Sepa-ra-cism: Crevasses of Divided Nation

By Dr. Clarence Riggins

These views continue my first book, or one could even say the next volume on social issues would be appropriate. So, this is my lens of what drives many social problems today. Through my lens, I see many faucets dividing and separating people in our nation. The author draws from personal experience, researching social events and other scholars b

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blackstone Print and Media
• Release date: Nov 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9781960753809

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sepa-ra-cism: crevasses of divided nation

Dr. Clarence Riggins

Copyright © 2023 by Dr. Clarence Riggins.

ISBN 978-1-960753-77-9 (softcover)

ISBN 978-1-960753-78-6 (ebook)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Printed in the United States of America.

Contents

Preface 4

Introduction 7

Chapter One: Capitalism 11

Chapter Two: Government 25

Chapter 3: LGBTQAI2S+ (IDENTITIES) 45

Chapter 4: Movements 68

Chapter 5: Schools, Colleges, and Universities 85

Chapter 6: Social Communications 102

Chapter 7: Possessions (Cars, Clothing, and Jewelry) 115

Chapter 8: Fraternities, Sororities, and Social Clubs 127

Chapter 9: Sports 140

Chapter 10: Crime 154

Closing 171

Acknowledgments 173

About the Author 175

References 177

Dedication 185

Preface

I believe in We the People inclusive that all people have the right and privilege to express their voices about the social issues facing humanity in our nation. Expressing social issues is said in the context of having far-right or far-left views; this is a constitutional right. Author Dr. Clarence Riggins’ previous book Seen or Unseen: What Is Your Choice? explored many issues facing people of color in America and was designed to provoke thoughts of all races. Has the populist become too tolerant that what happens in our nation is the norm? Can we validate that a choice few-rich, affluent, and modern leftists/rightists engage the social directions through their lens? Maybe readers will see much of the text as seen or unseen and may be able to relate this information to their societal experiences.

These views continue my first book, or one could even say the next volume on social issues would be appropriate. So, this is my lens of what drives many social problems today. Through my lens, I see many faucets dividing and separating people in our nation. The author draws from personal experience, researching social events and other scholars by statue, experience, and education. My purpose is to deconstruct and present issues from the typical unique approach. Sometimes I believe the vote is too far to engage in crime, civility, governmental behaviors, family destruction, and other social issues. Like you and I, citizens of all races and national origins must demand prevalence in social oversight along with our nation’s wealthy, affluent, and leaders.

My undergraduate degree is in Social Science. I am interested in exploring what triggers many social issues in contemporary society. Inclusiveness is a word used by all races and ethnic groups, but divisions remain throughout organizations, cultures, and communities as we exercise the freedoms granted through the Constitution. What a platform to use, social science touches upon how individuals behave within society. Topics include African American studies, demography, economics, gender and women’s studies, political economy, science, and psychology, to name a few. I am a researcher by default of my educational background, and my platform continues to address social issues affecting society.

Approach

I believe many of the great thoughts of the people go unnoticed, and this should be acknowledged and reversed. My approach is through the lens of social science. Social science examines the relationships between individuals and societies and the development and operation of communities, organizations, and institutions. The concepts of social science are seen and broadcasted through social media constantly. Why write? So much information related to societal behaviors affects our everyday lives. Capitalism, government, homosexualism, movements, social communications, sports, and crime are just some items that contribute to societal behaviors. Let the ordinary citizen interact in the decisions and guidance that affect the populist without the construct of the vote. As a scholar, several day-to-day actions and behaviors systematically separate people into different groups, classifications, and statuses. My approach is to deconstruct and present these actions in ten book chapters. Once again, I want to clarify that I am against discrimination in any form or fashion against any person. I am not in contravention with anyone, and these are my thoughts, beliefs, and personal expressions granted to me in the Constitution of the United States of America. In making this clear, this does not mean that there cannot be debates, disagreements, arguments, contradictions, and challenges. Many—an astronomical number—may share many of the sentiments in my writing. I believe too many actions, changes, decisions, and amendments are forced upon citizens. Still, when disputed, the reactions are labeled as discrimination, hate crimes, homophobic, xenophobic, racism, targeted, and triggering. I saw an ad as I was writing my approach. I cannot remember if the ad was on television or whether it was on the internet. This ad showed a woman of color and a Caucasian woman (I believe) seemingly about to kiss, and the words spoken were, other people can fall in love without being a white man and a white woman. It was something to that effect, and I cannot understand what the value add was other than a form of societal separation, race attack, and heterosexual attack. If we are moving the lever to inclusion, a more inclusive comment would have been anyone can fall in love with whomever they choose.

