Is it racist to dislike the traveler community?

tomofson · 19-06-2018 02:24PM #1

I really dislike the traveler community and I dont like to be around them, I avoid them at all costs and cant sympathize with them whatsoever.

Am I racist for this?

This is due to years of bad experiences, I have had a few dozen bad experiences with this particular group who only make up less than 1% of the population, I cant get my head around how I can have so many bad experiences with such a small minority group.

Everyone else I know says the same thing about them, multiple bad experiences, sometimes of extreme violence plus bullying and intimidating.

How am I supposed to view these people in a positive light giving all of that?

murpho999 · 19-06-2018 02:26PM

Travelers are not a race so no is the answer.

You could be prejudiced though.

DeanAustin · 19-06-2018 02:27PM

tomofson wrote: »

I really dislike the traveler community and I dont like to be around them, I avoid them at all costs and cant sympathize with them whatsoever.

Am I racist for this?

This is due to years of bad experiences, I have had a few dozen bad experiences with this particular group who only make up less than 1% of the population, I cant get my head around how I can have so many bad experiences with such a small minority group.

Everyone else I know says the same thing about then, multiple bad experiences, sometimes of extreme violence plus bullying and intimidating.

How am I supposed to view these people in a positive light giving all of that?

My attitude was similar to yours but my wife pointed out when I ranted about racists that I was just as bad.

Sadly she’s right. If I judge someone just because they’re a traveler I’m discriminating against them. I’m still struggling with it big time but, although most of my experiences have been negative, I can’t say all of them have been negative. Therefore to say that “I can’t stand travellers” is discriminatory.

shakeitoff · 19-06-2018 02:28PM

Nope. For instance, in America Irish students go to some towns every summer and destroy the places. It's fair that they paint us all with the same brush. It's then up for individuals to create a different impression. Same with travellers, the bad ones are very bad and create a lasting impression. I don't look at a traveller and despise them but I can be pretty sure what's coming when I see one. They aren't all bad though but majority are in my experience. I never thought this until I was on the LUAS one day and three young lads got on the carriage, they were being menacing when suddenly one of them jumped across a chair towards a young girl. It wasn't even the behaviour of townie scummers, it was a different type of intimidation. They have no role models. They haven't a chance. IMO, that is very patronising but best I can say about them as a community.

However, I heard some awful comments after that tragedy in Carrickmines a year or so back.

HogofHedges · 19-06-2018 02:34PM

There's somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 travellers in Ireland. You have not had experiences with them all.
What percentage of your bad experiences with all people would the few dozen bad experiences with travellers amount to?

RandomName2 · 19-06-2018 02:36PM

murpho999 wrote: »

Travelers are not a race so no is the answer.

You could be prejudiced though.

Travelers say that they aren't ethnically Irish, but are in fact a distinct race. The EU, in its infinite wisdom, agrees with them.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 19-06-2018 02:39PM

HogofHedges wrote: »

There's somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 travellers in Ireland. You have not had experiences with them all.
What percentage of your bad experiences with all people would the few dozen bad experiences with travellers amount to?

That is very easy for me to answer, as I have in over 70 years have had, thankfully, very few bad experiences with people in general. Of those I have had (including my house burgled, trespassing, theft, and damage to the local environment or property) over 75% would be directly proven as attributable to travellers. I'm sure there are decent honest travellers but, unfortunately, I have yet to come across any personally.

tomofson · 19-06-2018 02:40PM

HogofHedges wrote: »

There's somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 travellers in Ireland. You have not had experiences with them all.
What percentage of your bad experiences with all people would the few dozen bad experiences with travellers amount to?

I have only ever had violent negative experiences with travelers,

I think there is a lot more than 30,000 travelers, maybe 30,000 still on the road but way more when you include settled ones.

Your Face · 19-06-2018 02:41PM

Original.

gerrybbadd · 19-06-2018 02:41PM

Have to say, i've known a fair few travellers from various families down through the years. I've only ever had one bad experience, back when i was about 10 years of age.

For the most part, i've never had a problem and would even consider some of these lads my friend

clintondaly · 19-06-2018 02:42PM

The 2016 census in the Republic of Ireland reported the number of Irish Travellers as 30,987, up from 29,495 in 2011. In 2006 the number was 22,369. A further 1,700 to 2,000 were estimated to live in Northern Ireland.

tomofson · 19-06-2018 02:43PM

Your Face wrote: »

Original.

Just goes to show how many people think poorly of them then doesn't it?

shakeitoff · 19-06-2018 02:43PM

Yeah, people try to make these things worse then they are. I think I played football with a traveller kid before, I liked him, some parents might have been patronising towards him but not hostile. I'm sure he's a gouger now though.

How do we define racism? We have to compare it to something. I'm personally not in favour of an apartheid state or viewing travellers as a lower class of citizen, but I'll have no problem saying I wouldn't think twice before walking past a group of them. I personally don't give them much consideration btw. Unless they are being loud making a scene(often the case tbf) I wouldn't even notice them.

