A Second American Civil War?

[Yavin4]

Up until this week, I didn't think that it was possible, but after this Schiavo case, I starting to think that it's a real possibility. Here's why:

As a nation, we're becoming more and more divided along various lines: rich and poor; religious and secular; Dem and Repub; Red and Blue states, etc. These divisions are being exploited by a tiny wealthy elite whose greed can never be satiated.

Our MSM, who are firmly in the camp of this elite, feeds these divisions by exploiting our differences and deliberately mis-informs the public. On Iraq and now the Schiavo case, the MSM allows false, inaccurate, and propagandistic information become fact.

The facts say that Saddam didn't have WMDs. The facts say that Schiavo has followed the letter of the law and is well within his rights to end the feeding tube for his wife. However, the MSM disallow these facts and pander to the emotions and ignorance of the public.

Why? Because the MSM is now in the business of protecting the Republican control of the government. Why? Because with Republicans in control, the MSM gains money and power through deregulation. They have a strong financial bias in seeing Bush, Tom DeLay, Frist, and Santorium stay in power. So, they allow their lies become truths.

The problem for us all is that by allowing the system to run on lies, they're causing it to fail. By pandering to the emotions and ignorance, they're giving these people the license to act out of control of the laws. For instance, allowing the judges in Florida, both state and now Federal, to be called "activist" or "tyrannical", they're inviting the public to rise up in revolt against our judicial system.

When the system allows the Republicans who disagree with whatever they believe to be labeled basically "enemies of the culture of life", this is a pretext for massive violence. This is the basis for a civil war.

I invite you all to watch HBO's "Sometimes in April" to see what happens to a nation when lies, prejudicies, and ethnic hostilities are allowed to become the norm.

[lolly]

1. When all other options are eliminated

People either are terrorized into submission, or rebel.

Approx 1/2--perhaps more--of the country has all but lost a voice in the government of the country. That may be optimistic--we may have already lost all representation.

At least 1/2 of them don't realize that yet--they're still working under the illusion that we have a functioning democracy.

But with all Democratic input shut out of congressional decision making, we're just about done with democracy.

So what's left?

[EST]

2. This is the message you need to take to the more

reasonable of your republican acquaintances.

[knitter4democracy]

3. It reminds me too much of Brave New World.

They keep the public stoned and too busy to care and then go about their business without any repercussions to speak of. :scared:

[katinmn]

4. I agree with what you've written.

When is the HBO program?

[Yavin4]

6. It's A Real Tough Movie To Take, But It's Worth Watching

Rwanda is no different from us. What happened there, can definitely happen here.

For example, do you know who the real culprit was behind the genocide? Hate radio. No kidding. There was this radio station promoting the killings 24/7.

[stopbush]

5. See here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1678648&mesg_id=1678648

[abelenkpe]

7. Sometimes in April

is definitely a must see. While watching it I felt that those who are awake would certainly see a parallel with the popularity of hate radio in our own country and it's destructiveness. For those who believe what they hear on hate radio watching that movie would probably make them think that something like that could only happen in a third world country.

I don't see a civil war or even real civil unrest happening unless TV becomes unaffordable.

I recently took my cable receiver in for a trade in. There were people standing in line with late bills over 200 dollars. My brother's babysitter lives in a tiny single apartment with her husband, son, three parakeets and four TVs. Why four TV's? When my brother moved I asked them if they were going to move into his apartment which was a two bedroom and only cost 150 dollars more a month. They said they could never afford it even though they are paying for four digital TV setups. For many TV is a necessity.

[Yavin4]

10. As the Price of Gas Skyrockets...

cable will have to go.

[Dave Reynolds]

8. It may be necessary,

but when I see protests completely disintigrate when the police arrest the organizers, I wonder if people are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.

I just don't think we're to the point of war..yet.

[Chicago Democrat]

9. There is NO WAY Americans are gonna have a "Civil WAR!"

First of all who fighting whom?

