On April 12th, 1861, the South Carolina Militia fired from shore on the Union (United States) garrison at Fort Sumter in Charleston Bay. These were, both sides agreed, the first shots of the Civil War. The bombardment continued all day, watched by many civilians. The fort had been cut off from its supply line and surrendered the next day. Thus began one of the ugliest, bloodiest wars to date. In the end, 620,000 people died in a fight to preserve a government of the people, by the people, and for the people to see that it was not wiped off the face of the earth.

If there is any lesson in American history to be learned from any part of this country’s past, it is that slavery is the nation’s original sin, the Civil War – its penance, and that no circumstances should ever arise where we’re violently fighting each other within our borders.

Yet, Mike Flynn, a former Three Star General (!) has gone insane enough to hit the “talk rally” circuit – this time in favor of electing Arizona’s Republican Election Denier candidate for secretary of state, Mark Finchem, and Flynn says that a governor can declare war and that we’re probably going to see that!

The natural question is, “Declare war upon whom?” Because technically, all of these people, state governors or municipal clerks, swear to uphold the Constitution and the laws, and it is definitely unconstitutional for a governor to declare war on another state or the federal government. Is DeSantis going to declare war on the State of New York because it dared to sue a Floridian resident? Is DeSantis going to order the Florida National Guard to bomb the Justice Department because it’s unfairly persecuting “the president,” as they like to call him?  If Kari Lake wins in Arizona, is she going to immediately declare war on blue New Mexico to establish a blood red line against Mexico from the California border to Texas?

Imagine a world where MAGA pols have plainly insane ideas and yet continually reemphasize, “but change must come peacefully through the vote… ” Is it imaginable? No. Not as we’ve seen from these people and heard from these people. Is Flynn right? Are we likely going to see a governor declare war soon? Good luck. Life will get awfully difficult having the net shut down in your state and cell service blocked; the Federal government need not even fire a shot, just lay siege around the state. The “war” would be over in a week.

But the more they say sh*t like this, the more the “militia’s” will fight asymmetric warfare, perhaps blowing up a building, or some other target, then retreating. It becomes a self-fulling prediction.

Here is Flynn. Yes, he is insane. No, that doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant.

At a campaign event for AZ Sect of State candidate Mark Finchem, Michael Flynn says 90% of Fed agencies should be disbanded, and “States rights! Did you know that a Governor can declare war? And we’re going to probably see that.” pic.twitter.com/0fPrhqEN0v

— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) September 29, 2022

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[email protected], @JasonMiciak, with Nicole Hickman