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Why America Must Relearn Situational Awareness
American Thinker ^ | 21 Dec, 2025 | David DeMay

Posted on 12/21/2025 5:11:08 AM PST by MtnClimber

One of the most dangerous illusions Americans are living under today is the belief that safety is ambient, existing automatically, everywhere, and at all times, by virtue of laws, norms, or declarations. For decades, we have been trained to assume that public spaces are fundamentally benign and that vigilance itself is somehow antisocial or unnecessary.

That assumption is no longer valid.

A steady stream of viral videos now documents what many quietly sense: sudden assaults in stores, flash-mob robberies, random attacks on public transport, group intimidation in ordinary places. These are not war zones or failed states. They are malls, trains, sidewalks, and parking lots. The common thread is not criminal genius, but civilian unpreparedness.

America has drifted into what security professionals call Condition White: relaxed, distracted, and unaware. In an era when threats are opportunistic and often collective, that posture is no longer merely naïve. Instead, it is dangerous.

Situational Awareness Is Not Paranoia

The argument here is not for panic or permanent fear. There is a critical distinction between situational awareness and hypervigilance, and confusing the two has left many Americans untrained and exposed.

Situational awareness is a calm, teachable skill. It is the ability to notice what is normal in an environment and recognize when something deviates from that baseline. It is relaxed alertness: heads up, eyes open, mind engaged. It is the same mental posture we use when driving: aware of surroundings, ready to respond, but not consumed by fear.

Hypervigilance, by contrast, is a trauma state. It assumes danger everywhere, exhausts the nervous system, and is unsustainable for ordinary life. No one is advocating that.

What America needs is a cultural reset toward Condition Yellow: alert, observant, and prepared to act early before a situation escalates.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: crime; culturerot; racism; selfdefense; situationalawareness
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To: NorthMountain

LOL!


101 posted on 12/21/2025 9:47:37 AM PST by Fury
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To: Governor Dinwiddie

There is a mental checklist. The more boxes checked, the greater the concern.

Male, young, black, poorly dressed, idle, dirty, Muslim. If there are multiple individuals with the same group of traits, leave. If someone complains or offended about such list, so what?


102 posted on 12/21/2025 9:57:32 AM PST by alternatives?
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To: webheart

Very, very sad. Thank you for posting about this.


103 posted on 12/21/2025 10:08:08 AM PST by Fury
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To: Governor Dinwiddie

Stop posting racist crap.

Grow up.


104 posted on 12/21/2025 10:11:30 AM PST by Fury
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To: Fury; Governor Dinwiddie

Sorry, I already busted you for post 3.

My apologies.


105 posted on 12/21/2025 10:13:19 AM PST by Fury
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To: MtnClimber
It is not enough to merely be aware. I was aware. I thought I was prepared if something happened.

Well, it happened. Here is an abbreviated version.

I was at the end of a bike ride in November, and getting ready to put the bike in my vehicle. From behind, 30 yards away, I heard "Hey" twice. All I could think of to do was shout at the top of my lungs in the empty parking lot for the approaching bad guy to back off.

My instinct was to focus on his eyes and hands, as he stopped 20 feet away. He wanted to get closer, and I knew that would be a bad thing. His expression never changed the whole time. His eyes were all black, like a doll's eyes. My phone and other self defense items were right next to me, on my bike. I got tunnel vision and it seemed like my bike was 10 feet away.

I never felt so vulnerable in my life. Eventually he turned around and walked away. I decided to get some self defense training so I could have more options.
106 posted on 12/21/2025 10:34:39 AM PST by farm_kid (Seize a carp a day (carpe per diem))
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To: Fury
You are correct: single parent households keep children from having a stable father at the critical stages of their upbringing. Young males look for any male influence and often that comes from gangs - which leads them to violence and prison.

The single parents come from a social welfare system that rewards this and not complete families - which cause the unfinished males, who perpetuate the cycle again and again.

Not to harp on this but The Marine Corps furnishes the family for many of these men and gives them a culture where they succeed through their own efforts - the only measure they are evaluated on. The Marine Corps is a hard family, but absolutely fair and anyone can rise to the top if they perform well.

107 posted on 12/21/2025 10:35:32 AM PST by Chainmail (You can vote your way into Socialism - but you will have to shoot your way out.)
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To: Chainmail

Good post - thanks.


