Editorial Page Editor Adam Van Brimmer blogs on local topics of interest most weekday mornings in the "Savannahs Town Square" Facebook group. The following is an excerpt from one of those posts.

Talking Point: Thankful election hasn't produced violence in the streets

Perhaps my greatest fear about the Nov. 3 election was the risk of a violent aftermath.

Somebody was going to lose, and both parties have fanatical wings. What's more, one candidate was all but egging on his rabble-rouser supporters ("stand back and stand by") while the other appeared to lack the influence to suppress the far left.

Thankfully, we've seen little violence in America's streets since Election Day. The Million MAGA March in Washington, D.C., led by President Donald Trump's supporters, was largely peaceful, although there were some skirmishes once night fell. And it is unclear whether it was the protesters or the counterprotesters who initiated the clashes.

What's interesting now is the public opinion. In a pair of conversations with Republican voters over the weekend, I was told the absence of violence was evidence that the fears of right-wing rampages were a media creation. Also, the consensus was that if President Trump had won, we would have seen riots and more from the liberal militants. They cited supporters of Antifa and Black Lives Matter.

We'll never know if the liberals would have risen up as described, although we can look to numerous peaceful anti-Trump marches staged over the last four years and think that we wouldn't be on the brink of a civil war. Yet those demonstrations were pre-George Floyd, and President Trump's rhetoric over the last several months has sharpened the edge.

Had Trump beaten Biden, the frustration might have boiled over.

Regardless, let's hope the fallout continues to be low key. Tensions will remain high at least through the Jan. 20 inauguration. President Trump continues to protest the election but has not (yet) moved to incite violence, which is good. And President-elect Biden has found the right tone for dealing with a difficult situation.

Let's hope both candidates -- and their more passionate supporters -- continue to suppress their darker instincts.

Read the blog posts and engage in the conversation by searching for "Savannahs Town Square" on Facebook and clicking the "join" button.

See original here:

Savannahs Town Square: Election results and the absence of violence - Savannah Morning News