The “Cold Civil War” In America Deepens, Widens-Support The Pro Football Players (And Now Other Athletes) Protest-Build The Resistance  

By Political Commentator Frank Jackman

As I have noted on a number of occasions, many more time lately, over the past decade that I have been associated with this blog all the ingredients for a classic civil have been brewing in this country, in America. The social tinder created by the very unequal class-war that the rich and very rich have been winning for the past few decades has reached its symbolic fruition in the personage of one Donald J. Trump, POTUS  in tweet speak. The widening gap between rich and poor the most obvious manifestation of that brewing conflict has now been joined by other events like Charlottesville where an armed right-wing demonstration expressed for all who cared to notice that the cold civil war has begun to get hot. Now we are witnessing protests of a very different sort from an unexpected quarter. Usually in the past when dealing with professional athletics it was question of supporting a job action, a strike or protesting a lock-out but today I am defending the right to free expression-and welcoming other potential allies to the growing resistance.   

A look at history, a look at American history from the 19^th century the last time this country had a civil shows that beyond the main political disputes (over slavery and its extension or abolition) that lines were being drawn on all sorts of other segments of the population which further divided the two sides. For example, the split between various mainly Protestant religious organizations between Northern and Southern brethren. And drew in parties, like musicians, one would not expect to see take a side or get involved.    

That is the import of the recent wave of protest actions (and reactions by one Donald J. Trump, POTUS in tweet speak, and his dwindling crowd of supporters) by of all people a lot of professional football players (and as I write other athletes in other sports are making moves into the protest arena. Now that football has clearly replaced baseball of the epitome of “American as apple pie” it is almost shocking that this segment of society would rear up and take a stand.  Great. Every serious person needs to support these intrepid protesters. That is the ABCs of knowing which side you are on when the deal goes down. Support and defend the righteous players.    

More later as the repercussions of this struggle play themselves out.

I will finish with an ominous observation. Right now the 15th POTUS (in tweet speak), one James Buchanan, has been holding down the fort at the bottom of the dung heap of American President (although my candidate was, and is, Millard Fillmore for the heap). He can now begin to rest easy in his grave as one Donald J. Trump stumbles down to take his place (hopefully not taking the rest of us down with him which is not as unlikely as it sounds). The ominous observation? James Buchanan was the last POTUS before the Civil War and one who did a fair amount of work helping push that conflict front and center. Enough said.