HogofHedges · 19-06-2018 02:44PM

gerrybbadd wrote: »

Have to say, i've known a fair few travellers from varios families down through the years. I've only ever had one bad experience, back when i was about 10 years of age.

For the most part, i've never had a problem and would even consider some of these lads my friend

same here tbh.

Permabear · 19-06-2018 02:45PM

This post has been deleted.

_Brian · 19-06-2018 02:47PM

I feel the same as OP towards travellers, however, I feel the same towards settled people who make it their lot to sponge of the rest of us and are professionally unemployed.
I’ve lots of distain to go about.

I think it makes me more a snob than racist and I’m ok with that

tomofson · 19-06-2018 02:49PM

_Brian wrote: »

I feel the same as OP towards travellers, however, I feel the same towards settled people who make it their lot to sponge of the rest of us and are professionally unemployed.
I’ve lots of distain to go about.

I think it makes me more a snob than racist and I’m ok with that

Honestly I dont hate people like that because I dont fear violence from them, I do fear violence from the traveler community.

If you are in any way vulnerable or give off a vulnerable vibe the gypsies will be all over you like flies on ****e, they are predatory and seek out easy prey.

Petyr Baelish · 19-06-2018 02:50PM

HogofHedges wrote: »

There's somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 travellers in Ireland. You have not had experiences with them all.
What percentage of your bad experiences with all people would the few dozen bad experiences with travellers amount to?

Welcome to Boards and congratulations on your first post Mr Collins.

HogofHedges · 19-06-2018 02:52PM

Petyr Baelish wrote: »

Welcome to Boards and congratulations on your first post Mr Collins.

I have many faces Lord Baelish!

MFPM · 19-06-2018 02:52PM

murpho999 wrote: »

Travelers are not a race so no is the answer.

You could be prejudiced though.

Based on his post I think 'could' is a gross understatement.

Mutant z · 19-06-2018 02:53PM

Travellers are indigenous Irish so race doesn't come into its their less than reasonable behaviour that's the issue.

Your Face · 19-06-2018 02:53PM

tomofson wrote: »

Just goes to show how many people think poorly of them then doesn't it?

No.

No it doesn't.

Paulzx · 19-06-2018 02:57PM

I actually admire any race who can find a use for a slash hook at a funeral.

The rest of us bring mass cards

MFPM · 19-06-2018 02:57PM

tomofson wrote: »

I have only ever had violent negative experiences with travelers,

I think there is a lot more than 30,000 travelers, maybe 30,000 still on the road but way more when you include settled ones.

Perhaps do some research to aid your thinking.

The total number of usually resident Irish Travellers enumerated in April 2016 was 30,987 representing 0.7 per cent of the general population.

https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cp8iter/p8iter/p8itd/

tomofson · 19-06-2018 02:58PM

MFPM wrote: »

Perhaps do some research to aid your thinking.

https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cp8iter/p8iter/p8itd/

You don't even realize the less of them there is the more valid my points are.

MFPM · 19-06-2018 03:00PM

Paulzx wrote: »

I actually admire any race who can find a use for a slash hook at a funeral.

The rest of us bring mass cards

What 'race' are you and who is this 'us' you're posting about?

Hitman3000 · 19-06-2018 03:00PM

tomofson wrote:

Am I racist for this?

No, just cautious.

MFPM · 19-06-2018 03:03PM

tomofson wrote: »

You don't even realize the less of them there is the more valid my points are.

You haven't made any 'points'. You posted about your alleged experience of some members of the travelling community. There's a traveller somewhere complaining about their experience of being abused and discriminated by a member of the settled community - what makes your experience more generally right than his/hers?

Secondly you disputed a point about the population numbers of travellers based on what you 'think' rather than facts so forgive me if I don't take too seriously.

ChikiChiki · 19-06-2018 03:04PM

A traveller plucked my little blue tractor from the garden in front of my eyes and threw it into the back of the van when i was about 3.

Safe to say I've been prejudiced since. Not a fan of the community. Im sure there are some good but far too many bad within.

Paulzx · 19-06-2018 03:05PM

MFPM wrote: »

What 'race' are you and who is this 'us' you're posting about?

OK,ok..........i'll rephrase.

I admire any "ethnic minority that can find a use for a slash hook at a funeral.

Hopefully that hits the required PC buzzwords.

tomofson · 19-06-2018 03:06PM

MFPM wrote: »

You haven't made any 'points'. You posted about your alleged experience of some members of the travelling community. There's a traveller somewhere complaining about their experience of being abused and discriminated by a member of the settled community - what makes your experience more generally right than his/hers?

Secondly you disputed a point about the population numbers of travellers based on what you 'think' rather than facts so forgive me if I don't take too seriously.

They are drastically over represented in most Irish peoples negative experiences, Even if they make up for just 10% of your negative experiences in life, they are over represented, do you not get it?

Is it racist to dislike the traveler community?

Comments