Is the talk of violence regarding the US midterm elections serious or are they just idle threats?

[southernhybrid]

https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvmpma/midterms-violence-rhetoric-politics

A dangerous narrative is brewing online, particularly in corners where “Big Lie” conspiracies about the 2020 election remain gospel. Those communities have seized on some recent polls forecasting GOP wins in the November midterms to assert that a “red wave” is all but inevitable. And some have made vague threats about “taking action”—including “taking up arms” if things don’t go their way.

There's nothing like this going on where I live, at least not so far. I've never heard of any threats in my area regarding the elections and the place where I voted on Tuesday certainly didn't have any armed security guards. The workers didn't seemed frighted and the day I voted, all of the workers were women. People cooperated with each other and nobody acted threatening, although they did find one fake ballot later in the day. That is being investigated. Do any of you live in districts where they are taking extreme precautions like some mentioned in the next quote. I don't know what to think at this point.

“A massive, absolutely overwhelming Truth Tsunami of Continental proportions that will wash away the stench of rot and corruption from the world,” another wrote. “Nothing can stop what is coming.”
This narrative is coupled with the presumption that the only way Democrats could win in hotly contested races or maintain control of the House and Senate is if they commit election fraud—baseless claims that are being amplified by influential MAGA figures. And the prospect of yet another election being “stolen” is fueling threats of violence from the right.
Extremism watchdogs have been warning about the potential for political violence in the coming weeks.

The Soufan Center also noted that election workers in some places are undergoing active-shooter training, and election offices are in the process of bolstering security, hiring guards, installing bulletproof and bomb-resistant glass. For example, an election office in Flagstaff, Arizona, has had a barricade of bulletproof glass installed, and anyone wishing to enter will have to ring a buzzer. The walls of an election office in Tallahassee, Florida, have been fortified with Kevlar, a material used in bulletproof vests. Other election offices are paying for armed security guards for the busiest weeks close to the election.

“A massive, absolutely overwhelming Truth Tsunami of Continental proportions that will wash away the stench of rot and corruption from the world,” another wrote. “Nothing can stop what is coming.”
This narrative is coupled with the presumption that the only way Democrats could win in hotly contested races or maintain control of the House and Senate is if they commit election fraud—baseless claims that are being amplified by influential MAGA figures. And the prospect of yet another election being “stolen” is fueling threats of violence from the right.
Extremism watchdogs have been warning about the potential for political violence in the coming weeks.

The Soufan Center also noted that election workers in some places are undergoing active-shooter training, and election offices are in the process of bolstering security, hiring guards, installing bulletproof and bomb-resistant glass. For example, an election office in Flagstaff, Arizona, has had a barricade of bulletproof glass installed, and anyone wishing to enter will have to ring a buzzer. The walls of an election office in Tallahassee, Florida, have been fortified with Kevlar, a material used in bulletproof vests. Other election offices are paying for armed security guards for the busiest weeks close to the election.


It’s not just online chatter on fringe sites that’s driving these fears. Influential right-wing figures with large platforms, like former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, are stoking the flames, telling their supporters that the stakes couldn’t be higher this midterms and that Democrats will do anything they can to steal the election. Bannon, on his War Room podcast, has described the upcoming election as the “most important midterm election since 1862” (which took place during the Civil War).
And guests on Bannon’s show are priming listeners to expect the election to be rigged.

 

[Gospel]

It seems democrats will destroy America has replaced Jesus will return. I think this is an improvement because if/when they choose, they can actually talk to a democrat.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

There are certainly those who are trying to stir up violence. How big they are I don't think we know. If nothing else, I'm sure Russia is trying.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Nothing is happening here. Nothing is ever happening here. Once in a while someone will check to make sure the clock is still ticking but that’s about it.
Oh, after I voted, I was asked if I wanted a sticker. I thought I heard someone say, “Only Democrats take stickers.” but I wasn’t sure so, still nothing.
I got a sticker though.

 

[Ford]

Here in AZ there's already reports of "poll watchers" following and taking pictures of voters who drop off their ballots at the drop boxes.

The FBI has identified us as one of the top states for threats against election officials and poll workers.

An Iowa man was arrested earlier this month for threatening to hang Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman.

Over the summer, a Massachusetts man was arrested for threatening to detonate a bomb in Secretary of State Katie Hobbs' "personal space."

Arizona is a state where open carry has long been legal, and it isn't unusual to see someone walking down the street with a pistol at their hip. I've seen people brandish guns while driving. It's nuts. I used to make it a point to vote in person for every election, but voted by mail last time due to the pandemic, and will be quietly putting my ballot in the mail box from here on out.

Well...at least until the nutjobs get elected and outlaw mail in voting.

 

[steve_bank]

Given t sophistication and organization revealed by the 1/6 committee by the perpetrators I'd say the threat is real. We have no idea what Trump is donig behind the scenes.

High profile politicians are still perpetuating the election lies.

Here in Wa a republican state candidate an election fraud supporer was sked if she would accept the election if she lost. What I heard was maybe yes maybe no.

