Well, some people think the seeds of a new Civil War have already been sown - and in a recent article, University of Tennessee Law Professor Glenn Harlan Reynolds argued that this new war is indeed "well underway."
Reynolds was echoing similar comments from political scientist Thomas Schaller who wrote in a recent Bloomberg column that America is "at the beginning of a soft civil war," and author Tom Ricks who agreed that the country seems to be "lurching" in that direction.
Much of the recent disquiet has been spurred on by the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policies and the decision to separate children from their parents at the US-Mexico border, but things have been bubbling up since Trump took office 18 months ago.
Comment: Or perhaps Trump isn't spurring anyone, but it's the radical left that is looking for and utilizing any reason to incite a civil war among the masses?
1. 'God is on our side!'
Representative Maxine Waters (D-California) caused a huge stir last week when she encouraged critics of the White House's immigration policies to go out and harass members of the Trump administration in public. Waters made an impassioned call for citizens to ensure there would be "no sleep, no peace" for White House officials.
"If you see anybody from that cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd. You push back on them. Tell them they're not welcome anymore, anywhere," she said.But her comments were so extreme and incendiary that it prompted a former secret service agent to call them "dangerous" and warned they "go beyond breaking the norms" of civil discourse and criticized her for "endorsing mob-rule to satisfy a political goal."
Not long after Waters' comments, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was asked to leave a restaurant in Virginia because she works for the Trump administration.
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2. 'Surround their homes and schools in protest!'
Celebrities are getting in on the action, too, encouraging Americans to take to the streets in the millions to protest the Trump administration.
Last week, comments by actor Peter Fonda put the secret service on alert when he suggested that Trump's 12-year-old son Barron should be taken from his mother Melania and put "in a cage with pedophiles" and that citizens should "surround the schools" of administration officials' children in response to the child-separation policy.
Somewhat less dramatically, other Hollywood figures have called for protests and change. Actor John Cusack accused the Trump administration of "fascism" and "torturing" children - while musician Serj Tankian wrote on Instagram that the US is in a state of "utter regression" and that it is time for a "peaceful revolution."
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3. Confederate monuments controversy
The fierce debate over the removal of confederate monuments and symbols across the US epitomizes the current political and social divide and the competing interpretations of American history, with one side believing the monuments revere figures who fought to maintain slavery while the other side believes they honor great patriots.
When white supremacist Dylann Roof killed nine black Americans attending a prayer service in Virginia in 2015, it prompted a movement to have Confederate monuments removed from public spaces across the country. More than 100 publicly-supported monuments and symbols have been removed since 2015 - but not without controversy and counter-protests. While monuments are being removed across the US, other groups are pushing for new ones to be erected.
Last year a 'Unite the Right' rally called in protest at the planned removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia turned violent when a protester drove a car through a crowd of counter-protesters, killing activist Heather Heyer.
Comment:
- Hyper-activists target Confederate monuments across U.S. as Baltimore calls for them to be torn down - UPDATES
- Charlottesville: Happy Birthday George Soros, American society controlled demolition and civil war
- Will a Trump take-down result in a civil war?
- Is US on the verge of a nervous breakdown or civil war?
4. Media wars, polarization of opinion
All of this social discord is playing out, magnified, on Americans' TV screens in a way that appears to be exacerbating the problem. Eager to up their ratings, news networks invite the most polarizing of guests for daily screaming matches to be beamed into people's homes. Far from the days of simply favoring one news channel over another, now if Americans don't like how something is reported, it instantly becomes "fake news" or "propaganda."
In his article, Reynolds wrote that news media which "promote shrieking outrage in pursuit of ratings and page views, are making the problem worse" and reminisced about a time when Americans could disagree with each other without hating each other.
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5. Stratification of society
While all this is being played out on TV screens and social media, those at the fringes of society are feeling the effects of a sick system perhaps more than anyone. The socio-economic stratification of American society appears more obvious than it has at any time in recent years.
Inequality and rampant police violence against African-Americans prompted the NFL kneeling protests, which turned into a nationwide controversy between Americans who are proud of their flag and national anthem and all they stand for - and those who believe true freedom and justice have not yet come to America. A devastating opioid crisis, one of the highest child poverty rates in the world, and a strict adherence to policies which make the poor poorer and the rich richer, have all helped take anger in America from a simmer to a boil.
