I was thinking about this last night. It is something that nobody has talked about yet during this campaign season, but I'll predict that you'll see covered in the opinion/news and on blogs more and more as we near the election:
I would say that there is a small-but-sizable portion of the United States population (perhaps as low as 1%... three million people... but likely higher) who will never accept Barack Obama as their president. They will be virulently — perhaps violently — opposed. Three million people.
(The fact that these people have been whipped into a blood-thirsty frenzy by their pretty, charismatic-Christian V.P. nominee, who has them convinced that Obama is an anti-Christian, baby-killing, Muslim terrorist is most certainly exacerbating an already dangerous situation.)
Just remember, these are people from whom came the crazies of the shootout at Ruby Ridge, the siege of Waco, the bombing in Oklahoma City, the murder and bombing of abortion providers, Stormfront and the Michigan Militia... and they have never faced a challenge to their core, deeply-held political, cultural, racial, and religious values on the scale and scope of what they are about to. It will literally drive some of them (perhaps as low as 1%... thirty thousand people... but likely higher) insane. Insane enough to believe that it is the beginning of the end of the world. Insane enough that they will make major changes to their lives because of the upcoming President Obama. Thirty thousand people. Angry. Insane. At minimum.
I predict that you will see thousands upon thousands of these people arming themselves and (most likely, hopefully) retreating up into the hinterlands to "escape from America" like they did at Ruby Ridge, or (less likely, and sadly) engaging in acts of domestic terrorism like we saw in the 1990s... and probably, tragically, racial violence as well. You can expect to see many more Christian doomsday cults arise in the next 2 to 3 years. (Now is the time to buy stock in firearms manufacturers and camping equipment and survival gear companies.)
I think that the United States has not yet had the discussion as to whether or not we can have a black president: A large portion of America — the portion who need to be convinced that it can and should happen — still believe Barack Obama will lose, and think that the discussion will not need to be held. After the election though, when these people realize what they are faced with, that's when the discussion about the end of the racial Sturm und Drang in America will begin... and I predict that it will not be pretty. (And as above, the anti-Christian, baby-killing, Muslim terrorist labels from Sarah Palin make it so much more likely to lead to violence.)
Like I said — especially after we've all seen the video of the very angry people who have been attending McCain/Palin rallies — this is something we'll all be talking about soon, and unavoidably experiencing shortly thereafter.
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Well, it is patently obvious that there is nothing I like better than to see steam coming out the ears of ignorant racist and religious bigots, and that is certainly going to happen — like it has never happened before in history — in 14 days and 18 hours.
But (and I'd bet George Carlin would agree with me) as amusing as those dollards are; as awesome as a three-million-strong angst-filled wail from the most detrimental, worthless, and moribund part of the American population will be; as much as I'm going to have a grin a mile wide when I witness it, I'd pass on seeing the shit hit the fan if it is going to lead to innocent people getting hurt... which it will.
Jil,
I think I have made my political leanings clear here - I am a Goldwater conservative (which hates both political parties equally). I am no fan of the Christian right and the closest I get to going to church is when I make my monthly sabbaticals to the "church of the chrome pole" in which I help young ladies through college with my hard earned dollar bills.
I also think I am well read - reading newspapers (yes not many people still read newspapers), internet news (both liberal and conservative leaning sites) and watch political news on TV. But I have never heard Palin actually say that Obama is "anti-Christian, baby-killing, Muslim terrorist labels from Sarah Palin" as you claim. Can you send me the link in which she uses those terms - I am very interested to see that.
The only problem I have with this blog is that I think you underestimate the numbers - 1% or less? From what I am seeing/reading Palin can fill a stadium like Obama (tens of thousands) everywhere she goes. In fact in the beginning she was drawing ten times the crowd that McCain was drawing - which is why McCain started traveling with Palin rather then let her go out on her own.
Chief
Still, as much of a pessimist as I am - I do not see running gun battles in the streets after the elections (nor any organized violence). It is one thing for people to yell out stupid stuff in a rally - it is another to actually use violence. I have been around violence all my adult life (deployed to Haita, Bosnia, Kosavo, Kuwait, Iraq x2, Afghanistan x2, Philippines - the bad places i.e. Jolo/Basalian/Zamboanga. I have seen violence - and participated in violence. I just do not see or feel that that 3million+ are anywhere near that point (even after the election and Obama is crowned Messiah).
I am looking forward to after the election when all this hyper-partisanship, us against them, to the death, bullshit is done. Every four years (actually every two) we allow these politicians to tear apart our country with divisive rhetoric - then after the elections watch those same politicians talk about "healing" the country and bring us back together again (even though they were the ones who created the divide - in order to get elected). They all are the problem - not just Palin.
Chief,
Sarah Palin engages in some serious dogwhistle politics. She says "pal-ling around with terrorists", her perfervid supporters hear "terrorist". She says "he doesn't see America the way you and I see America", she is referring to her and their values... Christian values, primarily. The "Mulsim" of course, is just part of the background noise... she doesn't have to add to it.
In other words (and I should have been clearer), Sarah Palin is using the baseline fear and ignorance that people have about Barack Obama, and adding bits and pieces here and there to stir the pot to a boil, to help foster an image of Barack Obama that her mindless claque creates for themselves. She doesn't create the fire... she just supplies the wood.
