America is supposed to be the land of the free but it seems that now more than ever America is divided. The phrase The American Dream is a symbol of success and achievement in American culture. The American dream is a belief that most people strive to accomplish but unfortunately, not everyone can achieve. Some people even say now the American dream is for every American to have a fair chance. A divided, unequal country is a country that ultimately ends up fighting with itself. Factors such as politics, racism and money all seem to be playing a role in the division. These factors have been evident for a long time but only with social media and news media has the public become more aware of these issues. The more awareness that is brought to these ongoing issues the more explanation will be provided for the division and more problems will be given a solution.

As proven with this year's past election there is a major divide in american politics. The divide is not just about a difference in viewpoint, it is about polarization. A major element in polarization has been the growing hatred many Republicans and Democrats have for the opposing party. Not liking the opposing viewpoint is nothing new for people but this dislike is much deeper than before. Highly negative views have more than doubled since 1944 (1). The numbers dont even tell the whole truth. Many consistent politically involved people also say political views play a role in who they surround themselves with (2). For example their neighborhood, their friends and even who they marry. 

                 Where you stand on politics can affect your bonds with not only you surround yourself with but who you trust. Damaged friendships, ruined family reunions, and disrupted workplaces, not to mention feelings of guilt, regret, frustration, anguish, and remorse, have all (been attributed to political differences. The American Psychological Association found that 57 percent of Americans identified politics as an unquestionable or somewhat significant source of stress (3). What people believe and take passion in shape the way they think, act and socialize. Which could lead to people misunderstanding one another, causing conflicts.

       Race/identity and economic policy has become the central dividing line in politics. Just this past year former president Donald Trump was viewed as a racist by many people. According to The Atlantic magazine most African Americans associate with democrats (4). Political profiles have shifted tremendously and the emerging policies with parties reflect racial differences. For instance, both parties have ever changing views and standpoints on immigrants which can be included in the race category. 

Racism is not just a huge part in politics, it's also a huge part of the division in America. There is a little bit of race everywhere. For instance, the justice system. As seen in the past it seems as though the justice system is unfair. According to the Open Democracy website Blacks and Latinos are stopped by police at a much higher rate than whites. Open Democracy also mentions the following information: African Americans are arrested for drug offenses 2-11 times higher than the rates of whites. Once arrested blacks are more likely to remain in prison awaiting trial than whites (5). The U.S. The Sentencing Commission reported in March 2010 that in the federal system black offenders receive sentences that are 10% longer than white offenders for the same crimes (5). In fact, Most African Americans defendants never get a trial. African Americans are frequently illegally excluded from criminal jury service according to a June 2010 study released by the Equal Justice Initiative (5). A July 2009 report by the Sentencing Project found that two-thirds of the people in the US with life sentences are non-white (5). Even when released from prison, race continues to dominate. A study by Professor Devah Pager of the University of Wisconsin found that 17% of white job applicants with criminal records received call backs from employers while only 5% of black job applicants with criminal records received call backs (5). In that same study race showed to be so prominent that whites with criminal records actually received better treatment than blacks without criminal records. This injustice in the justice system became extremely evident in the Goerge floyd shooting and Black Lives matter movement. Some people view this dominance as white supremacy

White supremacy is not just in the justice system. It is the media, education system, political system and even in the church. Forbes magazine states that there are 4 myths that allow white supremacy to continue. One, is that it is always done intentionally. Two is it is only upheld by white people. Three is that it is uncommon. Four is that it disappears under a new leader. White supremacy is everywhere (6). Even in the workplace. For example in the workplace it may seem unprofessional for an african american to leave their hair frizzy, curly or in dreads. A mother who tells their daughter to stay in the sun too long so that their skin doesnt get too dark is a form of white supremacy. The exact opposite can be considered white supremacy too as people wanting to lighten their skin. For instance Michael Jackson had been known for bleaching his skin to lighten it. 

  Different beliefs can cause conflict. One of the biggets onging debates is abortion. There have been many protests and news media spread about the different views on abortion. One of the biggest factors in how people view abortion is religion. It is against some peoples religion to have sex before marriage let alone getting an abortion. Same sex marriage is also a huge part of division and different beliefs amoungst americans. The book, American Grace, by David E. Campbell and Robert D. Putnam analize American religion in their book. The book goes over one of the most expensive surveys ever done on American everyday life and religion. How religion has evolved and changed the way people view things. Such as political and school preferences. Much of the divide in education can do with money. For instance, people with plenty of money can afford any college or any school to receive the education experience they desire. There are two types of schools; private and public schools. There is debate that focuses on whether private school actually gives better education. However the difference between private and public schools is not the biggest factor in the educational gap. The gap in education is known as the digital divide. The Education Trust-West website found in a recent study that at least 17% of children are unable to complete their schoolwork due to limited internet access. The website also mentions that in California, one of the most expensive states and one of the states with the biggest homeless population, 1 in 6 kids lack at home internet access (7). For students of color, students with disabilities, low-income students or students who dont speak english as their first language these numbers grow. This issue has been brought into focus with the amount of at home learning students have had to complete since Covid-19. Another factor in this educational gap is the amount kids spend in school. For instance, Singapore has students spend 6 out of the 7 day week in school as opposed to students in the U.S. who spend 5 days. This 6 six day schedule shows in state testing as Singapore is the country with the highest IQ (8). This again is an example of a divide in education but not because of limited access to resources or an unequal opportunity. This divide is a choice by countries who chose to do a more rigorous system in order to outperform other countries like the U.S. who is ranked 28th in IQ (8). Usually, the higher educated people are the people who receive higher paying jobs. 

