You know, language is a slippery thing sometimes....
We are bombarded with so many words, so much information these days
that images, ideas and information begin to blur together.
We are jumping to conclusions before we have even quite heard the stories.
As an old friend once cautioned me, "we are jumping to confusions".
On the recent trip to Bulgaria and Serbia, I had to wonder about two of these
'blurry' concepts, in particular...
On one hand, as I looked upon the post communism/new capitalism era
I suddenly heard myself...and was dismayed at my mistake.
I had thought 'capitalism' and not 'democracy'.
Isn't 'democracy' what we pride ourselves on?
Wasn't 'democracy' the original and stated goal?
How had 'democracy' come to denote 'capitalism'...and rampant
western-style capitalism at that?
In a far departure from the ideals of democracy, there has occurred a blurring
of these concepts....perhaps even a 'bait and switch'.
Unfettered capitalism seems to have replaced the democratic experience.
The terms are now used interchangeably and casually to the great harm of societies everywhere.
They have become nearly synonymous.
Having been granted the democratic freedom of autonomy and the rights of individuals
to pursue their own course in life, we find growing numbers of greedy people and corporations
taking over the landscape.
Instead of a noble and uplifting result, what we wound up with was the right to amass
as much money and power at the expense of as many as possible.
Rats clambering up the ladder to success.
We are not building a more just and equal society on either end of the ladder
at this stage of the game.
It is an exclusionary and elitist system that harms the good of all.
Democracy has not delivered on its promises because capitalism has replaced it.
People were seduced onto the path of competition, selfishness and greed.
It is clearly not working... Those in post-communist societies suffer still...more so.
The other concepts that have become unfortunately intermingled in people's minds
are that of 'assimilation' and "inclusion".
The context of my observations has particularly to do with the Roma people,
but it concerns all minority people in almost every conceivable context.
I believe that no person or society or government can work without a good underlying
philosophy. Fix that and most of the rest will take care of itself.
Without a sound and sane philosophy, there is simply chaos and base tendencies run amok.
Of course, this always serves the opportunists well.... Think about it...
The Decade of the Roma is well underway. Begun in 2005 in Sofia, Bulgaria,
it calls for the inclusion of the Roma in every level of society.
Many fine words have been spoken, programs initiated, meetings held.
So much rhetoric but so little tangible progress. Lovely window dressing.
Much money has exchanged hands on behalf of the Roma, but I see that little of it reaches them.
Instead, it continues to circulate within the tight circles of the privileged.
But again, we have the problem of language...
Where does inclusion start? In the minds and hearts of the excluders.
Who does "inclusion" appeal to? Those that "exclude"... of course!
But somehow the argument is turned on its head and, once again,
the burden falls not on the "excluders," but on the Roma who are now expected to "assimilate".
Again the terms are bandied about loosely...one or the other will do, it seems...
It's all the same...or is it?
If you stop to consider for a moment, it is quite clear that these are very different paths.
"Inclusion" assumes the right of every individual and group to co-exist in an equal and fair way.
Sharing the goods, services and opportunities... and not only that...but sharing the responsibilities,
as well.
It is common sense simple... and it is the only tool for healing society's troubles.
Whereas "assimilation" calls for the blending in or obliteration of the society or individual
as the price to be paid in order to participate in society as a so-called "equal".
This a an antagonistic approach that functions to keep people in unequal relationship to one another.
It cannot work. It goes against nature.
There is a further aspect to be discussed in my next post.... Trip to Serbia
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