Chief,
Of course no running battles in the streets. I seriously doubt that the far right survivalists and Christian literalists will form armies... although I am expecting a few armed fortresses 20 miles out into the wilderness here and there. I am expecting new Timothy McVeigh's and Eric Rudolph's and Charles Whitman's to pop up.
Jil,
I think the "new Timothy McVeigh's, Eric Rudolph's and Charles Whitmans" are already out there - and they are no friends to the Republicans (or any main stream political movement). You should add in some radical small cell Muslim groups to that list. We are a multicultural society - fanatics come in all shapes, sizes, far-left, far-right, Christian and Muslim.
Moving to Philippines where they only have a few poorly funded, educated, resourced terrorists (kids carrying rifles) is looking better and better.
Chief
Well, I never said that the "one percent of the one percent" are affiliated with any political party (although I did say that the people who we are currently putting forth the most anti-Obama invective are at McCain rallies... no surprise there). However, the hyperreligious types (such as Randy Weaver), racist types (such as Matthew Hale), anti-abortion terrorists, survivalists... all those people are part of the "far right", and quite frankly, they have a very good history of violence in this country. Also, they are all individuals for the most part, not members of any group or organization. And (call me silly, but) I think it is safe to say that those people pretty much hate liberal, black, pro-gay, pro-abortion Presidents.
Now, if there are any groups of Muslim extremists in America — which I doubt — then (a) the FBI and DHS is already, or will be monitoring them, and stopping them, and (b) having Obama in the Whitehouse isn't going to make any difference as to whether or not they decide to attack people.
(In fact, as much as I hate to admit it, the Republicans are probably right: Muslim extremists are probably less likely — if anything — to attack America with Obama as President. Of course, Republicans don't put it that way... doesn't sound like such a negative, does it? Instead, they say, "Terrorists support Obama. Terrorists want Obama to win.")
So anyway, my point stands: There are tens of thousands of right-wing lunatics in America who are literally going to snap when Obama gets elected, and it is a sad-but-safe bet that many of them will become violent because of it.
"So anyway, my point stands: There are tens of thousands of right-wing lunatics in America who are literally going to snap when Obama gets elected, and it is a sad-but-safe bet that many of them will become violent because of it."
I guess this is one of your famous predications (as you claim: sad-but-safe-bet). We will see if this comes true.
In the end the domestic violence we have faced in the past has been very rare and I believe it will stay that way. I do not see the pending violence that you seem to see coming. We will see who is right. You are a smart guy - well read and educated. But some times your prejudices come out - like now.
Chief
Chief,
Hmm... If you mean prejudices against racists and religious extremists, then you are right.
I'm not sure that would be the first moniker I would apply because of the negative connotations, but prejudices can be both positive and negative: It's normal to be prejudiced against evil people.
Pretty much everybody is prejudiced against the evil of racism and although the majority of racists may not be prone to violence, conflating racism and violence is hardly unheard of.
Pretty much everybody is prejudiced against the evil of religious extremism in this world also, be they Muslim or Christian. And again, although the majority of religious extremists may not be prone to violence, conflating religious extremism and violence in today's day and age is again, hardly novel.
I'm surprised you yourself are not prejudiced against racism and religious extremism, Chief. I suppose it is a fair but rather liberal position for you to think that all people are equally prone to violence, as opposed to believing (i.e. being prejudiced) that one type of person (because of their beliefs) is likely more violent. Well, fair enough.
Finally, also, although I am predicting violence from racists based on the election of a black president, if you look back at the body of the main post, it said "I predict that you will see thousands upon thousands of these people arming themselves and (most likely, hopefully) retreating up into the hinterlands to "escape from America" like they did at Ruby Ridge, or (less likely, and sadly) engaging in acts of domestic terrorism like we saw in the 1990s..." Therefore, my prediction is that the majority of lunatics will take to the hills, fortify themselves, go on defense, Ruby Ridge style. Some few though (but enough to be more than your "very rare" and "will stay that way" level) will become violent.
In the 2000's, we have only had one act of domestic extremists terrorism/confrontation, and that was the anthrax attack. (Oh... Washington snipers, I forgot about them. There's some Muslims for you Chief to prove your point a bit. Make that two acts of domestic terrorism.)
In the 1990's, there were at least four acts of domestic extremist terrorism/confrontation that I can think of off the top of my head. (Five if you count Heaven's Gate, which I do.) I expect that that kind of domestic extremist terrorism/confrontation to return, and be higher than it was in the 1990s.
Here's a bit of fun which kind of illustrates the psychotic mentality I'm talking about: Witches and demons and Obama's family performing African voodoo to make McCain "look confused and like an idiot."
Seriously: How do you think Americans who genuinely, fully believe that Obama is involved with witches and voodoo are going to react when he becomes President? How many people like this lunatic are there in America?
Now, here's a bit of not-so-fun, which illustrates the non-religious side of things:
Photographer Joe Eddins and I headed over to the closest one and found a steady line of voters hoping to cast ballots early. Most seemed to be Obama supporters and several had come from the rally. Nearly all the voters were black.
Also at the polling site was a group of loud and angry protesters who shouted and mocked the voters as they walked in. Nearly all were white.
As you can see from these videos, no one held anything back. People were shouting about Obama's acknowledged cocaine use as a young man, abortion and one man used the word "terrorist." They also were complaining that Sundays are for church, not voting.
ha ha, good points Jil
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