Economic equality plays a big role in many factors. For example, minimum wage and housing. The trends in the housing economy reflect the overall economy and its inequality. It shows that the gap between upper, middle and lower class is rising. Although the wealth among lower class and middle class is rising the upper class wealth is also rising and it's twice as fast, twice as much making them even richer. According to the Pew Research Center the wealth gap between America’s richest and poorer families more than doubled from 1989 to 2016 (9). People with more money and a higher social status can access things easier. People with large amounts of money seem to always get their way. It isn't so much bribing that gets them their way but more of the way they act. Forbes magazine writes that rich people are extroverted, always introducing themselves to new people, making connections and usually only think of one thing; themselves (10). They make decisions based on gut feeling rather than fact and make decisions that would benefit them. For example they will support politicians that have rich people's best interests in mind. Groups with less money are more likely to get into drugs, become homeless, jobless and go into poverty. The U.S. census estimates that about 42 million people in the U.S. lived below the poverty line (11). How you get into poverty can be a factor of many things. But according to the USA today blacks are four times more likely to experience poverty than whites and other groups like hispanics, women, disabled people and children are twice as likely to be in poverty than the leading American (11).

Places with a high percentage of poverty and low economic mobility are usually the places with high African American numbers (11). Regional equality and the uneven distribution of races are often shaped by racial inequality. Which puts African Americans in a never-ending cycle, making it tougher to earn a better life. The Great Migration of African Americans spread many African Americans from the south into other rural cities, places with a high African American population are the same places with high African American amounts before the migration (12). In fact, in My Dungeon Shook by James Baldwin, Baldwin writes a letter to his nephew saying that because of the color of his skin, American society has deemed him worthless, set limits to his desires, accustomed him to "make peace with mediocrity”, place boundaries on what he can do, where he can live, and whom he can marry. Although America is one of the freest places in the world freedom is still not universal. Black people may not have to fight to use the same restrooms or the same restaurants but they feel they do have to continue to prove themselves to humanity and especially white people above them. 

  I am not allowed to vote, I live in a mostly white suburban neighborhood and I have never had economic issues so just like many other people I am blind to what is actually happening in the world. By bringing awareness to these issues I hope to shed more light on the problems America has left unsolved. Instead of America uniting it is dividing rapidly. Racism, politics, money, class, location, religion are just a few things dividing America. America is one of the world superpower countries and if America is not unified within its boundaries it will crumble. The differences that should be known as diversity and having the ability to freely express yourself in our society are just causing rage. 

Works cited  

1. “Political Polarization in the American Public.” Pew Research Center - U.S. Politics & Policy, Pew Research Center, 28 Aug. 2020, www.pewresearch.org/politics/2014/06/12/political-polarization-in-the-american-public/.
2. Smith, Kevin B., et al. “Friends, Relatives, Sanity, and Health: The Costs of Politics.” PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, 25 Sept. 2019, journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0221870.
3. Bethune, Sophie. “Many Americans Stressed about the Nation's Future.” Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association, Apr. 2017, www.apa.org/monitor/2017/04/stressed-future#:~:text=More%20than%20half%20of%20Americans,APA%20poll%20conducted%20in%20January. 
4. Newkirk II, Vann R. “The Racial Divide Is the Political Divide.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 22 Feb. 2019, www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/02/racial-divisions-exist-among-whites-blacks-and-hispanics/583267/.
5. Quigley, Bill. “14 Shocking Facts That Prove the US Criminal Justice System Is Racist.” OpenDemocracy, 27 July 2010, www.opendemocracy.net/en/14-shocking-facts-that-prove-us-criminal-justice-system-is-racist/.
6. Asare, Janice Gassam. “4 Myths About White Supremacy That Allow It To Continue.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 15 Jan. 2021, www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2021/01/14/4-myths-about-white-supremacy-that-allow-it-to-continue/?sh=1c03f66e7aac. 
7. West, Ed Trust -. “Education Equity in Crisis: The Digital Divide - The Education Trust.” The Education Trust-West, 15 Apr. 2020, west.edtrust.org/resource/education-equity-in-crisis-the-digital-divide/.
8. Madden, Duncan. “Ranked: The 25 Smartest Countries In The World.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 11 Jan. 2019, www.forbes.com/sites/duncanmadden/2019/01/11/ranked-the-25-smartest-countries-in-the-world/?sh=9c69e7b163f7.
9. Horowitz, Juliana Menasce, et al. “Trends in U.S. Income and Wealth Inequality.” Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends Project, Pew Research Center, 17 Aug. 2020, www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/01/09/trends-in-income-and-wealth-inequality/. 
 10. Krugman, Paul. “Why Do the Rich Have So Much Power?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 July 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/07/01/opinion/sunday/inequality-america-paul-krugman.html.
 11. Sauter, Michael B. “Faces of Poverty: What Racial, Social Groups Are More Likely to Experience It?” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 10 Oct. 2018, www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2018/10/10/faces-poverty-social-racial-factors/37977173/.
12. History.com Editors. “The Great Migration.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 4 Mar. 2010, www.history.com/topics/black-history/great-migration.