Another Civil War?

[Evangelicalhumanist]

It is becoming more and more clear to me -- as a Canadian -- that the divisions in the United States are becoming starker. Worse, you're now at a point where the leadership of the nation is making zero effort to bring bitter differences together, but rather to fan the flames of those differences. And I don't believe the departure Bannon will greatly diminish that, since Trump himself has a long history of exactly that sort of language.

So here's my question: given that:

• everybody in the United States these days seems angry about something, and
• everybody in the United States these days seems divided primarily by their racial, religious and sociological differences, and
• (most importantly) everybody in the United States these days has a gun

How do you rate the probability of another civil war?

 

[BSM1]

-2 to 2

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Nah. Every so often the racial tensions that are always bubbling under the surface in American society flare up and cause problems. This is just another one of those times. It'll die down soon, probably.

 

[Brickjectivity]

It is becoming more and more clear to me -- as a Canadian -- that the divisions in the United States are becoming starker. Worse, you're now at a point where the leadership of the nation is making zero effort to bring bitter differences together, but rather to fan the flames of those differences. And I don't believe the departure Bannon will greatly diminish that, since Trump himself has a long history of exactly that sort of language.

So here's my question: given that:

• everybody in the United States these days seems angry about something, and
• everybody in the United States these days seems divided primarily by their racial, religious and sociological differences, and
• (most importantly) everybody in the United States these days has a gun

How do you rate the probability of another civil war?

It will never happen. The other civil war happened because the northern states were going to take away the economic strength of the south. The south was hot and not industrial. Its economy was based upon slave based agriculture. The north was industrial, and the northern states had more electoral votes than the southern states. The northern states often had similar views about many things and would override the southern states about those things. This created anxiety in the upper classes in the southern states. The election of Abraham Lincoln was the last straw and the war began.

We have a comfortable upper class. They are not anxious about their positions. Therefore there is nobody to drive a civil war forward.

 

[Twilight Hue]

It is becoming more and more clear to me -- as a Canadian -- that the divisions in the United States are becoming starker. Worse, you're now at a point where the leadership of the nation is making zero effort to bring bitter differences together, but rather to fan the flames of those differences. And I don't believe the departure Bannon will greatly diminish that, since Trump himself has a long history of exactly that sort of language.

So here's my question: given that:

• everybody in the United States these days seems angry about something, and
• everybody in the United States these days seems divided primarily by their racial, religious and sociological differences, and
• (most importantly) everybody in the United States these days has a gun

How do you rate the probability of another civil war?

Not going to happen. No logistical support nor the type of communication required to fund and organize any type of standing army, much less equip, and conduct operations with any type of coordination that's going to be effective.

Also I don't think it's that bad yet anyways, at not least in a practical way. Too many people still have jobs and food and housing much less the comforts of living.

A war will surely screw that up. Too many people are still comfortable enough to be that desperate to start and participate in a major civil conflict.

What's going on now are small groups of extremists creating issues.

 

[Wu Wei]

• everybody in the United States these days seems angry about something, and
• everybody in the United States these days seems divided primarily by their racial, religious and sociological differences, and
• (most importantly) everybody in the United States these days has a gun

How do you rate the probability of another civil war?

First: everybody in the United States these days is not angry about something. But the people the news chooses to show you are. But they are a rather small cross-section of the population.

Second: everybody in the United States these days is not divided primarily by their racial, religious and sociological differences. The news will sensationalize things for ratings and they are not going to show you a bunch of people sitting in a Starbucks using the wifi... that is simply not exciting enough. The majority of the people I know of are not divided by their racial, religious and sociological differences.As a matter of fact it is not even a topic of discussion, unless it comes up in discussion as something seen on the news

Third: everybody in the United States these days does not have a gun. Not sure what the actual numbers are but I can tell you the majority of the people I work with do not and the majority of the people I know do not own a gun either. And the gun laws can vary greatly from state to state.

How do I rate the probability of another civil war? Slim to none. I'm much more concerned about a terrorist driving a car into a crowd or blowing up a building or coming in shooting than I am about another Civil war.... for that matter I am more concerned about a speeding ticket or a shark attack (and I do not swim in the ocean) than I am another Civil war.

 

[Quetzal]

How do you rate the probability of another civil war?

It is simply impossible in the current environment. The government can screw you in so many ways and not fire a shot. Accounts? Frozen. Assets? Seized. Communication? Destroyed. Passport? Revoked. etc etc etc. And this is before a fat chum behind a desk sends a drone to obliterate your house from 150 miles away.

 

[Theweirdtophat]

Most likely anarchy and chaos purposely caused by the elite. All of this stuff is orchestrated. Events like this don't just happen out of the blue. There is a force behind it. Probably enough to cause chaos so they will try to justify martial law. It's happened before.

