Polarized America, Brink of Violence?

The world waits with bated breath as citizens of the U.S. decide between two controversial political candidates. On a recent vacation to Costa Rica, I entered a tiny grocery store and was asked point blank by the cashier, “You are from the States, right?” “Yes,” I replied. “Do you think there will be a war in the U.S. after the election?” “I don’t know, but it’s certainly possible I guess,” was my response. None of us know what will happen, but we have all heard the speculations. . .

Protests? Riots? Revolution? In these final days before the election, fingers are crossed everywhere in hopes that the results don’t result in widespread violence or war, but the atmosphere is ripe for just such a thing. A riot is defined as a violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd. Most people think of riots as something that mostly went away after the 1960’s, but the U.S. has seen a surprising rise in riots lately with the racial tension over shootings involving the police and African Americans. Just to name a few; New York, Chicago, Milwaukee, Baton Rouge, Charlotte and Anaheim have all seen riots in the last year. Riots usually involve the setting of fires, random shootings and the destruction of vehicles and buildings.

Preparing your business, government agency, campus or community for the aftermath of the election involves being able to alert people quickly and inform them when to take shelter or vacate the premises, while also being able to connect and communicate with the employees that can continue operations from a safe distance.

In these tense political times, it’s a good idea to be prepared for anything! Regroup offers just the kind of mass communication tools everyone needs to protect their communities, businesses, campuses and other institutions from whatever chaos may arise from our extremely polarized nation.

How do you prepare for a riot? Do you rely on state or local government organizations or business leaders to find out what to do, or do you handle it on your own? See how Regroup can help: Request a Demo