Dennis Prager: America’s Second Civil War

dennisprager.com ^ | Dennis

[RoosterRedux]

It is time for our society to acknowledge a sad truth: America is currently fighting its second Civil War.

In fact, with the obvious and enormous exception of attitudes toward slavery, Americans are more divided morally, ideologically and politically today than they were during the Civil War. For that reason, just as the Great War came to be known as World War I once there was World War II, the Civil War will become known as the First Civil War when more Americans come to regard the current battle as the Second Civil War.

This Second Civil War, fortunately, differs in another critically important way: It has thus far been largely nonviolent. But given increasing left-wing violence, such as riots, the taking over of college presidents’ offices and the illegal occupation of state capitols, nonviolence is not guaranteed to be a permanent characteristic of the Second Civil War.

There are those on both the left and right who call for American unity. But these calls are either naive or disingenuous. Unity was possible between the right and liberals, but not between the right and the left.

Liberalism — which was anti-left, pro-American and deeply committed to the Judeo-Christian foundations of America; and which regarded the melting pot as the American ideal, fought for free speech for its opponents, regarded Western civilization as the greatest moral and artistic human achievement and viewed the celebration of racial identity as racism — is now affirmed almost exclusively on the right and among a handful of people who don’t call themselves conservative.

The left, however, is opposed to every one of those core principles of liberalism.

Like the left in every other country, the left in America essentially sees America as a racist, xenophobic, colonialist, imperialist, warmongering, money-worshipping, moronically religious nation.

Just as in Western Europe, the left in America seeks to erase America’s Judeo-Christian foundations. The melting pot is regarded as nothing more than an anti-black, anti-Muslim, anti-Hispanic meme. The left suppresses free speech wherever possible for those who oppose it, labeling all non-left speech “hate speech.” To cite only one example, if you think Shakespeare is the greatest playwright or Bach is the greatest composer, you are a proponent of dead white European males and therefore racist.

Without any important value held in common, how can there be unity between left and non-left? Obviously, there cannot.

There will be unity only when the left vanquishes the right or the right vanquishes the left. Using the First Civil War analogy, American unity was achieved only after the South was vanquished and slavery was abolished.

How are those of us who oppose left-wing nihilism — there is no other word for an ideology that holds Western civilization and America’s core values in contempt — supposed to unite with “educators” who instruct elementary school teachers to cease calling their students “boys” and “girls” because that implies gender identity? With English departments that don’t require reading Shakespeare in order to receive a degree in English? With those who regard virtually every war America has fought as imperialist and immoral? With those who regard the free market as a form of oppression? With those who want the state to control as much of American life as possible? With those who repeatedly tell America and its black minority that the greatest problems afflicting black Americans are caused by white racism, “white privilege” and “systemic racism”? With those who think that the nuclear family ideal is inherently misogynistic and homophobic? With those who hold that Israel is the villain in the Middle East? With those who claim that the term “Islamic terrorist” is an expression of religious bigotry?

The third significant difference between the First and Second Civil Wars is that in the Second Civil war, one side has been doing nearly all the fighting. That is how it has been able to take over schools — from elementary schools, to high schools, to universities — and indoctrinate America’s young people; how it has taken over nearly all the news media; and how it has taken over entertainment media.

The conservative side has lost on every one of these fronts because it has rarely fought back with anything near the ferocity with which the left fights. Name a Republican politician who has run against the left as opposed to running solely against his or her Democratic opponent. And nearly all American conservatives, people who are proud of America and affirm its basic tenets, readily send their children to schools that indoctrinate their children against everything the parents hold precious. A mere handful protest when their child’s teacher ceases calling their son a boy or their daughter a girl, or makes “slave owner” the defining characteristic of the Founding Fathers.

With the defeat of the left in the last presidential election, the defeat of the left in two-thirds of the gubernatorial elections and the defeat of the left in a majority of House and Senate elections, this is likely the last chance liberals, conservatives and the right have to defeat the American left. But it will not happen until these groups understand that we are fighting for the survival of America no less than the Union troops were in the First Civil War.

[DeplorablePaul]

Yes. The right is militarily disorganized. Organizing online is dangerous.

That said, there are militias in each state that would attract recruits. The NRA could be a rallying point. There are historical organizations such as the Sons of the Confederacy. There are a large number of veterans who could lead. Federal and National Guard units would have divided loyalties. Kurt Schlicter has gamed these options very well.

The geographical nature of CW II is an interesting point. Where and how to fight?

I would expect red states to secede so external boundaries would be established. Home guards would need to suppress the internal leftest threat within each state. College campus’ could be neutralized with little threat of harming a friendly.

The big pictures is that the left is concentrated on islands that could be surrounded. Power, food and water could be cut off.

I always thought the Second Amendment would be the tripwire for CW II, but the causes of conflict are multiplying. The threat to election integrity is looming large. The GND and its threat to private property is a potential cause. Suspension of the Bill of rights under an national emergency decree is a possibility.

[Lee'sGhost]

I would argue that we are fighting the first civil war, but otherwise the point is valid.

[usconservative]

I would argue that we are fighting the first civil war, but otherwise the point is valid.

