With only a few days left until the most contentious election of our lifetime, America is already preparing for the aftermath. The division in our country has fueled things to a near boiling point. There are a lot of unknowns. But there a couple of things that we can pretty much say with certainty. One is that either Donald Trump or Joe Biden will win this year's election. And no matter who wins, half of the country will not be happy about it.
Cities are taking precautions for the anticipated unrest (aka rioting) after the election. Walmart pulled guns and ammo from their shelves (although I hear now that they're re-stocking). Retailers have begun boarding up their windows. And the National Guard has moved into Philadelphia (this is in a response to a recent "civil unrest" after a police shooting. But Tuesday's election will likely spark off a fresh round of "unrest").
Regarding this civil unrest....What is so civil about torching a building or walking out of Walmart with a stolen TV? Random lawlessness has been candy-coated with the term "civil unrest" to make it sound more legitimate. If you refer to it as rioting, you are often viewed as insensitive by the mob sympathizers. They will tell you that physical property can be replaced. As one of Baltimore's infamous mayors said a few years ago, "We need to give them room to destroy". This kind of "leadership" only serves to embolden the mob mentality to destroy even more.
I was watching a news segment on NBC this morning and they briefly touched on the potential unrest following the election. They insinuated that militia groups would be the ones wreaking havoc on Election Day. Really? I'm not saying there are not some lunatics out there that fit into this category. However, over the past year of various "unrests", I haven't seen a whole lot of militia members torching police cars or looting liquor stores.
The have been record turnouts in early voting across the country. So far, I believe things have been mostly peaceful. I myself voted on Monday at one of the local high schools. There were both Trump and Biden supporters working their way through the crowds. I never quite understood why anyone would waste time campaigning near a polling place. Like everyone else, I already know who I'm voting for when I head out to the polls. Do they really think they can change someone's mind at the last second by handing them a piece of campaign literature? But then again, it's 2020. So. I guess anything is possible...
To add to the never-ending drama, we will likely not confirm a winner on Tuesday. Depending on how close it is, we might not have a confirmed winner for days or even weeks after the election. And the more time that passes will inevitably bring new accusations of voter fraud (lost mail-in ballots, voter intimidation, hanging chads, etc.). And this will potentially light the fuse on another round of "unrest".
And piling on even more, Biden is ahead in most of the polls. If you believe everything you're hearing, there is no way Biden can lose this thing. Of course, Hillary Clinton was ahead in most of the 2016 polls but that didn't go as planned for her. So, if Trump should pull out this one in a similar fashion, it will likely ignite the emotions of Biden supporters. It's starting to sound like a best-selling political thriller, huh?
Trump and Biden are two contrasting candidates who have two different road maps for the direction of America. I get that. If you talk to supporters from either camp, they will likely give you a 'dooms day" explanation of why the other guy should not be leading our country. While I can certainly appreciate the passion that someone might feel for a political campaign, there is no excuse to act out violently if your side happens to lose. And if violence ensues, it should not be downplayed or celebrated. This only encourages more of it. If you don't like the winner, try voting him/her out in the next election cycle. That's the civil way to handle it.
kw
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