Is America heading towards Civil War 2?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_states_and_blue_states

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_States_of_America

Take a look at the red and blue states, and then take a look at the Confederacy. The same political divisions that once divided our country still exist, even if the issue of slavery is no longer a part of the equation. When the Limbaugh and others speak of a "Culture War", I believe that this is what they are referring to - the fact that we can mostly divide the country into two separate spheres of political and cultural thought.

Can a nation with such differences remain a single entity forever? Perhaps, but not when the rhetoric becomes inflammatory and the possibility of reconciliation rejected. We now find ourselves in a situation not unlike the years leading up to the first Civil war, where the senators and representatives from the states that would ultimately leave the Union actively acted to shut down the federal government and undermine the power of the presidency at every turn. Their goal was never accommodation with the anti-slavery side, but to stamp it out completely by any means available, and barring that to hinder, undermine, and slander the opposition. Is this not what the Republicans are currently doing to the Obama administration? And why are they doing it in the first place, if not to harm the country which they profess to be defending?

My aunt is a strict southern conservative. She spends much of her day watching fox news and listening to conservative talk shows on the radio, while ironically living off of the very unemployment checks she wishes to take away from "poor" people. The other day I was shocked when she suggested that I buy a firearm and learn how to properly use it, because "a war is coming", and she wants me to be able to defend myself. Where did she get such an idea? Why, from the bilious rancor spouted by the very "news" agencies she claims tell her the truth about things. This strikes me as a self-fulfilling prophecy - if you convince enough people that the country is doomed, eventually you will doom the country. Yet every year, this message of doom is repeated louder, and more people begin to believe it.

When will it end, and how? At this point, I don't see the current situation in Washington improving. The fact is that the Democrats are now starting to get just as defensive and intractable as the right, maybe in response to the republican's radicalization, maybe just as a product of the times, but defensive and intractable all the same. Eventually things will escalate, and conflict will occur.

Heck, we may only be a year or so away from just such a crisis. What happens if in a close election Obama wins the popular vote, but the electoral vote is too close to call, and the conservative judicial branch favors the Republican candidate? Would Obama be willing to step down graciously, as Gore did, or would he fight?

I worry, is all.

I know I'll get burned for being the first reply, but oh well. I'll try not to sound too ignorant.

From where I'm standing, the only possible outcome is an autocratic takeover of some kind. The population will be totally compliant. There won't be much violence, at least apart from the usual internal strife. They will feel more represented by the a new order which is open in its aims and lack of regard for the public good than they ever did under the phonies.

edited 17th Jan '12 2:37:12 PM by johnnyfog

Long answer to the thread: Lol no.

Short answer: No.

And for once, I agree with Tom. We aren't headed for another civil war, though the rhetoric spouted by both sides (though one more than the other) is quite inflammatory, I don't think there are many people on wither side who would want to split the union.

(Sees title)

Anyway, mere colorings of state legislatures isn't an accurate depiction of true division in the country. I think the US has problems, but not the type that would fracture the nation like that.

edited 17th Jan '12 4:04:49 PM by abstractematics

While I don't think a Civil War will happen, there most likely will be a major right-wing terror attack before the year is out.

Think OKC Bombing, or Utoya Shooting.

At which point, Norway will likely point out that they thought this would happen, because the Conservatives wouldn't allow their nuts to be reined in.

I have Norweigan Ancestry, and likely lost a relative in that attack of July 22nd. I still see the pictures of the dead kids on the shore in my mind. I still see the pictures of the smoke rising from the Government District in my mind. I still see the pictures of the faces of those killed that day in my mind.

Breivik was massively influenced by the American Right, and cited them thousands of times in his manifesto. Norway partially blamed the Attack on the American Right. I follow their lead. I'm still very angry and pissed at Republicans for what happened nearly 6 months ago. I hate them for helping encourage it. And then they tried to blame MY side!?

I have no other feelings other than rage against them. No damn mercy in the political sphere for them. I want them decried as Terrorist Sympathizers.

Can anyone tell I'm still a bit raw about 7/22?

