Only you can provide your own safety

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for August 20, 2023)

If you depend on government-- or anyone else-- to save you from danger, you're risking your life unnecessarily.

The tragic wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui are awful beyond words. I hate when horrible things happen to people who are just going about their lives.

Unfortunately, the fires were probably far more deadly than they would have otherwise been because too many people have been conditioned to be dependent on someone else to tell them when they are in danger and what to do about it.

When dependency overrides your self-preservation instinct it's not helpful.

I never want to see people encouraged to become dependent on someone else. "Let the professionals handle it" is a good way to create a helpless population. It may be good for government, but it isn't good for the community.

It's so easy to be seduced into letting someone else take responsibility for your safety. Especially since taking responsibility for yourself can attract unwanted attention and ridicule. Or even get you into legal trouble. The fear of being laughed at for evacuating or taking other defensive actions before others see any danger looming is enough to make many people wait too long to escape.

You have the senses of sight, smell, and hearing to help warn you of danger. Other people can also help you become aware of a threat they saw coming but you didn't notice yet. Use every advantage you can get.

But warning systems can fail. Other people can be wrong or have other priorities. You must stay aware for your own sake. Part of awareness is realizing no one else is as responsible for your safety as you are.

This applies whether the danger is crime, natural disasters, disease, or tyrannical government. Don't wait until everyone else recognizes the danger, or until someone "official" tells you it's time to act.

I want to help keep others safe when possible. If I see someone in danger I'll step in if I can. The problem is, I can't be everywhere. You are the only person who's always there when danger threatens you. No matter how pure someone else's intentions might be, they are not suited for the job of protecting you. It is up to you, and always has been.

Watch out for yourself, take action when you need to, and do your best to help others along the way.

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