"Almost eight years before the Capitol was attacked by partisans bent on reversing the results of an election, nearly one-third of Americans surveyed – and a whopping 44% of Republicans – said in a 2013 PublicMind poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University that armed rebellion might soon be necessary in the U.S. to protect liberties." https:…
Well, Judith, if a pollster had asked me before the last election about the need for armed rebellion to "protect liberties", I might have been among the one third, though the liberties I have in mind are not the same ones most of the Jan. 6th crowd are fantasizing about. Poverty, racism, climate change, wealth disparity, abortion, gun violence, healthcare, world peace, etc. all involve "liberties" in one way or another, and if the far-right crazies take up arms in an organized way, someone will need to oppose them. I'm not sure peaceful demonstrations and well-reasoned arguments will be enough to save our country. That said, armed violence is almost inconceivably stupid and selfdefeating, but we Americans are no strangers to it, and I'm afraid it's a real possibility.
"Almost eight years before the Capitol was attacked by partisans bent on reversing the results of an election, nearly one-third of Americans surveyed – and a whopping 44% of Republicans – said in a 2013 PublicMind poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University that armed rebellion might soon be necessary in the U.S. to protect liberties." https://theconversation.com/american-support-for-conspiracy-theories-and-armed-rebellion-isnt-new-we-just-didnt-believe-it-before-the-capitol-insurrection-173486
Well, Judith, if a pollster had asked me before the last election about the need for armed rebellion to "protect liberties", I might have been among the one third, though the liberties I have in mind are not the same ones most of the Jan. 6th crowd are fantasizing about. Poverty, racism, climate change, wealth disparity, abortion, gun violence, healthcare, world peace, etc. all involve "liberties" in one way or another, and if the far-right crazies take up arms in an organized way, someone will need to oppose them. I'm not sure peaceful demonstrations and well-reasoned arguments will be enough to save our country. That said, armed violence is almost inconceivably stupid and selfdefeating, but we Americans are no strangers to it, and I'm afraid it's a real possibility.