State identity doesnt exist anymore! What are the suburbs and rural areas gonna start attacking US cities?! Crazy talk!


Dangerous talk!

[Yavin4]

12. Anyone Who Doesn't Agree With The Fundies Will Be Targeted

Again, I refer you to the movie, "Sometimes in April". The rival groups had no way to clearly identify the enemy. They had to ask for identification.

[RaleighNCDUer]

16. The next civil war won't resemble the last, with all the various

state militias rallying around the flags of the union or the confederacy.

It will more resemble Yugoslavia, with no real battle lines until it has gone on for a year or two. Neighbor against neighbor will resolve to neighborhood against neighborhood, which will become community against community, then city against city, and finally state against state and region against region. It will be chaos, with red against blue, black against white, Green against Corporation, and who you are fighting this month may be your ally next month.

It will make the last civil war look like a fist fight at a sunday picnic.

[solinvictus]

17. And it will make Yugoslavia look like an exercise in chivalry..

If it comes, it'll be bloody on all sides with countless factions.

[KharmaTrain]

11. The Revolution Will Be Televised And Sponsored

Appologies to Gil Scott-Heron...

We have seen a decade long attack on our institutions...government, media and now judicial by the right wing and religious fundies. They've done it deliberately and now are unchecked in their zealous need for power and influence. They can take an inch and turn it into a mile now and there's little opposition to break through their elaborate echo chamber.

The corporate media didn't buy into this mess, they were compromised. Between their need to suck up to the government for regulation and dereulation and their greed for ratings and profits that is fed by the right wing media machine...a dynamic that forces them further and further right and to justify their lies with phony polls and research.

Unfortunately so many have been intimidated and cowered into silence and has little on the other side speaking up for them. The Democratic Party has folded like a deck of cards in this onslaught and is constantly compromised by tactical right wing attacks to create angst and trouble within the party that have created the "pink tutus" we see now.

Sadly, we haven't even entered the darkness...we're not seeing large-scale dissent or protest, I see little organization for an alternative voice that can counter the massive right wing media/progaganda machine...and even less networking or coordinating, and a lot of self-interest in the Democratic party where many will only work on their specific pet and give little support to others.

The norm in this country is intolerance, greed and arrogance. We're programmed to for short attention spans and self idulgence. These are hard traits for people to give up...and why so many remain blissfully ignorant as this country is carved up and polarized for partisan gain and personal profit.

[Yavin4]

13. I Forgot One Other Thing: Scarcity of Resources

Keep in mind that the days of loose credit, good paying jobs, cheap gas, and easy bankruptcy laws are coming to a screeching halt. We will no longer be able to consume like we did in the past. It will be like taking away toys from a child.

[KharmaTrain]

15. No One Knows The Price They're Soon To Pay

Hidden in all the circus of the macabre today was the fact the Federal reserve raised interest rates again and will need to continue to do so for the forseeable future. This is gonna be passed along soon in higher mortgage, car loans, business loans and hikes in credit card and other penalty interest rates. The squeeze on the lower and middle class will be slow and gradual as people will get less for their dollar and earn less dollars for what they work for.

For the rich, this couldn't be a better time. Another rate hike? Looks like time to sell the stocks and buy me some of those T-Bills and other bond markets tied to these rates and the growing U.S. defecit. They're gonna see 5, 6, 10, 15 percent returns on vehicles that were half as much just a few years ago and had been depressed for the past 15 years.

There'll be just enough toys for the kids, though. Today, AP reported despite the higher cost of gas and lowering living standards, gasoline consumption in this country is up 3% over a year ago...and I don't see the soccer moms giving up the SUVs too soon.

Cheers!

[solinvictus]

14. Arm yourselves, stock up on necessities, and be prepared..

That's all you can really do. My family and I have discussed the real possibility of just such an event in the USA. The Fundamentalist proletariat and the Neo-Con billionaires have allied against everyone else. We live in some scary times, people.