AMERICA RISKS BREAKING IN AN UN-CIVIL WAR
September 2017
What happened in Charlottesville was not the end.
New York City. Washington, D.C. Philadelphia. Nashville. Minneapolis. San Francisco, a city over 2,500 miles away from Charlottesville.
In all of these cities, as well as countless others, antifa and white supremacists have clashed over the issues of race and identity.
According to Keith Mines, a global national-security expert, the modern definition of a civil war is not like the American Civil War from the 1800s, but rather “large scale violence that includes a rejection of traditional political authority and requires the National Guard to deal with it.”
Furthermore, Mines concluded that there is a 60 percent chance that the U.S. will be in a civil war in the next decade. Other experts’ opinions vary from five percent to 95 percent with the overall consensus being 35 percent.
Despite this sobering statistic, however, people’s opinions range from doubt to certainty. Many feel a civil war, especially in a dominantly left-leaning California, is highly unlikely.
“While this might be an overgeneralization, I feel like there’s not a lot of friction around here. In this area I don’t see an alt-right group or even an alt-left here. I know there’s rallies, but I don’t think there will be political violence to the scale of Charlottesville around here,” said Jenna Williamson, a senior.
Additionally, some feel that the way America’s political system is set up is formatted to be able to sustain inevitable conflict.
“People are not questioning the institutions themselves. [Conflicts] happen in waves, and the current wave is more divisive and centered around both social and economic issues,” said Kristine Sokoloski-Weisman, a government and economics teacher.
Sokoloski-Weisman, like many others, sees the current conflict as part of a historical cycle and an issue that people will continue to debate over.
“We’re not democratically set up for a civil war, so it becomes a question of whether the institutions are strong enough to allow us to work out our differences within it, and currently, the institutions work. Our differences would have to be so large to be able to disrupt the institutions. While there are there extremely violent minorities present, I don’t see a modern civil war happening,” said Sokoloski-Weisman.
However, despite the government’s current system, some feel that it can’t handle the conflict.
“I don’t think anyone is ever going to agree on this issue. As long as there isn’t a strong national figure who can unite the sides, there will be a modern civil war. If the groups can’t work out their differences within the institution, then one group will end up rejecting authority,” said Haley Masters, a senior.
Furthermore, many question the purpose and effectiveness of demonstrations.
“I think people need to try to understand the long-term consequences of these rallies. I think having conflict in such public spaces after a horrible incident was the wrong move. While there are exceptions to the rule, having a united group of people doing nothing is not helpful for political action and change,” said Williamson.
It’s undeniable that the nation is embroiled in a conflict over ideology. While the question of how that conflict will be resolved has yet to be decided, many feel that no real action is taking place to address the conflict.
“I think we need to start actually listening to each other. We can talk about social justice all we want and pride ourselves in being ‘activists,’ but how many of us actually stand up to injustice when we see it? A lot of people at Carlmont just pat themselves on the back for being ‘liberal’ without actually doing anything to further justice and progress. There are opportunities to better our community all around us, and if you want to call yourself an activist, you have to take these opportunities instead of waiting for someone else to do it,” said Rosie Asmar, a senior.
Whether there will be a civil war or not, America is on shaky ground. The conflicts may just be a part of an ongoing conflict that’s been happening since the start of the civil rights movement, or it could grow to be the beginning of a new war over identity. Even if the conflict isn’t as obvious in California due to a large left-leaning population, tension over race and identity still runs in the state.
“None of what happened in Charlottesville even remotely surprised me, which is probably the saddest part. Up until 50 years ago people of African, Asian, Mexican, or Jewish descent couldn't own a house here. Some people think that because they don't see oppression it isn't there, which couldn't be further from the truth,” said Asmar.
New York City. Washington, D.C. Philadelphia. Nashville. Minneapolis. San Francisco, a city over 2,500 miles away from Charlottesville.
In all of these cities, as well as countless others, antifa and white supremacists have clashed over the issues of race and identity.
According to Keith Mines, a global national-security expert, the modern definition of a civil war is not like the American Civil War from the 1800s, but rather “large scale violence that includes a rejection of traditional political authority and requires the National Guard to deal with it.”
Furthermore, Mines concluded that there is a 60 percent chance that the U.S. will be in a civil war in the next decade. Other experts’ opinions vary from five percent to 95 percent with the overall consensus being 35 percent.
Despite this sobering statistic, however, people’s opinions range from doubt to certainty. Many feel a civil war, especially in a dominantly left-leaning California, is highly unlikely.
“While this might be an overgeneralization, I feel like there’s not a lot of friction around here. In this area I don’t see an alt-right group or even an alt-left here. I know there’s rallies, but I don’t think there will be political violence to the scale of Charlottesville around here,” said Jenna Williamson, a senior.
Additionally, some feel that the way America’s political system is set up is formatted to be able to sustain inevitable conflict.
“People are not questioning the institutions themselves. [Conflicts] happen in waves, and the current wave is more divisive and centered around both social and economic issues,” said Kristine Sokoloski-Weisman, a government and economics teacher.
Sokoloski-Weisman, like many others, sees the current conflict as part of a historical cycle and an issue that people will continue to debate over.
“We’re not democratically set up for a civil war, so it becomes a question of whether the institutions are strong enough to allow us to work out our differences within it, and currently, the institutions work. Our differences would have to be so large to be able to disrupt the institutions. While there are there extremely violent minorities present, I don’t see a modern civil war happening,” said Sokoloski-Weisman.
However, despite the government’s current system, some feel that it can’t handle the conflict.
“I don’t think anyone is ever going to agree on this issue. As long as there isn’t a strong national figure who can unite the sides, there will be a modern civil war. If the groups can’t work out their differences within the institution, then one group will end up rejecting authority,” said Haley Masters, a senior.
Furthermore, many question the purpose and effectiveness of demonstrations.
“I think people need to try to understand the long-term consequences of these rallies. I think having conflict in such public spaces after a horrible incident was the wrong move. While there are exceptions to the rule, having a united group of people doing nothing is not helpful for political action and change,” said Williamson.
It’s undeniable that the nation is embroiled in a conflict over ideology. While the question of how that conflict will be resolved has yet to be decided, many feel that no real action is taking place to address the conflict.
“I think we need to start actually listening to each other. We can talk about social justice all we want and pride ourselves in being ‘activists,’ but how many of us actually stand up to injustice when we see it? A lot of people at Carlmont just pat themselves on the back for being ‘liberal’ without actually doing anything to further justice and progress. There are opportunities to better our community all around us, and if you want to call yourself an activist, you have to take these opportunities instead of waiting for someone else to do it,” said Rosie Asmar, a senior.
Whether there will be a civil war or not, America is on shaky ground. The conflicts may just be a part of an ongoing conflict that’s been happening since the start of the civil rights movement, or it could grow to be the beginning of a new war over identity. Even if the conflict isn’t as obvious in California due to a large left-leaning population, tension over race and identity still runs in the state.
“None of what happened in Charlottesville even remotely surprised me, which is probably the saddest part. Up until 50 years ago people of African, Asian, Mexican, or Jewish descent couldn't own a house here. Some people think that because they don't see oppression it isn't there, which couldn't be further from the truth,” said Asmar.