There is much rhetoric about discrimination and racism, but we continue to advocate means and groups that separate us into our desired or undesired groups and classifications. The word fragmentation seems critical to a nation of democratic freedom and from interpreted rights guaranteed in the United States Constitution. We agree that all men are created equal, and our country is a more perfect union. Sepa-ra-cism is a word I use to describe the ten factors chosen as chapters that result in divisiveness today. Society members have an array of choices to decide. Which stand will you take and allow the opposite beliefs to exist? Please take your time, enjoy reading, and digest the careful and precise choices that contribute to the division of a more perfect union.

Introduction

Readers and researchers have information at their beacon call. Artificial intelligence has broken barriers and may be difficult to distinguish from what is real. From my perspective, our country is in a social crisis, a great divide, fragmented, and a democratic freefall. Our country’s social conflict falls into my belief of sepa-ra-cism. Sepa-ra-cism is a social divide caused by thoughts, agendas, attitudes, actions, movements, and fear. It is befitting of an author such as myself to write on contemporary issues facing societies in day-to-day occurrences. Much information is written and published by senators, representatives, high-ranking governmental officials, high-profile media gurus, wealthy professionals, TV stars, and big tech giants. In making the previous statement, it is a fact that the underrepresented and the little guy should share in the American piece of the pie. I desire to be the typical man communicator to readers and the masses. Social events are hot, and there are many facets for readers and viewers to select a mode of receiving the information they desire. We have no true pure Republicans and Democrats representatives as our governmental officials. This thought derives from the choices I used during election times. I am not fully committed to Democrats or Republicans. I voted for the candidates that closely met my political needs. So in saying this, I am a political party splitter. I call the splitting parties Repucratic and Demolican. Would you say that the parties are divisive? Charts, pictures, and illustrations enhance the author’s points of view. Readers should be able to follow the schemes that emerge in the book and understand that a person who can relate to you can present events in our societies in plain text. Can a star or politician connect to defunding the police if security personnel continually protect their lives?

So why does the author believe writing non-fiction information about a social construct called sepa-ra-cism is necessary? First, it is a disservice to the voters and constituents to witness the behavior between the Democratic and Republican parties. One may ask, why would the ordinary citizen adhere to civility when our governmental leaders do not? Our freedom of speech, religious rights, and the right to bear arms are under severe scrutiny and political attack. Crime is rampant in our society, but our executive leaders say the Constitution of the United States guarantees us liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Can you think of anything more divisive than such foolish and ignorant words? Would you ever believe that misgendering a person has more consequences than a criminal robbing and stealing? Does any other word in the constitution matter without having life? Since when have protests been peaceful have opened up the right to kill, confiscate possessions, lout, burn, defund the police, and in other words, create a nonperfect union. Our melting pot is anything but a melting pot. We are a fragmented nation.

Fragmentation derives from democracy, government, movements, flags, and capitalism. As I researched information for this book, it was pretty evident that our nation has backslid on its democratic foundation. I hope readers will realize my points of interest as a wake-up call. Rich Americans and big tech companies use their wealth and power to influence political agendas.

The United States is a flawed democratic nation, and other nations such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and France have succeeded our nation as full-democracy countries. So, I believe the chapters in this book are necessary for all readers to understand how divisiveness is driven in our society. Some are fragrant, while others are subtle but reasonably necessary. I am interested in exploring what triggers many social issues in contemporary society.

Families purchase basketball goals for their children. It often begins as a family playing occasionally, and maybe a neighbor or two may get in the game for a day or two. Later, you come through, and it seems the whole neighborhood of children is playing at this house. The goal may be in the driveway initially, but the basketball goal is often placed next to the street to accommodate the over-flux. So it is on now. Children are coming to play basketball, driving cars from neighborhoods far away in the city. As a neighbor, you may look at the occurrence and wonder why the parents cannot see how this affects the area. Basketball is a low-level event that exemplifies what others do and commits to, resulting in community division. Would this cause a neighbor or just homeowners in the neighborhood to flee? Flight is a form of sepa-ra-cism. A basketball goal is simple, but what if the community was infested with a crime? Crime is a deeper reason than a basket goal, but both could be serious depending upon the person and your values.

Ten chapters are listed in the book for readers to unpack. Another serious cause for divisiveness is capitalism. When did you last hang out with your billion-dollar friends, your favorite movie star, a professional athlete, or your congressperson? Better yet, have you ever known a movement to become rich from deaths, protests, looting, and confiscation? I’m not too fond of the word racism in contemporary times, but the times of slavery and share-cropping written laws separated blacks from purposely interacting with whites. An array of causes ripples a more perfect union in our society. We have progressive and conservative lawmakers, news media support of a specific party, forcing pronouns and alphabet language on those who did not ask for it, associations with fraternities and sororities, crime upticks seemingly as reparation payment and guilt, and flags for movements flying higher than state and national flags. So, readers, there is no set order of the chapter topics, but as you read the book, rate the issues from extreme to subtle.

