Mr. Watson was just one of many precursors to what will be a very trying time. People are becoming more and more afraid - of their neighbors, of those "other people" on the other side of town, and of their government. Neighbors used to work together to build fences. Now they look with suspicion at each other until a fence becomes neccesary. Every town has its "bad side" where the good people never venture else they get mugged or shot or raped. And when was the last time you suddenly felt more safe when a police car pulled into traffic behind you?
All this pressure causes strain where little or none was present a hundred years ago. Like any pipe or hose, the pressure can build until something gives. There's always a weak spot that will blow first. We rush to repair it and strengthen it but there'll be another weak spot later.
When government and/or civilization is applying the pressure the blow-out is becoming less frequently a harmless show of anger and more often a violent act, striking out at whatever element of society is closest at hand. Police and lower-level government workers will feel the brunt of the peoples' anger first, simply because they are most visible. In time though, appointed and elected officials will live in fenced and guarded compounds, traveling to and from their similarly guarded offices in armored cars.
Have you gone to the local federal building lately? Can you look up the home address of you local congresscritter? We're getting closer.
--Have you gone to the local federal building lately? Can you look up the home address of you local congresscritter? We're getting closer.--
My local congresscritters home address is in the telephone book and he has no guards at his local office door, only a very polite secretary.
I hope the leaky hose you describe does not turn into a soaker hose. If it does, all hell is going to break loose.
Semper Fi
An Old Man