I am not a Separatist

I thought I would respond to a comment my friend made on my blog and was all geared up to be writing about the merits of late-night sit-down eateries, such as IHOP, but my dog just made me chase her all over the neighborhood for forty minutes, so I’m not in the mood. Instead, I will be writing in response to another one of his comments on my blog…

No, I am not a separatist. Though occasionally I do entertain ideas of separatism when it comes to my beloved Texas regaining its status as an independent nation, it mostly occurs on or around March 2 each year (Texas Independence Day). But, alas, that is not true separatism because I am not fully invested in it and honestly I look at it more as patriotism for my home state’s glory. I think I ascribed the correct title to myself when I said I am a right-wing extremist, because secession from the Union just for the sheer fact that I want to live in the nation of Texas is pretty extreme (though some may see it as liberal rather than conservative, depends on your POV). I do know however that I am not a separatist.

Separatism refers to the advocacy of a state of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial or gender separation from the larger group, often with demands for greater political autonomy and even for full political secession and the formation of a new state. The reasons for separatism are far more extreme and sometimes more important than having the nation of Texas. While some critics may equate separatism and religious segregation, racial segregation or sexual segregation, separatists argue that separation by choice is not the same as government enforced segregation and serves useful purposes. This nullifies my desire for Texas’ Independence because it would take an act of government to make that happen and could not be done solely by the people of Texas. Let’s look at some of the reasons or motivations for separatism.

Groups may have one or more motivations for separation, including: emotional resentment of rival communities, protection from ethnic cleansing and genocide, justified resistance by victims of oppression, including denigration of their language, culture or religion; propaganda by those who hope to gain politically from intergroup conflict and hatred; the economic and political dominance of one group that does not share power and privilege in an egalitarian fashion; economic motivations of seeking to end economic exploitation by more powerful group or, conversely, to escape economic redistribution from a richer to a poorer group; preservation of threatened religious, language or other cultural tradition; destabilization from one separatist movement giving rise to others; geopolitical power vacuum from breakup of larger states or empires; continuing fragmentation as more and more states break up. We’ll use my extreme right-wingism to give examples in this case. For instance, I being right-wing may garner resentment from some of my neighbors, but I am by no means oppressed or denigrated for it. I do hope to gain politically by being a right-wing extremist, but by no means do I want intergroup conflict to increase in the government (they barely get anything done now as it is). Yes, I want Republicans to run the country, but not at the expense of the shared system of checks and balances inherent in a two-party government, i.e. I don’t want absolute power. There hasn’t been a political separatist movement in the US since the Green Party, and we all know they are kind of a joke, no offense. And finally, there is no power vacuum due to the break-up of large states in the United States because the Union has forced every state to put a “no secession” amendment in their constitutions. So, as you can see, me being party to a little right-wing rhetoric from time to time doesn’t necessary make me a separatist.

I’m proud of my friend for being so bold in his comments on my blog. He’s one of the few who still reads on a regular basis that I know of. At least, he is one of the few who is moved by my words so much as to comment on them. He’s one of my best friend’s, though; I am afforded his support whenever I need it, which is awesome. And I support him, like being his best man for instance. The point I am trying to make is that after taking up my pen again, I expected more response from my audience. But, I suppose they are so few and far between that getting a comment from everyone of them every time would just make me realize how few of them there are out there.

Anyway, looking ahead, I will be writing about late night dining stops that top my all time list, so stay glued to those monitors, folks.