Reynolds wrote that part of the problem now is that Americans don't feel social ties which transcend politics. It's all us vs. them - and nothing in between. He argues that churches, fraternal organizations and neighborhoods used to cross political lines, but that this America has "shrunk and decayed" and people are increasingly finding their identity only in politics.
Marriage counselors, Reynolds explains, say that a relationship is doomed to fail when the couple begin to view each other with contempt - and in America today, there seems to be nothing but feelings of contempt felt on both sides of the political spectrum.
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6. Shooting Republican politicians
Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks suggested in a radio interview that Republicans are retiring en masse because of assassination fears.
Brooks was speaking on "The Dale Jackson Show" about the first Republican practice the Congressional Baseball Game after last year's shooting that left Majority Whip Steve Scalise severely injured.
"We have multiple rings of security, plainclothes, uniform, Capitol Police, other police," he said. "There was a medical vehicle nearby just in case there was a copycat."
But Brooks said while there were multiple factors that contributed to a slew of Republicans leaving the House, he suggested fears of violence was a major one.
"One of the things that's concerning me is the assassination risk may become a factor," he said.
7. Leaving dead animals on civil servants' doorsteps
A decapitated and burned animal carcass was found on the porch of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) staffer, the latest in a spate of threats tied to President Trump's immigration policy, according to WTOP/ABC.
Around two dozen incidents have been reported against government employees issued in the past few days - primarily against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, which resulted in a determination by Homeland Security that there is a "heightened threat against DHS employees."
The uptick in threats comes amid multiple protests directed at ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers, as well as the DHS secretary. It's unclear exactly how much the threats have increased. -WTOP/ABC
"This assessment is based on specific and credible threats that have been levied against certain DHS employees and a sharp increase in the overall number of general threats against DHS employees," said Claire Grady, acting deputy secretary of Homeland Security in a Saturday letter to employees.
Reader Comments
Im just so glad hillary lost, and shocked that so many people still would prefer that witch.
Media bias makes me lean right and now I cant stand sjw' or most activists, I wasnt aware of these things before trump versus hillary media bias.
I spend 2 hours a day on the net reading alternative news media. I can then flick on the CNN USA in English on cable and in 5 minutes see how biased and fake news it is.
FYI, the reason sooo many so-called "Hispanics" seem to be anti-Trump is because most of the US news here in South America is from or rebroadcasts from ... CNN Español!
During Chile's recent immigrant crisis, the comments sections of articles (usually with a UN/Soros/Chile Left pro-immigrant agenda) refreshingly had many skeptical Chileans (unfortunately along with some extremist assess which exist on both sides of the spectrum here) who frequently praised the USA's President Trump's stance on uncontrolled immigration.
I think the most chilling comment I've seen from a radical Leftist was, "I'm naturally opposed to violence, but I'm over it."
This child separation thing is just the latest excuse. -Like the gays at the Russian Olympics nonsense. A fabricated slight inflated beyond recognition into an excuse to fight.
This is like living with a psychopathic parent. You tiptoe around trying your best to prevent an explosion, but that's impossible because the psycho parent wants to explode; it has nothing to do with your behavior. You have no power to trigger or not trigger an episode through your behavior. And in fact, the state of permanent anxiety and stress this creates in family members is largely the point, turning people into energetic food sources, keeping the pump primed.
Liberals always want to spend other peoples money...…. It must stop now.
'The Left in 2018: Unhinged'
[Link]
Leaders of both major parties are completely out of touch with reality, and have done absolutely nothing to address corruption and 'deep state' issues in their country. They actually think they are leaders! That may lead to civil war later on, but first I have a sneaking suspicion that a period of anarchy must be a precursor.
The American People are so hopelessly disconnected from the power that runs their country that I think it's most likely to be after Trump.
The polarization that is being entrenched in American Society and Politics these days, was foretold long ago in the Book of Daniel written during the captivity of Babylon 2600 years ago.
The King of Babylon had a terrible nightmare that left him shaken to the bone.
Fear spread to everyone in his Court.
He called in all his Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers, Advisers, Experts, Consultants and Academics to tell him the dream which he forgot.
