A second American Civil War?

The first American Civil War (1861-65) was on the issue of slavery as the southern states were against the policy of American president Abraham Lincoln who with the support of northern states had ordered the disbanding of slavery. The Civil War led to 750,000 casualties and the southern states that favoured slavery were defeated. Yet, African Americans, who were called negroes, remained without basic rights till the time the civil rights movement led by Dr Martin Luther King Jr compelled the American Congress to repeal apartheid like laws and grant equal rights to the black and coloured population of the US in 1965.

Fifty-five years after the granting of civil rights like the right to vote and an end of segregation on racial basis, America is still as racist as it was before. The brutal killing of Black American George Floyd by four police officers in Minneapolis on May 25 triggered widespread protests and demonstrations against the age-old racially motivated killings of Black Americans by white police officials. While videos and images of Floyd’s lynching went viral, US President Donald Trump instead of condemning such a brutal act of racism began to criticise those who were protesting against the ruthlessness of police officials responsible for the murder of Floyd.

It’s not the first time that innocent Black Americans have become a victim of white police officials. But this incident is different because the Trump administration tried to downplay the lynching and threatened to shoot demonstrators who were expressing their anger against white policemen. Trump ordered mobilising the white-dominated American military to quell disturbances which had spread to several states.

Floyd’s death occurred because he couldn’t breathe as the police officer held him down by his knee for more than 8 minutes and 48 seconds. The other three officers present disregarded Floyd’s pleas too. Two days later, there were no arrests and only when the situation got out of control, police officer Derek Chauvin was arrested on charges of third-degree murder. His other three colleagues were still at large till the time they were fired from their services.

Is America experiencing the second Civil War and why is the US called the epicentre of racism? What is the role of President Trump and other white supremacists in adding fuel to fire after Floyd’s brutal murder? Black Americans make up 13% of US population but even after 400 years when their ancestors were brought as slaves by European colonisers to America, they still experience high degree of racism. Barack Obama who was the first Black American president from 2009-16 was never acceptable to a segment of white population who openly expressed their prejudices and hatred against the race which they called lazy, unintelligent and involved in crimes.

There is a history of white police brutalities against blacks. For instance, in 2014, Eric Garner, who died after being placed in a police chokehold in New York, uttered words similar to Floyd: “I can’t breathe.” The same year there were protests in Ferguson, where riots occurred for almost two weeks after Michael Brown was shot and killed by a police officer. In December 2017, a white police officer was sentenced for shooting an unarmed black man. Hundreds of such acts exploded in popular rage when Floyd was lynched.

The second American Civil War may be a reality because on the one hand there are those who are victims of racism, particularly blacks, and on the other there are white nationalists/supremacists who want to cleanse the US from black and coloured people. They have found Donald Trump as their supporter who shared their agenda to restore the ‘white Christian glory’ of America. The second American Civil War may become a reality because of two reasons. First, the surge of white racism motivated and galvanised by President Trump is now a reality. Trump’s loose talk against protesters — calling them bad people and letting loose “vicious dogs” against them if they dare protest at the White House — added fuel to the fire.

Reports about the mobilisation of armed white racist groups getting a boost from the President will further give impetus to racial inferno in the US. Already reeling from the coronavirus pandemic that has resulted in losses of trillions of dollars and severe unemployment, the ongoing racial violence in America will be enough to destabilise the superpower. And Trump is not alone in propagating racial prejudices and promoting white nationalism. He reflects a mindset in America today which wants to re-introduce white supremacy by eliminating immigration from non-white countries and making the lives of black and coloured people miserable. Second, if white nationalists/supremacists are armed and get state protection, it will compel the non-white population to respond accordingly. Trump administration and his white racist Republican Party officials have made sure that racist elements are inducted in the police, national guard, bureaucracy and other pillars of state so they can quell any future assertion from people of colour.

One cannot ignore an analogy between the racist and chauvinistic mindset of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi representing his ultra-right Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with Shiv Sena and President Trump. Both Modi and Trump believe in the persecution of minorities. Both possess a dictatorial mindset. If the Modi regime has inundated his country’s police, judiciary, bureaucracy and military with Hindu nationalists, Trump also follows the policy of patronising white racists in positions of power. As a result, both democracies are facing a civil war like situation and are vulnerable to anarchy. But, the situation in the US may worsen because unlike India’s Muslim minority which is unable to assert its position, African Americans could give a tough time to Trump and his racist supporters. Since presidential elections are only five months away, Trump will use all options to get the support of the white population by instigating racial hatred.

Like Modi, Trump is also politicising state organs, particularly the military, state governors and bureaucracy. The way Trump threatened to use the military against the protestors shows he wants to use it for his political motives. If blacks are enraged because of white police brutalities, white racist groups like the Ku Klux Clan are confident that with the support of the Trump administration and state institutions, they can suppress the black and coloured population. But this is 2020 and not 1861 or 1965. The white racist groups are a minority. A large segment of the white population is against racism and considers it a disaster for the unity of their country and several white police officers joined protestors to express their solidarity to Floyd and condemned the lynching.

The second American Civil War is inevitable unless the American people get rid of President Trump and his likeminded people who have crossed all limits of patronising white racist groups. America doesn’t need the coronavirus or China to weaken its power. Trump and his white supremacists are enough to destroy America from within. It is strange that the US which excels in technology, research and development has been unable to sort out its racial menace which is no doubt a bane of its society.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2020.

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