 

[George-ananda]

How do you rate the probability of another civil war?

Zero.

Can't even conceive of such ridiculousness. What would it even look like? Republicans versus Democrats in armed conflict, LOL. We may see more meaningless protests with more meaningless skirmishes by the relative tiny number of activists. Yawn, Ignore, Yawn.

 

[sun rise]

First: everybody in the United States these days is not angry about something. But the people the news chooses to show you are. But they are a rather small cross-section of the population.

Second: everybody in the United States these days is not divided primarily by their racial, religious and sociological differences. The news will sensationalize things for ratings and they are not going to show you a bunch of people sitting in a Starbucks using the wifi... that is simply not exciting enough. The majority of the people I know of are not divided by their racial, religious and sociological differences.As a matter of fact it is not even a topic of discussion, unless it comes up in discussion as something seen on the news

Third: everybody in the United States these days does not have a gun. Not sure what the actual numbers are but I can tell you the majority of the people I work with do not and the majority of the people I know do not own a gun either. And the gun laws can vary greatly from state to state.

How do I rate the probability of another civil war? Slim to none. I'm much more concerned about a terrorist driving a car into a crowd or blowing up a building or coming in shooting than I am about another Civil war.... for that matter I am more concerned about a speeding ticket or a shark attack (and I do not swim in the ocean) than I am another Civil war.

Given the "if it bleeds it leads" media, it picture one can get is very ugly. Truly there is a lot of ugly around but most of the time life goes on in spite of the efforts of a tiny minority to start a real problem.

One of the reasons I have a number of positive news sites bookmarked is as an antidote to the media. The Good News Network: Positive Stories 24/7 is one site I particularly like. There are quite a few others.

 

[Skwim]

It is becoming more and more clear to me -- as a Canadian -- that the divisions in the United States are becoming starker. Worse, you're now at a point where the leadership of the nation is making zero effort to bring bitter differences together, but rather to fan the flames of those differences. And I don't believe the departure Bannon will greatly diminish that, since Trump himself has a long history of exactly that sort of language.

So here's my question: given that:

• everybody in the United States these days seems angry about something, and
• everybody in the United States these days seems divided primarily by their racial, religious and sociological differences, and
• (most importantly) everybody in the United States these days has a gun

How do you rate the probability of another civil war?

I take your three givens as ill conceived, which pretty much renders your question moot.

.

 

[David1967]

Zero.

 

[gnomon]

It is becoming more and more clear to me -- as a Canadian -- that the divisions in the United States are becoming starker. Worse, you're now at a point where the leadership of the nation is making zero effort to bring bitter differences together, but rather to fan the flames of those differences. And I don't believe the departure Bannon will greatly diminish that, since Trump himself has a long history of exactly that sort of language.

So here's my question: given that:

• everybody in the United States these days seems angry about something, and
• everybody in the United States these days seems divided primarily by their racial, religious and sociological differences, and
• (most importantly) everybody in the United States these days has a gun

How do you rate the probability of another civil war?

I think you are an idiot too full of yourself. You lack a basic understanding of **** all.

Based upon that here is my question to you......

Number one.........are you full of yourself? I think the answer is yes.

You get where this is going. Ask a stupid question.............

You presented a very stupid question. Here's hoping you are not a journalist and just another garbage forum member like me.

 

[sayak83]

It is becoming more and more clear to me -- as a Canadian -- that the divisions in the United States are becoming starker. Worse, you're now at a point where the leadership of the nation is making zero effort to bring bitter differences together, but rather to fan the flames of those differences. And I don't believe the departure Bannon will greatly diminish that, since Trump himself has a long history of exactly that sort of language.

So here's my question: given that:

• everybody in the United States these days seems angry about something, and
• everybody in the United States these days seems divided primarily by their racial, religious and sociological differences, and
• (most importantly) everybody in the United States these days has a gun

How do you rate the probability of another civil war?

0%

 

[esmith]

Civil war?
No, what I think is going to happen is a very very small group of core extremist contesting another very very small group of core extremist egged on by the media that attracts others to each cause will continue. That is until politicians decide that any form of civil disobedience will be dealt with and all parties will be subject to stiff legal penalties. No more catch and release. There is also the legal term inciting a riot that can be charged against the leaders.

The average Joe and Jill are going about their business trying to improve their lot in life and facing the everyday problems affecting almost everyone.
Yes there is the always present divide on social and economic issues, but that has been around for decades and it hasn't caused anymore that a little heartburn. We are an adaptive species and no matter what minor changes are enacted by government we seem to realize that it is really not anything to really get worked up about. Basically we feel that if it doesn't directly affect us we really don't care.