No one could tell him what is was, and he ordered all the wise men in Babylon to be killed, like Pol Pot did in Cambodia after the US bombed it back to the Stone Age during The Vietnam War.
He reasoned he could not have had such a terrible nightmare unless he was being given bad advice.
'And whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be DIVIDED;
but there shall be in it of the STRENGTH OF IRON, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.
And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be PARTLY STRONG, and PARTLY BROKEN.
And whereas you saw iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. '
Daniel 2
The Bible verses above are describing the current divide in the UN-United States as this and so many other articles confirm.
THE KING'S TERRIFYING NIGHTMARE – February 26, 2011
[Link]
The cull is not happening fast enough for me.
Maybe more fluoride in their water -- mandatory vaccines each week, with double the mercury. O
Americans, are like Jews, they think they are chosen, special.
The world will never rest as long as they exist.
Why me?
What have I done to further the US PTB's (obvious) NWO agenda?
R.C.
(If you reply, please answer all three questions.)
RC
Well, the few leftists I've ever seen shoot tend to flinch, or limp wrist a pistol, flipping it at the target, and, of course, as noted by (my old favorite, Joseph Conrad' on the 'shooting' by the 'pilgrims' in 'Heart of Darkness '*: At my CCW class, only a retired cop and RC got all the shots on paper... at SEVEN YARDS! Twenty one feet! My shots were all in the eight ring, with about 1/3 in the nine or better. His were about 50/50 in the nine or X rings.
There were a lot of empty sheets of brand new targets they could have returned for cash back. Hence**: most Antifas - from my point of view’s admittedly limited experience in dealing with such ‘libtards’*** - will, if they ever got the guts up 'shoot' like girls 40 years ago used to 'throw.'
R.C.
*Free online including [Link] (Here's a new bit of some proof of modern libtard-think: the rating on that phenomenally 'ahead of its time' book, has now dropped - in the google sidebar on the search < "Heart of Darkness" site:gutenberg.org > down to 63% 'liked this book.'
I don't know what it was whenever I first saw such but am certain it was way higher than that. 'Righthink' (a/k/a, 'PC-Think') reigns in the collective subconscious of the dumbed-down antifa 'proles.'
**I realize that I don't link studies (they'd never be funded; you know that.) Instead, I speak from limited personal experience, gut instinct and common sense. ( After all, has anyone ever heard of a true 'antifa' who was a combat vet? N'uff said.)
*** Another phrase/word whose author would be awarded and/or lauded under my infinitely unlikely hypothetical of R.C. personal administration and control the world, like some, “Dr. Good”, (or at least some Anti-Dr. Evil), per some prior post... somewhere, where I extolled the spry, sly wisdom of whoever**** first said/published***** the term ‘sheeple’/’sheople’
**** If ‘whomever’ might be correct as some officiously stuff sorts might claim, (as it’s maybe? the ‘objective’ there); . . . but verbal/general usage has to start controlling ‘rules’ sooner or later. (And that’s the rule!)
***** Pardon any adverse implications, but I could see same somehow being attributed to A. Jones, who might have typed it first - or not - and could further see him not correcting presumptions of the originality being his, even if it wasn't. (Sorry, A.J., you gave up your integrity credits when the criticism of Israel became verboten on your site. I hope you feel the pay was worth it.)
R.C.
It's Always Sunny In Portland - ANTIFA Cringe # 10...[Link]
Antifa Cringe Compilation 2018....[Link]
heck, I am not even sure that they know they are Anarchists!
It's part of a general dysphoria. Everything has become de-coupled.
It's general, but more apparent on the so-called left, as people drawn to the so-called left are by their nature, less practical than those on the so-called right.
I mean these idiots are not exactly angry industrial workers, are they?
This kind of thing is all over. A good indicator is: The Labour Party in Britain, which was always supposed to be 'a workers party', doesn't actually have any MP's from working class backgrounds in it. How uncoupled and dysphoric is that?
1. Good quote: Everything has become de-coupled.
2. Did that make you think of Yeats' 'The Second Coming"? It sure does for me: etc.
R.C.
I imagine about a thousand people came up with the word "sheepole" one second after viewing this.....and PLEASE don't mention or credit anything to that POS A.Jones....the thought of his fat head and gorgon voice kinda "triggers" me. :-)