Gypsies/the Romani; your opinion

turnikett1

I want to know what the general consensus of an Irish person is with regards to the Romani ie "gypsies". I think it's sad that they experience so much discrimination, arguably the worst type in Europe, and it all goes relatively undocumented. I mean, even governments especially perceived liberal ones such as France facilitate Romani racism.

To me the Romani are culturally rich, with an interesting historical background and amazing folk music. I understand, and statistically it is proven, that Romanis are more likely to engage in criminality, hence the negative connotations and discrimination. What most people dont seem to understand is that this happens as a result of poor social status because we continue to ostracise, demonise and show prejudice against their community. It is the same with the black community in America. Obviously African-Americans have come a long way but there are parallels both to contemporary and previous instances of black American society.

Most Irish people I've asked about this give me the same answer - they openly dislike them and want to see them gone. I think it's a shame that there is minimal to non-existent effort in trying to approach and solve this issue. I only just found out that in 2010 a Roma teenager was kidnapped in Ireland by a criminal gang who then repeatedly raped her, pulled her teeth out, then shot her and dumped her body. No one gave a fiddlers fúck. Similarly in Italy, two Roma children drowned on a beach while swimming meanwhile Italian locals happily sunbathed on the beach unperturbed, completely aware of what was happening.

Im not sure how this will go down in AH but for some reason it doesnt seem to fit the Politics section.

How do you feel then? What do you think should be done?

dodderangler

Well it's AH
So no matter what in 5 pages time it'll end up being about water charges or some Shiite like that

shruikan2553

Oh goodie, a front row seat. I only got a medium popcorn as this won't last long enough for me to get through a large.

Pedro K

I haven't got a single good thing to say about any of the ones that I've encountered.

anncoates

More of a Lazio man myself.

wretcheddomain

Despite the PCism's that will inevitably pollute this thread, I think the vast majority of ordinary sensible people will dismiss those communities with one fell swoop - and with good reason(s).

dd972

They're actually of Indian origin hence the dark eyes and complexions, the word 'gypsy' stems from them being erroneously thought to be from Egypt, AFAIK Andalucia is the only place in Europe where they've assimilated to some degree.

Btw, The Romanians hate them, stemming from the fact that they're socially lumped in with them, probably something to do with the fact that 'Roma-Romanian Gypsy-Romanian' are lazily assumed to be ubiquitous with each other.

There's a big house in Phibsboro that's full of them coming and going at all hours.

Er, that's about all I know about them, next...

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

hatrickpatrick

turnikett1 wrote: »

I understand, and statistically it is proven, that Romanis are more likely to engage in criminality, hence the negative connotations and discrimination. What most people dont seem to understand is that this happens as a result of poor social status because we continue to ostracise, demonise and show prejudice against their community. It is the same with the black community in America. Obviously African-Americans have come a long way but there are parallels both to contemporary and previous instances of black American society.

I'd be generally regarded as left wing but I'm afraid I don'y buy this type of argument. I'm not denying that it may be true, but it doesn't excuse the behavior in any way - just as being oppressed doesn't excuse terrorism against civilians, one's socio-economic status does not excuse petty crime.

I have no issue with the Roma in general, but this argument bugs me - for those Roma who do steal (and I've been robbed three times in my life, once when I was just 14, by a particularly notorious "Ireland's Issues" gang based in Dun Laoghaire / Sandycove) are we supposed to feel sorry for them rather than anger at losing sometimes important belongings? On one occasion (when I was 14) they stole money, on another they stole one of my first cameras with all my photos still on it on the way to get them developed (remember those days?) - I'm sorry but no amount of personal misery makes it excusable to ruin someone else's day in that manner.
A downtrodden scumbag is still a scumbag IMO.

Again I'm not saying I have a problem with "the Romani", more with the magazine gang as I've come to call them, but I do have a problem with the "poverty causes them to steal" argument. Plenty of poor people still manage to have empathy for others and know the difference between right and wrong, there is absolutely no justification for mugging people.

My name is URL

I don't live beside any of them so I think they're grand.

BlaasForRafa

turnikett1 wrote: »

To me the Romani are culturally rich, with an interesting historical background and amazing folk music. I understand, and statistically it is proven, that Romanis are more likely to engage in criminality, hence the negative connotations and discrimination. What most people dont seem to understand is that this happens as a result of poor social status because we continue to ostracise, demonise and show prejudice against their community. It is the same with the black community in America. Obviously African-Americans have come a long way but there are parallels both to contemporary and previous instances of black American society.

Utter b****cks. If I was an african-american I'd be insulted to be compared to a Roma. Criminality is not and never has been an integral part of african-american culture where it is deeply embedded in the roma community.

Roma are like a mobile crime wave, families move from place to place bring a wave of mugging, assault, pickpocketing and aggressive begging with them. The case that the equality-authority-Aodhan O'Riordan-a***hole-types championed in Waterford recently? Once that Roma family were gone, crime in that area went way down, funny that eh?

endacl

Mods must all be in bed!

I voted based on 100% of my personal interactions. Seems I'm with the majority opinion.

My name is URL

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

Once that Roma family were gone, crime in that area went way down, funny that eh?

According to who? The same people that supported the lynch mobs attacking their homes?

Are there official figures showing that crime in the area went down?

BlaasForRafa

My name is URL wrote: »

According to who? The same people that supported the lynch mobs attacking their homes?

Are there official figures showing that crime in the area went down?

Speaking of the Aodhan O'Riordan types. Of course, it's just sheer coincidence that there haven't been any stabbings or beatings in that area since the Roma family left :rolleyes:

Ruu

If you want to see how well these sort of threads go down in After Hours, do a search, it has been done over and over again. Not now.

Mod.