This is interesting. I tend not to be paranoid. I really do expect that night of the First Tuesday in November will go smoothly. I even would not be surprised if we end up thanking McCain for a half-way decent concession speech.
But this story from "The Hill" (Washington DC) is disturbing.
Police prepare for unrest
Police departments in cities across the country are beefing up their ranks for Election Day, preparing for possible civil unrest and riots after the historic presidential contest.
Some worry that if Barack Obama loses and there is suspicion of foul play in the election, violence could ensue in cities with large black populations. Others based the need for enhanced patrols on past riots in urban areas (following professional sports events) and also on Internet rumors.
I would hope of course, that cities with large white population would also join in civil, nonviolent, unrest if indeed this election were clearly stolen.
Closer to my home, Oakland was mentioned.
In Oakland, the police will deploy extra units trained in riot control, as well as extra traffic police, and even put SWAT teams on standby.
Ain't that special. I have personal memories of the Oakland police, led by then Mayor Jerry Brown, engaged in a riot against unarmed, nonviolent demonstratorsagainst the war in 2003 at the Port of Oakland, using "less than lethal" (though potentially lethal when used improperly as they were on that day). I was held in jail for many hours with labor leaders and some of the wounded.
Shelton, the director of the NAACP’s Washington bureau, said inadequate voting facilities is a bigger problem in poor communities with large numbers of minorities.
"What are local election officials doing to prepare for what people think will be record turnout at the polls?" said Shelton, who added that during the 2004 election in Ohio voters in predominantly black communities had to wait in line six to eight hours to vote.
What are local officials doing? They are putting the SWAT team on standby. For some, ain't no problem that can't be solved easily with the use of the threat of violence.
We must do all we can to demand that local election officials are prepared for the Mother of all Election Turnouts, because if people are denied, in any way, shape or form, their right to vote, then that is a matter of violence against the community.
Again, i do not think we will see these things come to pass. The people most worried about "election night violence" are the rightists, who fantasize that McCain will defeat Obama (whose lead seems to be beyond even Republican shenanigans), and that African Americans will respond violently.
Instead, i expect election night in the US will be filled with a great many people who look forward to much needed change. Even some McCain voters will not be all that upset when Obama wins. It is more likely to be dancing in the streets, not violence in the streets. The end of this long national nightmare of the Bush administration will be very soon over.