When the Balloons Go Up

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

"The balloon has gone up" is a phrase dating back to World War 1 which means that the situation has suddenly, perhaps unexpectedly, become very serious and probably violent. Observation balloons were used in WW1 to spot for artillery, and seeing them in the air meant that a barrage of shells were about to go out, and war being war, receive a counter-barrage in return. in WW2, barrage balloons were fielded over London to protect the city against air raids. In either sense, seeing a balloon meant that something nasty was about to happen.

The balloon went up over several cities last night (29 May 2020). There are now riots in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Atlanta, Washington D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, Denver, Kansas City (MO), Houston, and elsewhere. We here at Blue Collar Prepping try to stay politically neutral; however, we draw a distinct line between protesting, which is political in nature, and rioting, which involves looting, vandalism, arson, and potentially violence, all of which are criminal in nature. We do not condone such criminal acts and in fact roundly denounce them. 

If you live in a big city, act as though the balloon has gone up. Lawfully carry the largest firearm you can with as many magazines as you can (known in BCP parlance as "rolling heavy"), stock up on groceries, fill your vehicle's gas tank and make sure your get-home bag is in place and in good order. Keep your head on a swivel, stay away from crowds, and if things start to look hairy, get out of there.

In addition, we recommend you review the following articles on surviving crowds and riots:

• What "crowd crush" is and how to survive it
• What to do if you're accidentally caught in a protest or riot
• How to driving home during urban unrest
• Chaplain Tim's story of getting caught in a riot in Berlin, and what you can learn from his experience
• Tim's thesis on crowds and survival

Be safe, everyone.