There's nothing "civil" about it and until Conservatives are willing to get in the fight and fight dirty with everything we have, we'll lose.

PDJT is showing the way, will Conservatives line up and follow? Unlikely at this point. We're two+ years into Trump's Presidency and it appears we're getting our butts handed to us.

FFS unify and learn to fight!

[wastoute]

War itself has undergone serious “paradigm shifts” that we have yet to resolve. The concept that won us the Cold War, “Qualitative Advantage” renders the population as a National Asset obsolete as a concept. Technology makes a human population a liability rather than an asset and renders the enemy population even more of a liability. So indiscriminate bombing of cities becomes accepted. It is against this context that we must apply our conjectures. When “Geography is always the reason Ideology is just the excuse” there is a complex interaction at play. I do believe it works out in “cities being death traps”. So there actually are some geographical fault lines.

[DuncanWaring]

About the CWII Ping List

The CWII Ping List is short for Civil War II. It is NOT a list of people advocating another Civil War in America. It is a list of people who are interested in the parallels between the Civil War (or War Between the States, if you prefer) and our current situation, or more generally are noting the references to a 'coming Civil War' that are made in the press.

Of course sometimes this is merely a figure of speech, such as "The Tea Parties are fighting a civil war for the heart of the GOP". This would not merit a CWII ping.

On the other hand someone saying something like "The events in California are reminiscent of what happened in Yugoslavia in the period proceeding the Civil War" would merit a ping.

FR rules do not permit advocating for the overthrow of the Republic, and I am not aware of anyone doing so on the list. Still many do see that as the political climate worsens we may be heading in a direction that makes such a conflict all but inevitable, particularly if other avenues for resolving our differences are taken away. Such as widespread vote fraud by leftists making elections meaningless, or a small cadre of judges over-ruling all attempts to end destructive policies over the clear will of the people.

The correct keyword tag for the Civil War II ping list is "CWII". Please Freep Mail me to get on the list

[bramps]

The story listed above this one is about 5 year olds being taught about trangerderism.

We recently had a Governor openly advocate for infanticide and states are beginning to welcome abortion right up until birth.

The war is the same that has gone on forever:

Good vs. evil.

I recall an important message I heard long ago why God was so harsh in the Old Testament. And basically the answer was that God wanted to be very clear that there are rules humans need to follow if we are to exist in harmony. Rules decided only by God. And there are grave consequences if we don't follow those rules. God has been largely extinguished in our society. And we are simply seeing the consequences.

I know it won't fly with many here but I think the best thing we can do in the fight today is to study the word of God and try to impart it with actions and words whenever possible. Most certainly in the voting booth.

[Brooklyn Attitude]

You can’t have a civil war when only one side is fighting. B*tching and complaining is NOT fighting. Watching from your couch as your opponents trample everything you stand for with the intent to destroy your nation is NOT fighting.

There will be NO Civil War II. I can’t even imagine what the left could do that would get a massive number of Normals to attend a demonstration, let alone actually physically resist.

[FES0844]

Sadly Obama has been successful in transforming America. I don’t recognize my country anymore. Beam me up Lord!

[jimjohn]

Gee, and I recall getting ripped for saying this over a years ago. See tagline.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

...and it is accelerating with the election of so many outright communists, socialists and islamists to Congress who have now brazenly dropped their masks.

The right has been complacent because it has failed to see this enemy for what it is. We have wanted to be left alone, go about our daily lives, go to our jobs, and keep pretending this is the America we loved and grew up in.

Can the right, the traditional Americans, awake in time and defeat this foe? How can it be defeated?

[Levy78]

Good assessment.

[Lurker]

Dear Mr. Prager,

See my tag line.

L

[Lurker]

“Bill Ayers’ wife, whom I proudly helped keep out of the Illinois bar“

Well done.

L

[ProtectOurFreedom]

My own daughter told me “Our generation cannot wait for your generation to die off.” That was the most shocking, most distressing, most hurtful thing a child could tell a parent. That exposed how much these evil institutions have snared her in spite of us raising her right.

[Lurker]

“The geographical nature of CW II is an interesting point. Where and how to fight?”

Where? Grocery stores, shopping malls, movie theaters, to name a few. These people have addresses. I’m just saying.

How? If you need a playbook you don’t belong in the game.

I’m not advocating it. Just stating what’s happened in any number of “dirty wars” in the last 50-60 years, that’s all.

L

[octex]

“Red Dawn” Wolverines...

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Excellent points.

Meanwhile, the left has hundreds or maybe thousands of loosely affiliated groups doing battle every day. David Horowitz does an excellent job of cataloging them at Discover the Networks.

[kabar]

Prager fails to mention the use of mass immigration as a primary weapon of the left to win this civil war. We have brought in 35 million legal permanent immigrants since 1990. This is the equivalent of the current population of Canada.

The Dems will become the permanent majority party within a decade if legal immigration continues at status quo levels.

[Vaquero]

Civil War? A Cold Civil War, yes. But the left takes potshots. They are allowed. We sit with hands tied.

I’m tired of this.

[kabar]

Bush 41 and 43 were liberals masquerading as conservatives.