This election is reported to be close.  Razor close.

If Romney loses, will we see conservatives rioting in the streets?  Will Republicans burn cars and smash out windows?  No, that won’t happen.

But already Democrats are promising civil unrest and outright violence if Obama loses (apologies for the coarse language).

Of course there are nutballs in every large group, and I tend to dismiss them.  Still, predictions like the following by Bryan Fischer, spokesperson and Director of Issue Analysis for Government and Public Policy at the American Family Association, become more common by the day:

“I think there’s going to be unrest. I think there will be blood.”

And it is pretty common knowledge that it’s unwise to put a conservative bumper sticker or decal on a vehicle – there is a likelihood that the vehicle will get “keyed” (paint scratched) by an upset liberal.

“Townhall.com columnist and best-selling author, Katie Pavlich, took to Twitter to report on typical vicious intolerance from the Left. Her brother, a college student, put a Romney bumper sticker on his car. Unhinged libs then vandalized his car, keying it and ripping all stickers off of it. They also damaged and ripped off his license plate.” – via Twitchy.com

Even Obama supporters should beware the wrath of their fellow libs – this week vandals keyed “Obama” into the trunks and slashed seats on two cars parked near a home in Los Angeles with Romney signs in the yard.  It turns out the cars belonged to a young couple who are Obama volunteers and supporters.  Because  they are unemployed, they are staying with the wife’s parents, who happen to be conservatives.

At a Tea Party rally in Racine, Wisconsin, liberals dumped roofing nails throughout the parking lot.

Liberals even smeared feces on a Romney sign in Virginia.

I could still write all of this off as the work of a few isolated left-wing whacko nutballs.

But last night I had dinner with a very connected, well-traveled and knowledgeable national political leader (sorry, I won’t reveal the name for obvious reasons) who is genuinely and seriously worried.

“If Obama loses a close election, there will be riots in cities all across the country,” she said.  “I am certain of it.”  And she convincingly described the evidence she sees in her travels.

Now I’m starting to take this seriously.  I will never understand the motivations of these people.  Or how half the citizens in our once-great nation can continue to identify with them.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Hey! said my name is called disturbance
Ill shout and scream, I’ll kill the king, I’ll rail at all his servants
Well, what can a poor boy do
Except to sing for a rock n roll band
Cause in sleepy London town
There’s just no place for a street fighting man

Street Fighting Man – the Rolling Stones