Integration versus Inclusion

• Inclusion – the act or practice of including and accommodating people who havehistorically been excluded (as because of their race, gender, sexuality, or ability)

•Integration – incorporation into society or an organization of individuals of different groups(such as races)

Welcome back!!

So, after a looooooong conversation with some good people Saturday night about various topics such as education, racism, music, politics, civil rights and so on and so on. I got home and replayed the conversation over and over again as I usually do when something sticks to my brain and I’m trying break it down to it’s simplest form.

The question that kept replaying in my mind was…”why is it that our ancestors kept asking to be integrated instead of being included?” I mean we’re constantly given examples as to why INTEGRATION DOESN’T WORK! How many times have you been in a situation where you get invited somewhere you normally wouldn’t be but still never got that want and fuzzy feeling of being included in whatever was going on?

Granted, I didn’t grow up in that era and we all know hindsight is 20/20. But in my opinion by integrating me into your society you’re keeping me at an arm’s length and giving me just enough to survive but not enough to thrive. Conspiracy theorists are going to say it’s a set up…I’m going to charge to it a certain population dealing with an inferiority complex that won’t allow the game to be played with equity.

Now some are going to say “fuck that! I don’t want to be included in shit they do!” But the fact of the matter is….you need them waaay more than they need you(at this point in time). But a beautifully obvious shift in is definitely happening!!!