Could the U.S. Split Apart Like During the Civil War


I find it hard to judge whether today's national disagreements are deeper than those during the Vietnam War. Or, whether they are deeper than at times before I was born. Is it just "peculiar" Trump still claims the election was dishonest or is it part of some great split in the concept of what a country is or is supposed to be? 

During the Vietnam war, as I recall, the turmoil was not about election results but about something almost as sacred to many Americans. It was complete distrust by a large segment of the population of the military. This was after decades of revering those who had served and of endless political support for larger military budgets. A line of thinking was only the military stood between our democracy and a communist invasion and takeover. That a large swath of U.S. society did not support this institution was heresy to some.

Perhaps in time Trump's flat out lie that he won the election will be put in context with other great lies. Lyndon Johnson lied about the Gulf of Tonkin, W. Bush lied, or repeated a lie he should have and could have checked out, weapons of mass destructions. If one measures in lost lives and wasted public money the folly of President W. Bush is greater then the folly of President Trump. Better, of course, would be Presidents that were not as incompetent and foolish as those two.

All readers might agree the splits of these foolish military mistakes and what is going on now are different. According to many, the split now is about emotions or happiness. A set of society believes it deserves better, economically and socially, and wants to get even. They have been told the way to set things right is through politics--Donald Trump. 

If we set aside as a ridiculous enterprise, Jan. 6th, the version of civil war comes from the desire of Trump to have his circle of friends name the electoral college and thus be reelected. The unknown in such a saga how the vast bureaucracy and structures of government, including the courts and military, even the states, would respond.

It could be that thin line, the military, which was thought to stand between communism and democracy back during the cold war remains the line that would not allow internal politics to cross with election crimes.  

Comments

  1. Bryan KOctober 12, 2021 at 4:52 PM

    We should count ourselves lucky.

    As the Trump camp makes martyrs and heroes out of the insurrectionists while openly talking about civil war, one has to ponder about which point we lost our ability to be shocked.

    ReplyDelete

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