08-07-2020, 11:22 AM
(08-06-2020, 05:12 PM)TeacherinExile Wrote: I have weighed the possibility of a Second Civil War in the past, for obvious reasons. But the more I pondered how that might come about—if armed violence broke out—my mind kept returning to the same scenario: a swift government crackdown assisted by ever-sophisticated surveillance, drones especially, assuming it is armed Trump sympathizers who open fire first in a Biden administration.
Who would paramilitaries, such as the Boogaloo Boys, target? Probably minorities, Blacks in particular, but they’ll be well-armed too. Remember the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense? They showed up at the California statehouse with long guns, in accord with their legal right at the time to open carry, too.(Sure got Gov. Ronald Reagan’s attention!) No, we might get some sporadic gunplay, but the majority of peace-loving people in this country won’t stand for that nonsense too long. And besides, if the real troops were ever called out to put down the violence, the Boogaloo Boys will fold like a pup tent when they see what they’re up against. The U.S. military has drones that can hit a pimple on a gnat’s ass with a Hellfire missile. More likely, there will just be a lot of macho posturing.
If street-fighting ever did get chaotic and bloody enough, beyond even the control of law enforcement and the National Guard, especially if armed violence choked off the economic activity of our capitalist society...well then, say hello to the next strongman or military junta, South American style.
Before it ever comes to that, though, if our festering problems prove insoluble within the framework of American federalism, then we’re probably looking at something akin to a Brexit, and there are already hints of that. Notice how some states have informally banded together to fight COVID-19 in their own way because of the obvious failure of national leadership. And some “red” states, like Alabama, better hope that there’s no Calexit because California as a sovereign nation would be the world’s fifth largest economy.
Wars aren't fought symmetrically anymore. If this turns nasty, look for truly American guerilla actions that target the institutions the guerillas hate. Assuming is Trump supporters incensed that he was robbed of reelection, the attacks could be on anything or anyone that they find objectionable. Colleges and universities are high on the list, as are alternate power systems. Taking out a few wind turbines seems right up their alley, and response can't be fast enough to catch them.
Remember, the Vietcong beat us and the Taliban isn't far behind.
Intelligence is not knowledge and knowledge is not wisdom, but they all play well together.