108 posted on 12/21/2025 10:44:12 AM PST by Fury
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To: MtnClimber

Just like commercials. Only be weary of some white guy. Worrying about a group of black ‘teens’ is racist and according to TV they are fine people to keep your earphones on and staring at your screen.


109 posted on 12/21/2025 11:05:17 AM PST by Organic Panic ('Was I molested. I think so' - Ashley Biden in response to her father joining her in the shower)
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To: Cold Heart
When I was a kid, there were scarey movies where I couldn’t believe people could be that stupid. I found out people really are that stupid.

***********************

It is very scary how incredibly stupid some people really are!

110 posted on 12/21/2025 12:31:40 PM PST by The_Media_never_lie (Pipe bomber, FL, Butler PA and Charlie Kirk assassins all had no accomplices? C'mon man!)
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To: Celtic Conservative

It’s funny you mention being LE. I’m not, but have a naturally high level of situational awareness. (Came from growing up in a Middle Eastern dictatorship. ) One remark I get repeatedly from strangers in public spaces is…”are you a cop”.

Never have been. But I think there is a two-way connection between being LE and situational awareness.


111 posted on 12/21/2025 12:48:58 PM PST by libertarian66 (l)
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To: Fury

Are you out of your damn mind? Have you seen the stats? The videos of crimes in progress?

It’s overhelmingly minorities. That isn’t “racist”, and even if it WERE, it would be true and justified.

You’re brainwashed, thinking anything labelled “racist” is bad. That’s a completely subjective, meaningless term.


112 posted on 12/21/2025 12:52:42 PM PST by libertarian66 (l)
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To: Fury

The clear majority of pit bulls never bit anybody and never will.

Nonetheless most folks considers them a “dangerous dog” and try to avoid them in the wild.

Is that “racism” or “breedism” against that breed of dog?

Think about it.


113 posted on 12/21/2025 12:55:08 PM PST by cgbg (The master is nice only when the dog behaves as expected.)
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To: Fury

Noone is saying all or most blacks are the problem. BUT a huge part of the problem is black criminals AND YOU DONT KNOW WHICH IS A CRIMINAL AND WHICH IS NOT.

Therefore you of necessity must profile all
of them until proven otherwise. That is simply reason and logic, not “racism”.

Blacks themselves do this and also fear black criminals. It isn’t racist, dmbazz.


114 posted on 12/21/2025 12:57:43 PM PST by libertarian66 (l)
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To: Fury

There is nothing wrong with broad-brush generalizations. Logical induction is generalizing by definition. Science is a process of generalized fact-finding increasing general knowledge.

Generalizing is absolutely necessary and beneficial. You must be some Gen Z putz. Get the hell off this board, it’snfor law abiding conservatives, not black thugs and their asslickers.


115 posted on 12/21/2025 1:01:54 PM PST by libertarian66 (l)
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To: Fury

If black Americans dont like it they can go to hell. Im a minority myself and if any group doesnt like being criticized for their groups failures, they dont belong here or in a civilized country for that matter.

Frankly, YOU arent welcome here.


116 posted on 12/21/2025 1:04:25 PM PST by libertarian66 (l)
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To: Fury

Doesnt matter kf they donor do not ckmmit crime. The point is too many DO.


117 posted on 12/21/2025 1:05:29 PM PST by libertarian66 (l)
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To: Fury

Bud, youve been reported to FR as obviously not a conservative and a plant from some left-extremist group.

Expect a ban soon. Nice knowing ya.


118 posted on 12/21/2025 1:08:15 PM PST by libertarian66 (l)
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To: libertarian66

Go back and read past threads.

Get to work.


119 posted on 12/21/2025 1:21:21 PM PST by Fury
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To: libertarian66

Good grief.

Am pro-liberty, pro 1st and 2nd Amendment (was one of the few that was critical of President Trump’s bump stock ban) and strong immigration enforcement, etc .You?

I’m also a strong believer in American opportunity and Americans should being judged on their actions and not the actions of some in their race. Painting a race for the actions of a criminal minority of that race is disgusting and it antithetical to the purpose of FR - independent grass roots conservatism.


120 posted on 12/21/2025 1:33:19 PM PST by Fury
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