on the prospect of civil war as the election nears

My stance hasn't changed from some years ago: if this election leads to a hot civil war, the side that's been quietly buying up all the guns and responsibly training with them will clean the clocks of the Other Side. If that Other Side really wants to see blood spilled (and it's been pushing for blood-spillage for years), it will get its wish: its own blood will be spilled, its own bodies will be dangled from lampposts, and civility won't return until all of the bad elements have been either slaughtered or chased far, far into the shadows. Any pretense of mercy will be absent. Is that what you want, Other Side?

Widespread and deep-going lack of consensus among the citizens of a country on matters of fundamental philosophical importance can lead to civil war. The USA is now in a state of mainly cold civil war, but things have been heating up and getting uglier by the day. This is undeniable by anyone who is keeping up with current events. We are headed for social collapse. Some will say we are accelerating toward it. I prefer an even ‘darker’ physics metaphor: we are jerking toward it. Collapse is not inevitable, and we should avoid defeatism; ill-understood forces, however, are at work. The election is three days away. This election may well be our last chance to slow the slide if not turn things around.

Whether we tumble into hot civil war is entirely up to the Other Side. Only a fool would think Our Side has been violent this entire time. "Mostly peaceful protests," my ass. I guarantee this: assuming there is a hot civil war, Our Side won't be shedding first blood.