Is there going to be a civil war in America?

[Dustballs]

I know Biden's won the election and is the new president.

What is Trump up to though?

He keeps sacking people - what's he doing? Is he planning to start a civil war?

I’m hoping that the leading Republicans are just appeasing Trump, as he is still President and will remain in office until 20th January. They know that if they refuse to accept the election result, no other world leader (other than Putin) will work with them and they’ll be a pariah state.

Pissed off rightwing nutters with guns. What could be more dangerous? Oh, of course, a bunch of lefties armed with placards. Silly me.

Trump supporters, you're not known for your generosity of spirit, you wish nothing but something worse upon your opponents and Donny boy is one of the meanest creatures ever put on this earth, so he's not thinking about your welfare. One thing has always puzzled me. What possible benefit do you think he can bring you? Other than being applauded for waving your huge gun around and persecuting people you perceive as un-American in some way. Or you're very wealthy and want to avoid tax like him. That's it? And you don't believe you were outvoted? Dear me. Pay that tax. Get some education.

@dreamingbohemian

If you think left-wing violence is the main problem then you're just a gullible Trumpist.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/22/white-supremacists-rightwing-domestic-terror-2020

White supremacists and other rightwing extremists have been responsible for 67% of domestic terror attacks and plots so far this year, with at least half of that violence targeting protesters, according to a new analysis from a centrist thinktank.

The report found only a single deadly “far-left” attack in 2020, the shooting of Aaron Danielson, a rightwing activist, by a self-described “anti-fascist” during a protest in Portland this August. Experts on extremism said this was the first killing linked to an anti-fascist in the United States in 25 years.

Quite.

Now that you mentioned terror attacks. The non-domestic terror attacks have declined sharply or are non-existence. Wonder why? Let’s in a few years.

Send me the report please. The Guardian won’t have one for that I am sure.

I doubt it, even if some people stir for it.

I think there will be further discussion and pushes for secession in some spaces, but those have been brewing for decades. The other American "Civil War" was a failed war of secession rather than an actual civil war and we might see another attempt in the decades to come (some predict splits closer to the Soviet Union with some conflict but more not being able to hold it together), but I don't think this will be spark. I could be wrong, but even in places like Texas which have loud voices for secession, the split in votes was really close, closer than in a lot of years, so I don't think there will be enough united support for large scale conflict. Small flareups of violence, possibly, but not a war of secession or a civil war.

Large scale civil war, no. State governments have no appetite for that and the people don't intend to wreck their economy as a war would do.

Right wing terrorist attacks, very much so.

And I expect an attempt to sieze power through the courts, of course. A scenario has occurred to me but I don't want to give Trump ideas!

@LordLancington

'Biden shot by Trump supporter'. Can you imagine the shitstorm!

Hope his security is the best, sure it is but yeh I’d be on the lookout

Overall not civil war but rallies and a cry for funding

No, there might be rallies, demonstrations. Maybe one or two lunatics planning a big retaliation. More likely there will be a new party aimed at the 70 million Trump voters. Probably new media outlet as well.

Who won the 2020 election?
Biden - 79%
Trump - 3%
Not yet decided - 13%
uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUKKBN27Q3DW?

@blueangel19

Glad to hear that most Americans are moving on and accepting the results. Shame some of the posters that have been on and on about Trump since before he was elected in 2016 are still stirring and keen on problems to escalate. Move on or get help because is not normal.

Well said, @blueangel19. People sitting behind their screens shit-stirring on serious matters that won’t affect them personally is deeply unpleasant.

It’s like me gleefully speculating whether there’ll be anti-Brexit riots in January 2022 after the UK crashes out.

I have the impression that some ppl on MN would like to see America crash and burn, because they dislike Americans. They don’t care about the millions of ordinary Americans who aren’t political extremists and just want to get on with their lives. It’s very different when violence is occurring up the road from you.

Sorry, fat fingers, January 2021!

@blueangel19

While we are obviously keen to move on, I think you're not quite understanding what is happening right now. I have not just "been on and on about Trump" and I'm certainly not stirring for escalation, but rather I (and many, many Americans) have very real concerns about what is going on right now. Trump has been planting the seeds of fraud for months and this is his big moment. Honestly, he won't pull it off - this isn't a very close Bush v Gore moment; Biden won pretty decisively. The issue, though, is that Trump is setting up a situation where his followers will never accept the results of the election and never accept Biden as president. Trump is attempting to undermine the most sacred act in our democracy and it's simply not ok.

