in·te·grate (nt-grt)
v. inte·grat·ed, inte·grat·ing, inte·grates.
v. tr.

To make into a whole by bringing all parts together; unify.

To join with something else; unite.
To make part of a larger unit: integrated the new procedures into the work routine.
To open to people of all races or ethnic groups without restriction; desegregate.

Looking at the working definition for this word, i'd say that in the context you were giving an example of, it isn't even possible. (Yeah, yeah, yeah integration "could" be a good thing outside of the western context, but are we talking about that? no! I say this cuz i know someone is gonna come with some irrelevant post saying just that, when reading your example should be enough to see you're talking about a specific realm of integration, i.e in the U.S., I give it three posts before it gets done.) ...anyways, The words in the definition which I could use to justify this point are; whole, all parts, together, unify, join, unite, & without restriction, all of which are an antithesis of the Western stage from which your example (i.e. integration between blacks/whites in the United States) comes from.

I won't waste time dealing with the abstract usage of the word, because in other arenas, of course the word "integration" is a valid concept. But in the example above, not possible. Capitalism is the fundamental core of this society, economic balance and class equality therefore can never happen. NEVER HAPPEN, NEVER HAPPEN with this system. Likewise integration can NEVER, NEVER, NEVER happen within the western core over which the politics of this society are built. <To open to people of all races or ethnic groups without restriction> please!?

So what was the whole integration/desegregation thing all about in the 60's ? drumroll please...The Rhetorical Ethic, the means by which these Westernh/Euro/Americans "talk" yet fail to "do". See the Rhetorical Ethic Post, kind of long but worth the read. The whole say one thing and do another is just pathetic. But what are ya gonna do, huh? Because there wasn't a real desire for integration or actual manifestation of it, the whole concept within the time period was not a reality. It was a sham. One in which the negative repercussions are still felt today. When a dollar could circulate 16 times in the black communities in the 60's before the whole "integration" then just leap into the majority people's businesses in one turn, a problem started back then which we can still see today. The mentality of a group which invests in self might be called self sufficient to a certain extent, but introduce the "permission" to integrate with the majority peoples and we see the beginnings of a dependent mentality which few "can" or "want" to get away from here in 2000.

So I say, integration on a psychological level was and is a "bad" thing. Its long term effects more devasting than many acknowledge. Now people feel they "have" to do stuff from within the integrated system and any proposal to do otherwise is immediately seen as crazy. Tell somebody successes of the pan-african movement of the African Hebrew Isrealites and they'll think you made it up. Tell the same people they don't have to eat the diet of the typical american and that a human being can live without animal consumption and they'll call you a liar. The ramblings of a mentally dominated people. (shaking head) The ramifications of dealing/integrating with an inferior people are REAL. Just like dealing with anything inferior to self whether it be a lower level of thinking or participating in something one knows one shouldn't be dealing with. If the foundation is not strong/aware enough of the possibilities of assimilation into the "lower" that's when problems then arise.

(((((PEACE)))))

"if i dropped African thought, you'd probably lie and say it's greek philosophy" -TalibKweli