Conservatives, especially the Tea Party, have always been enamored of violence.
Too many John Wayne movies I suppose.
The biggest problem with the constant use of the rhetoric of violence is that it allows for no dissent. When the opening lines of your argument vilify your opponent, you've pretty much painted yourself into a frustrating corner. How is it possible to negotiate and cooperate with those who, you claim, pose an existential threat to your way of life? It isn't.
This point of view pretty much defines the right wing in this country and the powers that be in the GOP.
The wing-nuts in politics are not alone. Right wing domestic terrorism is on the rise as well. Tonight, Rachel Maddow discussed this with her usual thoroughness, pointing out that not only does the right wing spin machine dismiss such facts, but forced the suppression of a Homeland Security report on the subject.
For many years I have been thinking that we will have another civil war in this country. I have long thought that in the next hundred years or so, a severe enough shock will set us off.
I still think that, but perhaps a hundred years is optimistic.
I titled this 'Antebellum' for a reason.