I think his craziness has become a bit normalized but really think about it. When was the last democratic leader you remember who simply refused to accept the results of a fair election? And many nonpartisan groups have come out saying that there is no evidence of fraud. He's just a sore loser.

So I think people have every right to fret.

I'm guessing not, because not all of the people who voted for Trump will be willing to support such a step. People vote for different reasons: it doesn't mean you're going to see, e.g. citizens of Iowa fight those of Michigan (names plucked at random).

But bloody hell the growth in extremism, the number of people wanting a fight - and even more, the degeneration of morals in politicians, is absolutely terrifying. We seem helpless to stop it. We'll get away with it this time. Next? The time after?

@charlottemont - you don’t have the explain yourself to anyone.

This is a public forum, and people can discuss what they like. When they like. And for however long they like.

And if some posters think the real threat to democracy at the hands of one malignant narcissist isn’t going to be discussed at length on here - a public and very popular discussion forum - they’re deluded.

If you don’t like what’s being discussed on here, there’s a very simple solution.

But it’s my observation that coming on here and whining at people, telling them what they should and should not be talking about, is seemingly much more fun than simply staying away, or not clicking on the thread.

My friends and relations in the US would love things to settle down, and for normality to return. That’s what they voted for, and that’s what they hoped would happen when Biden won.

But no. There’s one monumental arsehole insisting on staying in the way of that.

Oh, of course, a bunch of lefties armed with placards. Silly me.

It wasn't a placard that killed David Dorn

@charlottemont. We’ll agree to disagree. I’m optimistic, because I don’t think that the majority of Americans would allow their political system to be overturned. Mitch McConnell has said there’s a clear “system” for disputing/investigating elections ( legal challenges, recounts, etc.) and that the country should adhere to it. The GOP will fall into line behind him so that leaves the real extremists

Unfortunately, there are definitely some extremists out there and @HerRoyalNotness probably has it right when she says there may some clashes and perhaps a lone mass shooter- that’s awful enough. But it’s not civil war, it’s a consequence of barely any gun control and inadequate MH services.☹️

I hope the Democrats can make some headway with these issues, plus providing opportunities in deprived areas where people feel left behind by their traditional party (the Dems). The US has so much to offer, but it needs to do more for its citizens. End of lecture.😄

The US has so much to offer, but it needs to do more for its citizens.

Never has a truer word been spoken.

But that would be ‘socialism’, and we all know how the Americans who’d most benefit from it (or, at least a vanilla interpretation of it) feel about that...

@MerchantOfVenom. Can’t argue with you there🤣.

I have way too many gun loving right wing families, they are not interested in war. Court? Yes. Fix the election system? Yes. Leaving Facebook for Parler? Yes. But no war.

Well I don’t live there so I can’t say I’m particularly informed. But my guess is that there won’t be a civil war.

My ‘worst case scenario’ predication though is: that Biden will be the last democrat to be a president for a very very long time. Trump will continue to undermine the democratic process and hamper Biden’s every move. He will continue to whip up fear and anger and the republicans will be completely hikacked by the far right. They will win the next election on the back of Biden’s “failure”. The next president will be just as amoral as Trump, but much smarter and outwardly palateable. Democracy will be further undermined (social media, mainstream media, appointing partisan judges and officials to positions of power, corruption and nepotism) to the extent that the far right will maintain a stronghold on power and send the country into a regressive downward spiral until “something serious” happens (climate change related, maybe? Who knows) to force the people to re-evaluate their politics.

Best case scenario would be that Biden succeeds in igniting an appetite for healing the wounds opened up in the past 5 years and building some trust and unity in the country. I sincerely hope this is what will happen!

Assuming Trump have the energy to do that. He will be nearly 80 years old by four years. Biden probably won't run himself either

Now that you mentioned terror attacks. The non-domestic terror attacks have declined sharply or are non-existence. Wonder why? Let’s in a few years.
Is this meant to be a reference to the travel ban? Because there hasn't actually been a successful attack, by an international terrorist organization, in the US, since September 11, 2001.

There has been some domestic Islamist terrorism (the Pulse nightclub shooting being the obvious one). They are less frequent than attacks by white supremacists, however.