In our society, many triggers may have us at odds, divide us, and force us to take sides. We witness how our political leaders take advantage of the fruits of capitalism by trading stocks from information not available to the average citizen like you and me. Would it be a nice present if you could make millions on dumping stocks before the Covid-19 pandemic hit? Information in the book references the spoils of our political leaders and how capitalism is exploited because of behavior and political action committees. A trigger for me is how a group can riot, burn property, destroy property, loot stores, and yet advocate the demise of the nuclear family while collecting millions of dollars. To further explain how divisive this trigger is, blacks kill blacks with no significant emphasis, but from the hands of a white police officer brings unchartered third-world violence to our cities. Once again, capitalism raises its head because only then is when the cash cow effect becomes prevalent.

Any murders at the hands of citizens should spark outrage with equal emphasis—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Events in society are a particular interest of mine as an author. Readers, please understand that everyone has a story to tell. I have a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a doctorate in organizational leadership. This topic is a particular interest of mine, may spark your claim, and hopefully has a fit in society to promote attention to the causes of a fragmented society. I intend to connect with people meaningfully with topics I meticulously choose. As with my previous book, these are national occurrences combined with personal experiences. Please further understand that there is a cry for help in our society, and there is a reality to controlling life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To all citizens, our nation is changing events, and causes I consider sepa-ra-cism are emerging daily as our views are sided and challenged. I share various experiences which are hoped to be very educational and exciting to all readers. Our political leaders are aware that the issues are real but place little emphasis on solving them. This book is written somewhat as an extension of my first book, Seen or Unseen: What is Your Choice?

Chapter One: Capitalism

Capitalism at its best occurred to me as I was writing this chapter. I belong to a prestigious honor society from college and am thrilled to be a member. Their websites list books for sale. I inquired about the criteria to list my previous book as a new author on the website. I was somewhat pleased, thinking I had a great outlet to publicize my first book. Boy, I was taken for a loop and quite disappointed with the reply. It took nearly two weeks to receive an answer. Covid-19 was in full effect, and some members were out of the office. My response was: Hello, Dr. Riggins! It was a pleasure speaking with you earlier! Currently, we only feature books our speaker broadcast guests recommended. Thank you so much for your willingness to participate! Hope you have a great day. This response is an egregious systematic division in a capitalistic society at its best. I made excuses for myself to reflect on some of the disappointments. Looking at the authors posted on the website included famous names such as:

Authors on the Website

Barack Obama Gabrielle Union

Jamie Foxx Anita Hill

Bill Gates Adam Grant

Trevor Noah Curt Menefee

Tanya Acker Andy Cohen

Matthew McConaughey Suze Orman

Andrew Yang Clarissa Ward

Robert Kelly and Colin Stewart George W. Bush

As an educated person, I am knowledgeable that even though all men supposedly are created equal, there will always be sepa-ra-cism in our country. Inequality may not stem from racism. Capitalism is one of the central tenants that causes systematic sepa-ra-cism in our society. It is a tenant of freedom of speech. Capitalism is a private means for citizens to acquire wealth by providing goods and services to supply and demand. In capitalism, the government does offer jobs that allow workers to receive wealth, but the higher rich, affluent, and upper-upper class wealth is acquired through private enterprises. Capitalist countries include the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Japan, Australia, Canada, Belgium, and Finland. These countries indicate the widespread use of capitalism, which is not an inclusive list. Capitalism in our country separates citizens into distinct groups and classifications.

This prestigious societal organization from my university supports the separation of wealth among authors posted on the website. These authors are affluent and wealthy. The net worth for these authors included as of 2021: $150 million, $140 million, $75 million, $70 million, $50 million, $40 million, $40 million, $9 million, and $1 million. The net worth of the authors did not include all the names on my list. From the words and financial status, I would conclude that authors must be of a specific monetary value holding qualities and influences. I would also figure that the requirements for authors to post their books in this forum is a capitalistic example of why separation occurs.

As I deconstruct capitalism, initially I will begin by listing its adverse effects of capitalism:

The goal of capitalism is profit (good and bad).

Capitalism designates poor and rich people.

Work is a demand for capitalism.

Commodity prices increase with a wage increase.

Profit is placed ahead of health.

Wealth separates the populist into classes.

CEOs become multi-millionaires while hourly employees receive less than middle-class wages.

Wealth classifies a person for the highest positions and jobs in the United States.

Poverty-level citizens pay the same price as the rich for commodities and services.

Mass incarceration is a form of capitalism.

It does not seek to elevate a citizen out of poverty.

Capitalism separates populism into individualism.

The top one percent holds about half of that wealth.

Lack of wealth restricts your activity and access.

Government dependency attached to a segment of the population

Forced to accept undesired advocations

When you die and are not wealthy, affluent, or gender correct, who cares

You have the job; no interview is required