Are you a wolf or a sheep?

**Beo** · 07-07-2008, 09:42 AM

We talk of the SHTF and the EOTWAWKI all the time on here, but are you a wolf or a sheep. I been thinking of this alot lately and you don't really wanna be wolf in the sense of what a Society Wolf really is. Here let me explain what i mean.
Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident. This is true. Remember, the murder rate is six per 100,000 per year, and the aggravated assault rate is four per 1,000 per year. What this means is that the vast majority of Americans are not inclined to hurt one another. Some estimates say that two million Americans are victims of violent crimes every year, a tragic, staggering number, perhaps an all-time record rate of violent crime. But there are almost 300 million Americans, which means that the odds of being a victim of violent crime is considerably less than one in a hundred on any given year. Furthermore, since many violent crimes are committed by repeat offenders, the actual number of violent citizens is considerably less than two million. Thus there is a paradox, and we must grasp both ends of the situation: We may well be in the most violent times in history, but violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep.
I mean nothing negative by calling them sheep. To me it is like the
pretty, blue robin's egg. Inside it is soft and gooey but someday it will grow into something wonderful. But the egg cannot survive without its hard blue shell. Police officers, soldiers, and other warriors are like that shell, and someday the civilization they protect will grow into something wonderful.? For now, though, they need warriors to protect them from the predators.
Then there are the wolves, and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy. Do you believe there are wolves out there who’ll feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial. Then there are sheepdogs, and I'm a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf. If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen, a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens?
What do you have then? A sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero's path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the

**Beo** · 07-07-2008, 09:44 AM

universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed. Let me expand on this model of the sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. We know that the sheep live in denial, that is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world. They can accept the fact that fires can happen, which is why they want fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire alarms and fire exits throughout their kids' schools. But many of them are outraged at the idea of putting an armed police officer in their kid's school. Our children are thousands of times more likely to be killed or seriously injured by school violence than fire, but the sheep's only response to the possibility of violence is denial. The idea of someone coming to kill or harm their child is just too hard, and so they chose the path of denial. The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for violence. The difference, though, is that the sheepdog must not, can not and will not ever harm the sheep. Any sheep dog who intentionally harms the lowliest little lamb will be punished and removed. The world cannot work any other way, at least not in a representative democracy or a republic such as ours.
Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn't tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports in camouflage fatigues holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself white, and go, "Baa."
Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.
The students, the victims, at Columbine High School were big, tough high school students, and under ordinary circumstances they would not have had the time of day for a police officer. They were not bad kids; they just had nothing to say to a cop. When the school was under attack, however, and SWAT teams were clearing the rooms and hallways, the officers had to physically peel those clinging, sobbing kids off of them. This is how the little lambs feel about their sheepdog when the wolf is at the door.
Look at what happened after September 11, 2001 when the wolf pounded hard on the door. Remember how America, more than ever before, felt differently about their law enforcement officers and military personnel? Remember how many times you heard the word hero? Understand that there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what you choose to be. Also understand that a sheepdog is a funny critter: He is always sniffing around out on the perimeter, checking the breeze, barking at things that go bump in the night, and yearning for a righteous battle. That is, the young sheepdogs yearn for a righteous battle. The old sheepdogs are a little older and wiser, but they move
to the sound of the guns when needed right along with the young ones.
Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think differently. The sheep pretend the wolf will never come, but the sheepdog lives for that day. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most of the sheep, that is, most citizens in America said, "Thank God I wasn't on one of those planes." The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, "Dear God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a difference." When you are truly transformed into a warrior and have truly invested yourself into warriorhood, you want to be there. You want to be able to make a difference.
There is nothing morally superior about the sheepdog, the warrior, but he does have one real advantage. Only one. And that is that he is able to survive and thrive in an environment that destroys 98 percent of the population.
Just my thoughts.
Beo,

**buttercup** · 07-07-2008, 10:07 AM

excellent.

**trax** · 07-07-2008, 10:27 AM

Don't much care for your definitions to begin with, although your points are certainly well taken.

**Beo** · 07-07-2008, 10:42 AM

Trax,
You talking about the sheep, sheepdog, wolf thing?
By wolf (I know how you feel about this animal, yes it is misunderstood) I mean the people in society who prey on others, and the use of the wolf, sheep, and sheepdog is the easiest way to get this across. By wolf I mean the predatory humans in our societies, not the animal, which while being a predator and a remarkable animal is one of my favorite animals.

