mexico, & Colombia. The organized crime groups are the lobbyists such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) & big pharma exerting influence over United States elected officials in the Congress & Senate. Those representatives which resist the lobbyists are ‘targeted for resisting criminal control’ by having their campaign funds limited or being placed on terrorist watch lists.
Photo Credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
AIPAC
The powerful pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) is expected to lavish $100m on efforts to defeat progressive candidates it views as insufficiently supportive of Israel in 2024 – and the latest campaign finance reports in closely watched races pitting high-profile progressives against moderate challengers offer a preview of where the group may prioritize spending.
In addition to the spending unleashed by Aipac so far in support of campaigns to challenge incumbent progressives, it is almost certain that Aipac’s political action committee and Super Pac will weigh in. United Democracy Project, the Super Pac launched by Aipac in 2022, spent nearly $33m in the 2022 election cycle and has so far spent more than $17m with $32m to spare as of 16 April, according to data from the non-partisan transparency group OpenSecrets. - The Guardian
Big Pharma
The total is $353.34 million in contributions by pharmaceuticals to politicians from 1990 to March 2024.
Terrorist Watch List
On August 4, 2024, it was reported that whistleblowers with the Federal Air Marshal Service came forward with information showing former representative and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard was enrolled in the TSA’s Quiet Skies program, which is a suspected terrorist watchlist. - Burchett
Just because the organized crime groups in the United States may wear suits & ties instead of tactical gear & rifles, doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Given this is the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life, any American should question what our country has become & why. We already know how much of a fiasco the 2020 Presidential Election was, how many extremes are ‘the organized crime groups’ in the United States willing to go to in order for there not to be a 2024 Presidential Election?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s term technically ended in May of this year. Yet in May 2023, Zelenskyy suggested that elections ‘may not be feasible’ during wartime, referring to Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia. According to the Ukrainian constitution, elections cannot be held under martial law, which has been in place since Ukraine-Russia conflict began in February 2022.
If assassinating the former president & current threat to the existing White House administration doesn’t work, the Plan B may be to make sure the United States is fully entrenched in a wartime position. Just this past week, the Biden Administration has authorized Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia with long-range missiles the United States will provide the country.
These statements amounted to a change of tone from Washington, after months of insisting there would be no change in policy – something US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin repeated on Friday, saying the 300km-range (185-mile) Army Tactical Missiles Ukraine wants to use inside Russia would not change the course of the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that if NATO countries authorised strikes deep inside Russia, they would effectively be involved in the war.
“This is not a question of allowing the Ukrainian regime to strike Russia with these weapons or not. It is a question of deciding whether or not NATO countries are directly involved in a military conflict,” Putin told Russian state TV.
“If this decision is taken, it will mean nothing less than the direct involvement of NATO countries, the United States and European countries in the war in Ukraine. This will be their direct participation, and this, of course, will significantly change the very essence, the very nature of the conflict.” - Al Jazeera
In addition to the United States’ involvement with the Ukraine/Russia war, Israel is threatening Lebanon with invasion, & China is keeping Taiwan in its sights.
Image Credit: Bloomberg
Israel Threatens to Broaden the Fight Beyond its Borders
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged his government on Sunday to prepare for “changing the situation” on the northern front with Lebanon given the ongoing clashes and mounting tensions. Speaking at a weekly cabinet meeting, he said the situation in the north cannot go on, calling on the army and all security agencies to prepare for change on the front.
The government is committed to returning all residents of the north safely to their homes, he added, while describing Hezbollah in Lebanon as Iran’s “strongest” arm. Meanwhile, Israeli security sources told local media that the battle with Lebanon is “imminent”, but the timing for it hasn’t been set yet.
Israel is confronted with two scenarios: either reach an agreement that ends the war on Gaza, or the negotiations collapse, and it would have to deal with a broad war against Hezbollah, they added. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that the government has put on hold escalating the fight against Iran-backed Hezbollah.
A security official said an agreement that ends the war on Gaza gives Israel the opportunity to choose the best timing to launch attacks against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in the future, which will take place after the army completes its preparations to launch a broad war on Lebanon.
The army is in the final phase of its preparations for the potential battle, he revealed. Expanding the war may include a land incursion into Lebanon, destroying Hezbollah’s capabilities deep in Lebanese territories and forcing its fighters away from the border with Israel, he went on to say.
