The Maelstrom of Violence

[pbrower2a]

The attempted assassination of Representative Scalise suggests now that both people on sides of the political divide are now prone to violence. To be sure, the rhetoric worsened when Obama was President, and the Right was first to act violent.  But so far the Right has stopped at beatings, body-slamming, and other degrading abuses. But not shootings. The shooter had a list of Representatives in the self-described (and hypocritically named) Freedom Caucus.

James T. Hodgkinson had personal run-ins with the law that until recently had no connections to politics. People who knew him in the Sanders campaign thought him 'mellow, quiet, and reserved'. But electoral campaigns generally bring out the best in us, as there are people who might lead someone away from violent deeds. Besides, electioneering is ordinarily an exercise in optimism and not in despair.

I am guessing that should American elections become easy wins for Republicans and exercises in futility for Democrats, then American politics becomes as much a sham as politics in China. Republicans might allow Democrats to have some power in cities and a small number of states, but that will be it. Republicans will not lose any election that they aren't willing to lose. A key to getting ahead, as in getting a college education, a home loan, advancement beyond the third-lowest rank in the Armed Forces, a business loan, or having a chance at a non-menial job will be active participation in Republican-led youth groups. Don't like that? Maybe you might want to get a college scholarship in a country with a declining population.

I also can imagine that the Republican leadership will seek power in police repression, and that the State could try to establish the usual methods of suppressing opposition that one sees in fascist, Commie, and Ba'athist regimes: torture chambers, labor camps, execution pits, and abuse of psychiatry. Lobotomy, anyone? Hell, no!

I am not a violent person, but I am not going to any torture chamber, concentration camp, or lobotomy clinic. If things get bad enough, then I may take a wintertime hike in southern Arizona, letting a star be my guide: Achernar or Canopus near the horizon. In summer I might improvise a raft to cross into Canada, following Altair in the east or Capella in the north -- if taking a jetliner is out of the question.