Three Things

[Content Note: Racism; white supremacy; arson; intimidation.]

Three things I read nearly back-to-back this morning:

1. Greg Sargent in the Washington Post: "Here's the Election Day Nightmare Scenario That Should Terrify You."

But plainly, the race is tightening, and it's increasingly possible we'll see a very close finish. Which means that it's time to start pondering an Election Day nightmare scenario that is made up of two parts. First, the tight finish produces an outcome that is contested well beyond Election Day, with Trump (should he lose) claiming the results are rigged. Second, Trump supplements his claim about the rigged outcome by continuing to point to the FBI's latest discovery of emails as proof of an ongoing cover-up of Hillary Clinton's criminality.

This morning, election rules expert Michael McDonald argues in USA Today that if the outcome is close, the election could very well "go into overtime," adding that "in this environment," this could "rip this country apart."

2. Ben Schreckinger in Politico: "White Nationalists Plot Election Day Show of Force."

Neo-Nazi leader Andrew Anglin plans to muster thousands of poll-watchers across all 50 states. His partners at the alt-right website "the Right Stuff" are touting plans to set up hidden cameras at polling places in Philadelphia and hand out liquor and marijuana in the city's "ghetto" on Election Day to induce residents to stay home. The National Socialist Movement, various factions of the Ku Klux Klan and the white nationalist American Freedom Party all are deploying members to watch polls, either "informally" or, they say, through the Trump campaign.

The Oath Keepers, a group of former law enforcement and military members that often shows up in public heavily armed, is advising members to go undercover and conduct "intelligence-gathering" at polling places, and Donald Trump ally Roger Stone is organizing his own exit polling, aiming to monitor thousands of precincts across the country.

Energized by Trump's candidacy and alarmed by his warnings of a "rigged election," white nationalist, alt-right and militia movement groups are planning to come out in full force on Tuesday, creating the potential for conflict at the close of an already turbulent campaign season.

"The possibility of violence on or around Election Day is very real," said Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center. "Donald Trump has been telling his supporters for weeks and weeks and weeks now that they are about to have the election stolen from them by evil forces on behalf of the elites."

3. Morgan Howard at MS News Now: "Greenville Church Burned; Spray Painted 'Vote Trump'."

Tuesday night sometime after 11 p.m. authorities responded to a call about a church burning.

Local Black church Hopewell M.B. Church was not only burned but also vandalized with the words "Vote Trump" spray painted on the side of the building.

I'm extremely worried about this election. I'm very worried about the safety of marginalized people during and after this election. I'm worried for Hillary Clinton's safety. I'm worried about the future of this nation. I wish that were hyperbole.