**RangerXanatos** · 07-07-2008, 10:44 AM

Great post Beo.

Originally Posted by Beowulf65

They would prefer that he didn't tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports in camouflage fatigues holding an M-16.

One thing that really peeves me off, is how some people say that they HATE pigs (cops). I just look at them, and tell them, if that's how you feel, then don't bother calling them when trouble comes barging in your door. They often look at me dumbfounded like, "I can't believe you just said that..." Talk about hypocrites.

Daniel

**trax** · 07-07-2008, 10:45 AM

Yeah, I really like the way you describe the dog, but I'm thinking of poor old wolfie as most of the time just another critter out there trying to feed his family. I can understand where you're coming from, but I don't believe there's an animal in nature that really matches the description of the evil you're referring to.

**Beo** · 07-07-2008, 10:50 AM

True, no animal does, but for people to understand what I meant I needed to use something they could relate to, wolf sheep and sheepdog does that and they can relate, it by no means means I feel the wolf is like that, I love wolves and its one of my favorite animals.

**Teotwawki** · 07-07-2008, 11:14 AM

I like your post!

I think there is a 4th type in the mix: Aware of wolves; appreciates the sheepdogs; disdainful of the sheep; is harmless unless provoked. That would be me.

Can't think of a good animal metaphor right off hand though.

Additionally, I think extremely hard times will bring more wolves out of the woods and into the pasture.

**Rick** · 07-07-2008, 12:14 PM

We never like the sheepdog 'til the wolf is at the nigh.......

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

Rudyard Kipling's "Tommy"

**bulrush** · 07-07-2008, 02:30 PM

I think many people are very afraid of defending themselves because people hear in the media there is little or no more honor in the justice system. In Michigan there is a very limited and useless self-defense law.

The law states you may not hurt/shoot another person unless you are cornered and have tried and exhausted all avenues of escape. So it's virtually a "no self defense" law.

It doesn't matter who throws the first punch, if you throw a punch, you have violated the law and go to jail. Now the police officer's job is to arrest people who violate the law. So the officer has no say in whether he can let you go or not. He also has to follow the law, and arrest you.

It may be up to the prosecutor to charge you, but, technically, you did violate the law by defending yourself.

People might quote me the Michigan law about self-defense but the written law means nothing. The most important thing is how judges interpret the law. And they do not have to interpret the law based on how it's written. They have a lot of leeway because they cannot be prosecuted for the judgements they make. Sure you could file a complaint with the local Bar Association, but that won't get you out of jail.

So now, you go to jail for defending yourself, can you sue the police department for arresting you? Can you sue the prosecutor for charging you? I doubt it, they were trying to follow the laws on the books.

So there. My idea on why people don't defend themselves too much.

**Assassin Pilot** · 07-07-2008, 02:49 PM

sheeple! (pronounced "people" with "sheep" instead of "peap")

a lot of people are basically sheep, and follow the same schedule everyday. they wake up, have coffee, go to the office, come home, eat dinner, and go to bed. when something like a burglar comes into their path, they do not know what to do.

**Chicago Dan** · 07-07-2008, 03:21 PM

I wouldn’t consider myself a wolf, sheep or sheepdog by your definitions because at any given time I may be acting a different role as circumstances dictate. In general though I am not a wolf and overtly aggressive physically vs. other humans. But I do reserve to my and mine self defense regardless of legal technicalities.
Those who know the horrendous possibilities of inaction may sympathize.

**Beo** · 07-07-2008, 03:22 PM

Kill, take and destroy, to the utmost of your power all the enemies you meet in your march!
Scouts orders
Harmon's Smowshoe Company
1756-1780

**jrock24** · 07-07-2008, 05:58 PM

Lable me either way, but I will provide AND protect for my family.
I can be the sheep and follow the masses to a higher ground when there is a flood.
I can be the sheepdog and protect my family with my pistol when there is a threat.
I can be the wolf and take what is needed for me and my family to survive..

**owl_girl** · 07-07-2008, 07:04 PM

I have a lot of gratitude to those serving and protecting so long that is there true goal. But I’m also aware of the fact that sometimes the fox guards the hen house. Unfortunately this gives most cops a bad rap rather or not they individually deserve it and that’s not fair but at times it dos happen where power is misused and I think that is what makes people nervous is that power. For me trust has to be earned not just handed out blindly because someone is signed a guardian position. Some cops I have a lot of respect for and some others I don’t trust depending on what I've seen from them.