Here in Seattle we went through a long period of violence from the left. A self acknowledged communist on our city coucl was out in the streets and let people into city hall at night. Unfortunately she is not in my district so I can't vote against her. In some ways she is a flip side of Trump. She anats to tear eveyting down.

It is not just the right.

I remember the 60s and 70s. I remember The Weathermen. Patty Hurst and the SLA.

A woman took shots at Ford in SF.

 

[TLK Valentine]

It seems democrats will destroy America has replaced Jesus will return. I think this is an improvement because if/when they choose, they can actually talk to a democrat.

The people saying "Democrats will destroy America" have no interest whatsoever in talking to a Democrat.

 

[steve_bank]

It seems democrats will destroy America has replaced Jesus will return. I think this is an improvement because if/when they choose, they can actually talk to a democrat.

The people saying "Democrats will destroy America" have no interest whatsoever in talking to a Democrat.

And the democrats' rhetoric is different how?

It is called polarization.

 

[TLK Valentine]

It seems democrats will destroy America has replaced Jesus will return. I think this is an improvement because if/when they choose, they can actually talk to a democrat.

The people saying "Democrats will destroy America" have no interest whatsoever in talking to a Democrat.

And the democrats' rhetoric is different how?

It is called polarization.

I've had good conversations with Republicans -- we never agree, but we see where we're coming from.

Talking to MAGA, however... I'm talking to a wall; they're trying to push my face through it.

 

[ZiprHead]

It seems democrats will destroy America has replaced Jesus will return. I think this is an improvement because if/when they choose, they can actually talk to a democrat.

The people saying "Democrats will destroy America" have no interest whatsoever in talking to a Democrat.

And the democrats' rhetoric is different how?

It is called polarization.

I just saw a commercial for my gubernatorial candidate Governor Whitmer saying she has worked with and signed 800 bipartisan bills during her tenure. Apparently in Michigan there isn't as much polarization as elsewhere.

 

[TLK Valentine]

It seems democrats will destroy America has replaced Jesus will return. I think this is an improvement because if/when they choose, they can actually talk to a democrat.

The people saying "Democrats will destroy America" have no interest whatsoever in talking to a Democrat.

And the democrats' rhetoric is different how?

It is called polarization.

I just saw a commercial for my gubernatorial candidate Governor Whitmer saying she has worked with and signed 800 bipartisan bills during her tenure. Apparently in Michigan there isn't as much polarization as elsewhere.

Isn't Whitmer the governor that some militia tried to kidnap and put on trial for some (real or imagined) crime?

 

[ZiprHead]

 

[Elixir]

Those “watchers” need people to photo them, follow them to their cars, look up their plates and dox the hell out of them.

 

[AdamWho]

Notice how these RW militia types only hang out in republican areas? That is because they are not actually protecting anything, they are just reinforcing their own narrative.

It is like people punching themselves in the face so they can complain about being punched in the face... it all comes from their religious victim-hood.

 

[steve_bank]

Notice how these RW militia types only hang out in republican areas? That is because they are not actually protecting anything, they are just reinforcing their own narrative.

It is like people punching themselves in the face so they can complain about being punched in the face... it all comes from their religious victim-hood.

Good observation. Militias are probably an identity and a way of thinking you are in control of your environment.

Whwn I was a kid putting on a Boy Scout uniform was a good feeling. Positive group identity that I did not get from my family sitution.

It is not hard to figure out the appeal of militias.

 

[bilby]

It seems democrats will destroy America has replaced Jesus will return. I think this is an improvement because if/when they choose, they can actually talk to a democrat.

The people saying "Democrats will destroy America" have no interest whatsoever in talking to a Democrat.

And the democrats' rhetoric is different how?

It is called polarization.

The Democrats say the Republicans will destroy America because they watched them try to do so on January 6.

The Republicans say the Democrats will destroy America because they are happy to lie in order to to scare people into voting for them.

That's not a small, unimportant, nor negligible difference.

And calling it 'polarisation', as though both sides were equally wrong to distrust the other, is playing into the hands of the GOP propagandists.

There's an extreme "polarisation" in the US, between the far-right crazies of the Republicans, and the centre-right moderates of the Democrats.

The Republicans are getting further and further from the Democrats, but it's not an equal contribution. They started out quite close together, and then one party went very rapidly rightwards, while screaming incoherently about "the lefties" who only moved a little bit to the right.

 

[ZiprHead]

Those “watchers” need people to photo them, follow them to their cars, look up their plates and dox the hell out of them.

 

[Elixir]

There's an extreme "polarisation" in the US

Yes there is, yet here in 'Murka we mostly all agree it's "polarization" with a z, regardless of which pole we're on.
Kumbaya!

 

[bilby]

There's an extreme "polarisation" in the US

Yes there is, yet here in 'Murka we mostly all agree it's "polarization" with a z, regardless of which pole we're on.
Kumbaya!

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

I have seen people react violently to losing elections. I remember seeing a few weeks in a row of active protest going on with people dressed in black burning and destroying things. Especially trash cans. What have those black clad protestors got against trash cans?