President Clark and Trump Scorched America?

[Truth66]

First of all I want to say that I hope I do not offend anyone with this topic. I'm not an American, but I have seen what has been happening in the U.S. this year (2020).

I was watching the episode End Game of Babylon 5. As we know, when the game was essentially up for Clark, he turned Earth's Defence Grid onto Earth and left the message "Scorched Earth".

With things so volatile in the U.S., does anyone think that the same kind of mentality might happen after the current U.S. Election?

Such severe rioting could be triggered by either side's supporters. Worse case is that some comments could come from President Trump (if he loses) that could be viewed as a rallying cry for his hard core supporters. I'm really hoping that if President Trump in fact does lose the election that he doesn't send out Tweets indicating something like "Liberate America" and viewed as a rallying cry.

I hope I'm wrong, but I think the potential of severe violence might be there.

Any thoughts?

[Jan]

(Mod hat on)
Not offended and you make some good points. I'll simply ask anybody who cares to discuss this, to be respectful and as factual as possible. For the moment I'll leave this here but I may move it to Off Topic depending on how things go.

(Mod hat off)
Personally, I'm hoping that Trump is defeated in such numbers that there's simply no debating it. But we know that many of his followers will not care for that at all and I'd be very surprised if there weren't some pockets of violence. Hopefully they'll be few. Bringing the show into this, while it seemed Clark was popular for decreasing crime, there's no indication of any sort of cult following.

As for what Trump does if he loses and is forced to concede...I honestly don't know. What I do know is that officers have been given instructions about how and when to disobey an illegal order and I recently read that there are volunteer lawyers to help those lower down. There was no indication of that in the show since we never saw any JAG officers, only the ombuds. I do expect if he loses that Trump will do his very best to appoint judges and continue to dismantle many or our institutions. But I can't see him doing the 'scorched earth' thing or committing suicide.

If he wins...well, I'm not sure I can even think about that right now.

[Kraig]

I am pro-science and our current POTUS is anti-science. I am glad to be living in California, with less than 24% registered Republicans. There won't be any poll watchers here, our state is 100 percent vote by mail this election due to Covid 19. I am a permanent Absentee voter anyway. I got my ballot on Thursday afternoon 8 OCT, marked it, and drove 32km to the County Administration Building and deposited it in the ballot drop box in the lobby on the same day. Just my way of saying "Vlad / Don You're Fired!"

[Truth66]

Thanks Jan,

When you mentioned the crime issue, it really got my brain going (which is sometimes scary).

Much of the way Clark operates is mentioned in Severed Dreams. Clark spent time removing people who were against him and having them charged with Treason and putting his key people in place. Trump was routinely firing members of his inner circle who opposed him and those who were left essentially kept their mouths shut.

Trump regularly attacks the media who mentions things he disagrees with calling it “Fake News”. In Severed Dreams, Clark takes it to the extreme and aggressively takes over ISN.

Clark did have a partial cult following with Night Watch. Some other aspects of this cult is shown in the episode Ceremonies of Light and Dark with the radical group shown who were loyal to Clark and were against non-humans. One wanted to assinate Sheridan.

I think one of my favourite lines from End Game in Babylon 5 is when Sheridan describes Earth as “Falling into Darkness and Despair.” I think those words accurately describes what is going on in America right now.

[Looney]

I can't even think about how I am thinking what a nightmare the whole thing is going to be.

[Jan]

Thanks Jan,

When you mentioned the crime issue, it really got my brain going (which is sometimes scary).

Hey! I resemble that remark!

Much of the way Clark operates is mentioned in Severed Dreams. Clark spent time removing people who were against him and having them charged with Treason and putting his key people in place. Trump was routinely firing members of his inner circle who opposed him and those who were left essentially kept their mouths shut.

Indeed. Something he's been doing for years now. People go from favored child to disloyal loser in his mind so quickly it's frightening.

Trump regularly attacks the media who mentions things he disagrees with calling it “Fake News”. In Severed Dreams, Clark takes it to the extreme and aggressively takes over ISN.

As Trump's repeatedly threatened to rescind licenses for broadcasters he disagrees with.

Clark did have a partial cult following with Night Watch. Some other aspects of this cult is shown in the episode Ceremonies of Light and Dark with the radical group shown who were loyal to Clark and were against non-humans. One wanted to assinate Sheridan.

On that, I'm going to disagree somewhat. I think that Nightwatch was more idealistic in nature, Psi Corps and the megacorps were taking advantage of the situation. But we never saw anybody talking about Clark as a personality that I recall, did we? Now, Sheridan and Delenn both definitely had the cult of personality thing going for them. That's why Sebastian was sent.

I think one of my favourite lines from End Game in Babylon 5 is when Sheridan describes Earth as “Falling into Darkness and Despair.” I think those words accurately describes what is going on in America right now.

Been feeling that since Nov. 9, 2016, I'm afraid.

I can't even think about how I am thinking what a nightmare the whole thing is going to be.

Yeah, from Nov. 4 till Jan. 20 is going to be a VERY scary time, I'm afraid.

I am a permanent Absentee voter anyway. I got my ballot on Thursday afternoon 8 OCT, marked it, and drove 32km to the County Administration Building and deposited it in the ballot drop box in the lobby on the same day. Just my way of saying "Vlad / Don You're Fired!"

Hooray!!! Waiting for Monday to take mine to the Early Voting site near me. It's been filled out for days!

[Kraig]

If things go the way I'm thinking they are going, and as soon as our President sees the writing on the wall, and sometime before inauguration day. I wouldn't put it past Cheeto in chief to get all the cash he can gather, load it onto his private Trump jet and fly to Москва, Россуя and request asylum. Following the playbook of the former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych (Ві́ктор Януко́вич). I think at the very least there is a sealed indictment with his name on it in both New York State and New York Federal Courts.

[Truth66]

After the storming of Capital Hill on January 6, 2021 in Washington, I couldn't help but think of all Americans and how this thread was initially started.

I, like so many others were hoping that Trump would not insight some kind of riot. The images coming out Washington shocked many around the world. Trump's actions are reminding me more and more of President Clarke. Both have the mentality that they will never go down without a fight.

I believe it was yesterday that one of the concerns is Trump's access to the military and Nuclear codes. Trump's anger is also growing since his Twitter account was banned.

For anyone who reads this post, I want them to know that my thoughts and prayers go out to all Americans (eventhough I'm not American). The only ones who can truly make America great again are everyday Americans.

Do not let America be drawn into Darkness and Despair like Earth was during President Clarke's reign. Let America be that shining beacon of light once again.

[Satai with Punsch]

That was indeed horrible to watch. When the rest of the western world is watching in horror and even the Germans feel it is time to say, hey this seems all too familiar, things have gone very wrong. I'd say it is my online contacts that let me know there is still hope for the US.

And as we all know that JMS knows how this kind of politics work and portray them very accurately in B5.