<em>Illustration by Ellie Kennicott</em>
Citizens of the United States are currently preparing for the worst as election results continue coming in; gun stores are reporting record sales and grocery stores are once again selling out of flour, sugar and toilet paper. Over the cries of riots, protests and income inequality, whispers of mass civil unrest have burrowed into our consciousness, with some even whispering about civil war. As divisiveness between right and left-wing Americans grows stronger, deadly encounters between opposite ideologies are becoming more frequent. The victory of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has initiated unrest in many cities including Seattle and Philadelphia, and while civil war is improbable, America is, if anything, surprising.
Biden’s win was accompanied by uproar from far-right extremists like the Three Percenters and the Proud Boys which have been emboldened by statements made by President Donald Trump telling his supporters to “stand by.” It seems as though this statement has led the extremist groups to believe the president wants them to counter Biden’s win with retaliatory action. Events held by alt-right groups are infamous for initiating physical violence, such as Manhattan in 2018; Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes held a rally where several anti-fascists were attacked. While many leftists and liberals have voiced grievances with Biden’s policies, they have voiced stronger criticism of neo-fascists like the Proud Boys. Protests against Biden’s election in Sacramento and Salem became violent with reports of assault but no severe injury.
Civil unrest in Portland is largely contained within the downtown area. Civil unrest typically occurs in areas with structural benefits like bridges, freeways and tall street signs. Terrain is just as critical to facilitating unrest as access to symbolic government buildings, statues and museums. If a protest or organization can successfully shut down access to government buildings, more press coverage is given to their message. Large cities also tend to house liberal-leaning populations. Urban-rural divides as well as clashes with law enforcement energize demonstrations. Thus, unrest is not likely to spread into the Palatine Hill area.
There is another way in which civil unrest might manifest itself: cyberwarfare. Cyberwarfare is becoming a far more relevant threat in the 21st century. As the hacktivist group Anonymous demonstrated in June, online activists have a real ability to inspire change. Anonymous allegedly released information regarding President Trump’s involvement in Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking ring of minors. What happened in June could happen again. Whether it takes the form of leaked information, destruction of data or collapse of infrastructure, our country should consider the possibility of such an event, something we are ill-prepared to handle. Supporters of President Trump have claimed such cyber attacks have already interfered with the election, despite no outstanding evidence.
LC students are used to demonstrations in Portland but should remain cautious until the election is finalized. If you rely on entering the city center for medications or other reasons, do so safely. Any LC students living downtown may want to create an action plan if violence breaks out. As a college, we must collectively prepare to fight against human rights violations and discrimination.
This article presents opinions held by the author, not those of The Pioneer Log and its editorial board.
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