What would you do to see an alien? Some folks would do anything. At least that’s the answer for the Storm Area 51 group, who is willing to brave warnings from the military to stay away, and dangerous desert conditions. What started out as a joke on Facebook soon gained traction and then rapid momentum as the idea roared through cyberspace and picked up alien enthusiasts from around the world.
There’s aliens in that thar military facility! And we aim to see them! Somehow, the idea went from meme jokes to reality as hundreds and thousands of fans wanting to see the legendary little green men decided to storm a fully functional (and armed) military base and demanded to be shown the aliens the government has tried to keep secret for decades.
Nothing and no one would keep these otherworld seekers away. Armed with tinfoil hats and alien memorabilia, they came from all over the US and around the world to the Nevada desert. Despite the military issuing warnings that it would not hesitate to protect its base, the crowd grew. Officials warned people not to come to the area because there are no facilities, such as fresh water or boarding, and the desert temperatures can be dangerous. Yet the conspiracy theorists continued their trek.
Preparing for Invasion – of the Human Kind
The airspace surrounding Area 51 was closed to all traffic except for those craft belonging to the Department of Energy. This included drones, private planes, news helicopters, and even police vehicles. The local sheriff’s department issued a warning to those who still planned to invade the secretive military installation:
“There is no water, no amenities, no resources, and the invasion of this location is a crime. This area is home to scorpions, rattlesnakes, badgers, tarantulas, and is generally not an environment suited for human inhabitation.”
With extraterrestrial events taking place at several locations in Nevada, police set up a command center. “We’re prepared for mass casualties if that were the case,” a spokesperson said. “We’re prepared for just a mass invasion of the Nevada national security site, and we’re even prepared for just an event from a lone wolf.”
Along a 98-mile stretch of road dubbed the Extraterrestrial Highway lies the tiny little town of Rachel (population 50), the closest civilization to the Alien compound. Citizens there tried to prepare themselves for the human invasion. The town – if it could be called that – lacks a gas station or even a grocery store. It does, however, have an alien-themed motel and restaurant (the only business) called the Little A’Le’Inn.
Crowds started appearing and setting up tents and campers in front of the hotel. Many of the residents did not want the hordes of ET seekers overrunning their quiet little community and warned that they would “step up to protect their property.”
The Storm Area 51 event was scheduled for Friday, Sept. 20 and had plenty of attractions for its thousands of visitors scheduled. However, “AlienStock,” a music festival that was planned, canceled out of fear for eventgoers’ safety, saying they were concerned about the harsh desert conditions, military police, and angry locals. There was also the fear of it turning into something like “FryeFest 2.0,” where patrons of the music festival paid through the nose to attend and then were stranded on a tropical island in the Bahamas where there was no infrastructure … and no festival.
“We foresee a possible humanitarian disaster in the works, and we can’t participate in any capacity… we just don’t want anyone to get injured or stuck in the middle of the desert,” the organization said.
In the small town of Hiko, about 40 miles east of Rachel, a gift shop with the appropriate name of Alien Research Center was the chosen place for the “Storm Area 51 Basecamp” event, which promised artists and musicians as well as prominent ufologists. The even had sold 3,200 tickets by Sept. 19 according to the gift shop’s owner, Linda Looney.
All of this may be fun to read, and even bring a smile to your face. However, we should still be concerned. This is a military base, folks. And, regardless of any real alien existence, the problem here is that thousands of people – Americans and foreigners – have boldly disregarded warnings to stay away. It is an invasion, and how does any armed force protect its holdings from invasion?
Our society has forgotten how to be respectful. How to follow rules. How to be sane. We are not toddlers throwing a fit because we can’t have an extra cookie, yet this seems to be the attitude of today’s culture. I want it, therefore I will either throw a fit until I get my way or, if that doesn’t work, I’ll just take it and damn the repercussions. And then, if I get into trouble for breaking the law, I’ll pull the race or gender-card.
Military personnel have the right (and the duty) to protect that base by whatever means necessary. If that means firing on a hoard of alien-seeking humanoids determined to enter a restricted zone, well then, that is what may happen. And don’t expect the aliens to come to your rescue. If they were in the rescuing business, they would have already done so for their friends and fallen comrades who are supposedly still within the secret compound.
And, on a lighter note … check out this video made by kids to promote the Storm Area 51 event:
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