 

[Alea iacta est]

I believe since many years that the US will be divided into different countries. But I think it's more likely it will be peaceful rather than a civil war. In case the war would break out, it won't last long. Texas has a long history of a small secession movement. It's possible that they will be successful in a distant future. We can now a secession movement in California. This movement is too new know for sure whether they will be successful or not. I have heard about people in Eastern state of Washington want to split the state in two, but it's not a secession movement, and I don't know if this is true.

All empires will cease to exist. Babylon, the empire of Alexander, the Roman empire, the Mongol empire, the British/Spanish/French/Portuguese/Dutch empires, the Soviet etc don't exist anymore. In the future the US, the EU probably China etc will be next.

 

[Stevicus]

It is becoming more and more clear to me -- as a Canadian -- that the divisions in the United States are becoming starker. Worse, you're now at a point where the leadership of the nation is making zero effort to bring bitter differences together, but rather to fan the flames of those differences. And I don't believe the departure Bannon will greatly diminish that, since Trump himself has a long history of exactly that sort of language.

So here's my question: given that:

• everybody in the United States these days seems angry about something, and
• everybody in the United States these days seems divided primarily by their racial, religious and sociological differences, and
• (most importantly) everybody in the United States these days has a gun

How do you rate the probability of another civil war?

I don't really see it happening in my end of the country, and I live in a pretty right-wing state. We're pretty far removed from the events back east. Just the same, we do have our share of gang violence and the lunatic fringe types, so it's not exactly "safe."

But still, I don't see any kind of organization of the level that would lead to a civil war, at least not anything at this point. Chaos and mayhem, perhaps, but a civil war between two evenly-matched sides is not likely.

The Federal government holds most of the cards, and unless there's some serious rift within the government and military (which is possible), it's doubtful that any civil war will start at the grass roots level. At least, that would be more short-term prediction.

Over the long term, the Federal government will likely weaken, especially with all the infighting involving Trump and Co. Despite this, I doubt that the major political parties would become so divided that they would actually go to war with each other. The ruling class would have too much to lose if there's outright chaos and civil war in the US. There will be those who will push for compromise and peace above all else; nobody really wants a civil war.

Most of these issues under dispute could probably be resolved in time. As long as most people have adequate means to a reasonable standard of living, then they won't risk giving that up to engage in some kind of struggle where they risk losing what little they have. However, if our standard of living doesn't improve and continues to diminish, then more and more people will reach the state where they have "nothing left to lose." That could be the tipping point.

 

[Revoltingest]

It is becoming more and more clear to me -- as a Canadian -- that the divisions in the United States are becoming starker. Worse, you're now at a point where the leadership of the nation is making zero effort to bring bitter differences together, but rather to fan the flames of those differences. And I don't believe the departure Bannon will greatly diminish that, since Trump himself has a long history of exactly that sort of language.

So here's my question: given that:

• everybody in the United States these days seems angry about something, and
• everybody in the United States these days seems divided primarily by their racial, religious and sociological differences, and
• (most importantly) everybody in the United States these days has a gun

How do you rate the probability of another civil war?

That's a zero with icing & sprinkles.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I think you are an idiot too full of yourself. You lack a basic understanding of **** all.

Based upon that here is my question to you......

Number one.........are you full of yourself? I think the answer is yes.

You get where this is going. Ask a stupid question.............

You presented a very stupid question. Here's hoping you are not a journalist and just another garbage forum member like me.

I'm sorry you've chosen to answer with a rant against me personally. Perhaps you'll grow out of that, perhaps not. Meantime, you don't rate any other answer.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I wonder, if I had suggested in 306 AD (when Constantine became emperor), if I had suggested the possibility that in less than 40 years, the pagan world known as the Roman Empire would abandon all of its gods and cults, and turn to Christianity. Good heavens, in 306, there were far fewer Christians, even, than Jews in the Roman world -- and for the most part they were the laughing-stock of the entire world. And I have the audacity to suggest they'll become the mainstream and all other religions tossed out?

Yes, they were a tiny, derided sect that most of the civilized world at the time laughed at. And if I'd made that suggestion, I'd have been laughed out of the room just as I am now.

And then, against all possible odds, against all reason that anyone in 306 AD could have summoned up, within 40 years, that's exactly what happened. Who knew, eh? Nobody -- absolutely nobody -- could possibly have predicted such a thing.

What can't happen when a charismatic leader -- or if not charismatic, at least one who can garner a lot of attention, or who can command a lot of power -- chooses to act in a way that emphatically polarizes everyone within the sound of their voice, in one direction or another?

Human history if actually full of such events, for those who'd care to look.