Civil War

Some fifty odd years ago, in the wake of the Civil Rights movement, some commentators predicated an eventual Civil War in the US between the white population, and the African-Americans. To me this never seemed very likely as, although the latter did indeed have many valid reasons for resenting the former, they knew that they would be hopelessly unnumbered, and instead opted for steady change, which, although not yet complete, has seen an African-American Barack Obama elected, and reelected, President, and the old Jim Crow days relegated to history.

It always seemed more possible that, given the structure of America, where the states, although subservient to the federal government, were also separate political entities, which could result, given sufficient provocation, in a renewed division similar to that of the 19th Century Civil War. In his famous peroration of the Gettysburg Address Abraham Lincoln concluded this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth, an ambition which was achieved, but perhaps not for ever.

There has been a massive influx of people from South America, coming from countries which, as proven by their continual descents into totalitarian, or failed states, do not possess the kind of understanding of democracy practised by the majority of the North American population. The result is that some states now have very large Hispanic communities (as a percentage of the population, New Mexico (49.20%), Texas (39.44%), California (39.09%), Arizona (31.51%), and Nevada (28.90%). Although they are not yet in a position to take control the demographics point to that happening in the next fifty years. Therefore one could envisage a potential breakup of the US in the future, but this is not imminent.

However what we have seen in the past ten years is a polarisation taking place, between the increasingly left wing so called intellectual class, particularly in the universities, and the traditional population of blue collar, working class Americans, shown in the move to the left of the Democrats, and a response of a move to the right of the Republicans, which has now become a threat to the stability of the whole polity, and which could perhaps lead to actual conflict.

This film is obviously reflecting the possibility of such a Civil War, although not defining just what is animating the two sides. It postulates a grouping called the Western Forces at war with the largely Eastern federal establishment, the current President being portrayed as the villain of the piece. It does not attempt to extrapolate from the current situation, in that, for instance, the Western element is said to include California and Texas, an alliance which, as anyone who knows the political reality would reject as risible. It also does not bring any existing personalities into the story, although one might regard the President as having a certain resemblance to Donald Trump.

It follows a small group of journalists trying to make their way to Washington across a nation torn by battle, and recounts their encounters with a number of the combatants. There is a viciousness about many they meet, who are quite happy to ignore any ideas of the rules of war, shooting dead unarmed opponents, including women, without compunction.

It is an interesting film which will make many think about the dystopian future which could threatens the US, and, in consequence, the entire Western world. Well worth seeing.