@OP: I'm pretty sure we're not headed for a "Civil War" per se, but mass unrest involving violence isn't exactly outside the realm of possibility.

Like Balmung, I can't believe it, but Tom is right. "lol no" indeed. I highly doubt that a civil war between red states and blue states will ever happen.

Depending on what exactly you mean by civil war, then maybe, but certainly not the way this OP invisions.

edited 17th Jan '12 4:41:03 PM by stripesthezebra

Bachmann wanted to bring back slavery and she represents the state of Minnesota.

It's simply of a case of "old habits die hard and there are crazy people everywhere you go". Also, the South has been talking about restarting the Civil War ever since they lost but have failed to do so.

"Bachmann wanted to bring back slavery"

Really?!

"Slavery had a disastrous impact on African American families, yet sadly a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African American baby born after the election of the USA’s first African American president,"

That's the quote. Make of it what you will, but don't mis-quote them as going "hur dur me want slavery". I hate it when people do that to anyone, I don't care if your Left or Right.

Civil War 2? No. A handful of Right wing nut jobs launching attacks on left-wingers? Possible. The reverse? Less likely. Really, a lot less likely.

edited 17th Jan '12 4:47:00 PM by Joesolo

There will be attacks. And will prove what I said earlier in the thread.

^ That there are crazy assholes on the planet? Welcome to 12,000 years ago.

Seriously. One of the things that Bachmann wanted to do was get rid of paying jobs and force everyone to work for free. That is slavery.

As glad as I am that your elected representatives don't advocate enslavement, what she said, and what she was implying, was still pretty shitty.

Oh, well, fuck.

edited 17th Jan '12 4:51:22 PM by stripesthezebra

When crazy assholes are at the helm of the world's largest superpower, with the general population angry, ignorant, and superstitious, I assure you it is unprecedented.

No, that your people incite violence against my side. There are already 77 dead kids to prove that. My side needs to start calling you all terrorists. Your political leaders gave ideological support to Breivik. I will never forgive that.

^ And leaders like yours cave into the side that killed 3000 of my people 10 years ago. Sharia Law in Europe was once unthinkable and that was in 1999. Now it seems inevitable in 5 countries among them France and the UK (and it's moving its way north). Them caving into the side creating Sharia Law is the same as the one responsible for 9/11.

edited 17th Jan '12 4:58:01 PM by MajorTom

I didn't elect her. I'm from NJ and I just turned 17.

edited 17th Jan '12 5:01:22 PM by Joesolo

You really should learn a little more about Europe before going on diatribes, cause what you just said about Europe being on the brink of Sharia was bullshit.

When I said 'your' I meant the US in general, not your state. Either way, good on you for not doing so.

edited 17th Jan '12 5:02:02 PM by stripesthezebra

^ And his is more accurate?

Really Tom?

edited 17th Jan '12 5:01:31 PM by DirectorCannon

@Tom This is probably a bad idea, But What are you saying about sharia law? I don't really get whats going on w/ it.

If you're talking about him saying that the US inspires (well, more like creates, really) rightist terrorism, then yes.

He's trying to say that Europe is helping fundamentalist muslims take power, which is, as I said, bull.

edited 17th Jan '12 5:05:19 PM by stripesthezebra

Not a single nation in Europe (Save Bosnia) will even come close to becoming Majority Muslim. And only Britain has a major crisis with radicalized Muslims, but that is their own damn fucking fault for allowing the Salafis and Deobandis to open Religious Schools in the UK without oversight, then compounding the error by allowing those people and "graduates" to take control of Mosques in the UK.

The British Government is fucking stupid.

And I fall in both categories (Muslim AND Liberal), so let me tell you to go to hell. The blood of those kids at Utoya has left me nothing but rage against the Republicans. I have direct relation to that attack.

I have (and will continue) to act in the same manner as your side. The same malice and cruelty in a mirror. For that is all your side understands. That is what I learned at Utoya.

Oh, and by the way, let me point out that, under Obama, both Bin Laden and Al-Awlaki were slaughtered like the pigs they were. What did Bush do?

edited 17th Jan '12 5:07:27 PM by RAWieren