China’s Increased Military Activity Around Taiwan
The PLA carried out amphibious landing drills with dual-use roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) ships off the coast of Fujian Province. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) said it detected PLA combat aircraft, helicopters, drones, amphibious ships, and ro-ro freighters loaded with ground troops carrying out "joint landing exercises" around Dacheng Bay in the PRC’s Fujian Province, which is directly across the Taiwan Strait from Taiwan.[11] The PRC did not announce the drills. The PLA has conducted amphibious landing drills in the same area in 2023 and in previous years, often around September.[12] The PRC has also previously conducted training with ro-ro boats to carry troops and vehicles.[13] Ro-ro boats are cargo vessels with ramps that can be used to drive vehicles onto and off the ship instead of loading them with cranes. The PLA currently lacks sufficient sealift capability to execute a full-scale invasion of Taiwan and is working to integrate commercial ro-ro ships into its operations to fill this gap.[14]
The PRC maintained a high number of air incursions of Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in August. Taiwan’s MND reported that PLA aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s ADIZ a total of 399 times in August, including at least one incursion every day of the month. This is the third highest monthly total on record, surpassed only by 446 incursions in August 2022 and 439 incursions in July 2024. The high number of incursions in August 2022 coincided with a massive spike in PLA activity around Taiwan following then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. The PLA incursions into Taiwan’s ADIZ in 2024 did not spike but instead rapidly climbed month-on-month from January to July, following Lai Ching-te’s victory in Taiwan’s January 2024 presidential election. Lai took office in May.[15] The ADIZ incursion numbers do not include aerial activity around Kinmen and Matsu, which are west of the median line. - Understanding War
Any one of the aforementioned conflicts can spark an all-out battle of epic proportions & give the United States reason to declare martial law.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
How Martial Law Works in The United States
Enacting martial law in the United States is a rare and extreme measure, used only in situations where normal civil authority is unable to maintain law and order. The process and steps involved in declaring martial law are not explicitly laid out in the U.S. Constitution or federal law, but historically, certain key steps have been followed:
1. Crisis or Emergency Situation:
Martial law can only be declared in cases of extreme national emergency, such as:
A domestic insurrection or widespread civil unrest
A major natural disaster or pandemic where civil authorities are overwhelmed
A foreign invasion or other national security threat
2. Presidential Declaration:
The President of the United States has the authority to declare martial law at the federal level. Under Article II of the U.S. Constitution, the president can use executive powers to take necessary actions in times of national emergency.
The governors of individual states can also declare martial law within their state if the state’s laws allow, but they usually consult with the federal government.
3. Suspension of Civil Authority:
Once martial law is declared, normal civil law and constitutional protections may be suspended or limited. This includes:
Suspension of habeas corpus, which prevents the government from detaining individuals without cause.
The military (instead of civilian police forces) assumes responsibility for maintaining law and order.
Curfews, restrictions on public gatherings, and control over media may be implemented.
4. Role of the Military:
Under martial law, the military assumes control over law enforcement. This could involve:
Deploying the National Guard, federal troops, or other military units to enforce laws, maintain order, and ensure public safety.
Military tribunals or courts might replace civilian courts in handling cases, particularly in regions where civil authorities are no longer able to function.
5. Judicial Oversight:
While there is no clear legal process for judicial review of martial law declarations, courts can eventually step in to evaluate the legality of the declaration. Historically, the U.S. Supreme Court has weighed in on the constitutionality of martial law in cases such as Ex parte Milligan (1866), ruling that military tribunals cannot replace civilian courts when they are still functional.
6. Restoration of Civil Authority:
Martial law is meant to be temporary. Once the crisis or emergency is resolved, civil authority must be restored, and normal constitutional rights must be reinstated. The president or state governor typically lifts martial law once stability is restored.
Legal Limitations:
Posse Comitatus Act (1878): Limits the ability of the federal government to use the military for domestic law enforcement purposes without congressional approval.
The Insurrection Act provides an exception to this, allowing the president to deploy troops to suppress insurrections or enforce federal law in extreme circumstances.
While the U.S. has rarely used martial law, it has been declared in specific historical contexts, such as during the Civil War and in isolated incidents like Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. However, the legal framework around martial law is limited.
While many Americans are becoming increasingly desensitized to the growing threats to the security & stability of the United States, it’s crucial for my fellow Warriors to understand that we are facing a ticking time bomb of epic proportions. I’m not suggesting you stop living your life or retreat to a bunker—that’s not the point. We cannot afford to fall into complacency just because the conflicts seem distant, the assassination attempts aren’t targeting you or your family, & your personal freedoms to conduct business have remained relatively intact... for now. Take this time of relative stability & peace to build your personal fortress.
I spent this past week immersed in listening to other fellow Warriors experience with building their personal fortresses & here’s a bullet-pointed list of what that looks like:
Creating & Cultivating a Personal/Familial/Community Homestead - this includes land you can cultivate food - both animal & vegetable/fruit/herbs in order to not only sustain life in good times & bad but also to add quality to the foods you are currently consuming.
Diversifying Your Jurisdiction - this includes having both residential/passports & capital investments in different countries which are not only tax incentives but are personal freedom options in case one or more countries enters martial law, lockdown, sanctions, or kinetic war.
Embracing Bitcoin/USDT/Crypto Exchanges - this includes learning how these exchanges can help you move financial assets between countries without being shut down by regulatory authorities. Trying to move currency between countries the ‘normal’ banking way often results in flags/blocks, excess taxation, & massive delays. Moving one’s legitimate currency in the ‘regular’ system is not allowed without the heavy hand of banking control having their say in what an individual can or cannot do under the guise of ‘money laundering’. Bitcoin/USDT/Crypto Exchanges are extremely helpful in overcoming financial hurdles.
Build a Network - while you can accomplish a great deal of preparedness & self-sufficiency on your own, having a community of like-minded freedom-fighting Warriors is an essential component of becoming truly resilient for what is to come. Having a strong network will allow you to navigate through trusted & established sources & learn from other’s mistakes. A network can help you formulate the best resilience plan for your personal situation & have your back in case you stumble along the way. Of course, don’t just be a taker. Frequently contributing your skill set to the network will return its weight in gold.
I challenge my fellow Warriors to build your personal & familial resiliency & don’t become desensitized to the events occurring in the world around you. Everything is connected.
Until next time, Stay Vigilant, Stay Informed, Ever Forward!
