Creedence Clearwater Revival had a 1969 hit with “Bad Moon Rising.” That song comes to mind as I read the news these days, hear rumors from family and friends, and watch the level of election season insanity rising like a thermometer in a flame. Here’s a short list of just the most recent fuel added to that fire, what the song calls “the voice of rage and ruin.”

Last week, following the lead of some other Democrats who equate Donald Trump with Adolf Hitler, Vice President Kamala Harris publicly called Trump “a fascist.” Her outlandish smear painted a target squarely on the back of her opponent. “Go ahead and take another shot” is her hidden message to the demented and the haters. “You’ll be saving the American Republic from becoming a dictatorship.”

A week earlier, during an interview with Tucker Carlson, political analyst Mark Halperin declared that if the Trump-Vance ticket wins the election, we’ll see “the greatest mental health crisis in the history of the country.” He elaborated while a stunned Carlson looked on: “I think tens of millions of people will question their connection to the nation, their connection to other human beings, their connection to their vision of what their future—for them and their children—could be like. And I think that it will require an enormous amount of access to mental health professionals.”

Moments later, Halperin added, “And I don’t think it will be kind of a passing thing that by the inauguration will be fine. I think it will be sustained and unprecedented and hideous. And I don’t think the country’s ready for it.”

Also in October, election officials in some battleground states like Arizona have said that the election count might up to two weeks. Besides the disdain and mockery these delays arouse in countries around the world, this buffoonery will raise questions about the legitimacy of the election, increase political tensions, and breed unrest – possibly violence.  

Meanwhile, on our southern border tens of thousands of illegal migrants are gathered, prepared to cross into the United States if Trump wins, but before he takes the oath of office. The possibility of a terrorist attack by foreign nationals on or around Election Day also remains a real concern.

Take these conditions, add in fiery political rhetoric and the Trump Derangement Syndrome bigotry of some deep state officials and journalists, and it’s little wonder that many Americans believe that we’re sitting on an election season tinderbox. At any moment, it seems, it could explode into chaos and violence.  

Now, suppose that happens? Suppose our country does suffer a cyber attack from a foreign power or a terrorist assault on our electrical grid? Suppose there is a major mental meltdown on the left, leading to riots permitted or even encouraged by certain politicians and bureaucrats? What can we do as individuals if these possibilities become reality?

Here I suggest we look to storm-battered Western North Carolina for some guidance.

The citizens of that region, among them some of my family members, friends, and former neighbors, were unprepared for the fury of Hurricane Helene. In large part, this lack of preparation derived from the storm itself, a once-in-a-millennial phenomenon that no one possibly could have predicted.

First, then, we can prepare our homes and our families. Whether for a hurricane or a breakdown of social order, we should always keep a stock of necessary supplies at hand. There are dozens of people and sources advising us about the steps we need to take in this preparation. “A Guide to Home Preparedness” provides just one example of these checklists.

Just as importantly, we must never depend on the assistance of the federal government, especially in the early stages of any disaster. Its bureaucrats and agencies excel at issuing regulations, but don’t count on them to protect you, your family, or your business.

In the mountains of North Carolina, it was the local citizenry, private charities, and volunteers from across the nation who stepped up after the disaster, saving lives and providing food, water, and shelter to all who needed these things. These people, many of them unsung heroes, have turned a disaster into a triumph of humanitarian goodness.

So, follow that example. If some catastrophe, manmade or otherwise, accompanies this election, be proactive in connecting with those around you, helping one another and coming together in the mutual defense of life and property. Bear in mind that while we daily hear that ours is a deeply divided country, the truth is that the most ordinary Americans share common concerns regarding the economy, the quality of their lives, and their future. Many of our so-called “divisions” are the creations of political creatures with an agenda and do not reflect reality. “Neighbors helping neighbors is the unofficial motto that has seen Western North Carolina through its darkest hour.

Let’s hope that civility will be the hallmark of this election and the inauguration in January. If not, let’s conduct ourselves whenever possible with the dignity and honor that should be the mark of any good citizen.