As of right now (early February 2025), there are primarily three reasons why I do not believe that we are on the cusp of a civil war in the United States (as a scholar of the American Civil War):
Comments
Log in with your Bluesky account to leave a comment
1) There is no unifying opposition forces. The loose coalitions of MAGA or "libs" doesn't make for a solid force like, for example, the Confederacy rallying around slavery.
2) As of right now, there is no noticeable split within the American military. As long as the military stays connected on defending the Constitution and does not split, no opposition or rebellious force could survive more than a matter of days (probably hours).
3) Even if divisive parties to emerge, there is no clear geographic context for them. People like to joke about the "libs" in California or the hard right in the red southeast, but both of those regions are far more complex and mixed than, say, the majority of the southern states in the 1860s.
All of this being said, I will continue to pray that the "better angels of our nature" will prevail. There's a lot of comfort to be taken in the various words of Lincoln. He, among others, gave his life for this union. I hope it will not be in vain.
Comments