by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Portsmouth City Council is refusing to provide plots for Gypsies and Travelers in the city.
Council leaders claim that there is no space to allocate areas for traveling camps.
The South East England Regional Assembly, the region's planning body, said Portsmouth should find space for 13 or 14 pitches for Gypsies and traveling show people. Councilors, however, wrote back to the assembly refusing to comply with this order.
Now they have agreed a Gypsy and Traveler strategy which says: 'The city council is concerned that any regional allocation of caravan pitches to Portsmouth will not be deliverable.'
Liberal-Democrat council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson said: 'This reinforces our message to the regional development agency that we will continue to fight this.
'We are continuing with our view that there is no demand for the sites in Portsmouth and no space for them either.'
The regional assembly came up with the number of pitches each area in the south east should provide after a lengthy consultation.
Fareham and Havant have to provide nine each, Gosport five, East Hampshire 18 and Winchester 37.
The figures have been sent to the government for approval, and an examination in public is expected to take place before they are agreed, but ministers could say Portsmouth has to provide the sites.
Portsmouth council leaders hope they can strike a deal with a neighboring authority to take on its share of pitches instead.
But Fareham is already in talks with Winchester to take its share on, while Gosport and East Hampshire have so far protested against the pitches they have already been allocated.
Tory leader Councilor Steve Wemyss said the city council was taking a risk by refusing to find sites.
'I agree that there is no space in the city,' he said. 'But the law says we have to provide suitable sites, otherwise we could end up with more illegal encampments.
'If they fail to provide sites it could be a problem when it comes to seeking injunctions to move travelers on when they do arrive.
'It's easy for the administration to say we don't have space, but it does feel like they are sticking their heads in the sand.'
Councillor Vernon-Jackson said the council would continue to work with neighboring authorities.
Regardless of the fact that there are many Gypsies and traveling people in Hampshire and also in and around Portsmouth. Mostly found encamped illegally, and despite the order from the regional assembly the Portsmouth city fathers are basically saying that Gypsies and Travelers are not welcome in their town.
The claim by councilors is that there is no space in the city of Portsmouth for less than 15 pitches. That, I am afraid to say, is a laughable excuse. Sure there are areas available, such as some of the old Navy facilities, where some of those pitches, if not indeed all, could be accommodated.
The truth is, though, that Portsmouth's city authorities are simply saying that they just do not want to provide spaces for Gypsies and Travelers. It is as simple and straightforward as that.
Shame on you, Portsmouth.
© 2009
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Toddler punched by muggers
Were the perpetrators Roma?
by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
London, November 2009: On Tuesday, November 3, 2009, shortly before 5pm, muggers punched a two-year-old girl in the head as they demanded money from her mother, Scotland Yard revealed.
The 23-year-old victim was shopping with her daughter in Wembley, north-west London, when two young women tried to rob her.
The attackers, thought to be in their teens, became aggressive when the victim did not let go of her bag, and hit the mother on the arm before punching the toddler in the head.
None of the victim's belongings were taken, Metropolitan Police spokeswoman Detective Inspector Rebecca Reeves said. But DI Reeves also said that although the victim and her daughter did not have any visible injuries, this was a frightening experience for them.
A CCTV image of the two alleged attackers has been released after the attempted robbery in the hope that someone will recognize the perpetrators.
While both the women are described by the police from the CCTV images to be of Mediterranean appearance, with long dark brown curly hair and aged 14 to 18, I will say, despite the fact that I will be gather flack for sure with this, they do appear to be young Roma females from the Balkan region, probably, going by the way they are dressed and by looks. Alternatively they could be Albanians.
One was around 5ft and was wearing a white jacket, black mini-skirt, tiger stripe leggings, black flat shoes and was carrying a large black fake leather bag.
The second wore a black jacket, blue denim "skinny" jeans, black Ugg-style boots and had a large brown fake leather bag with gold details.
Those further description, as above, leads me further to believe that this crime has been committed by members of the Eastern European Roma community that are in London, often as “tourists”, from the new member states of the EU, such as Romania, Bulgaria, and also those from the Balkans that are now in Italy, who, all three grous, unfortunately, have a way of life, and the Irish judge recently was right with this, that sees begging with menace and also robbery as something acceptable.
We, the Romani People from Britain and elsewhere in Europe who have a different way, must make it clear to those Roma that that is no way to behave and that crimes like that will not be permitted by the Romani community at large.
Police urged anyone with information on the attack to call the incident room on 07917 067 281 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Any of the community who knows anything about this please contact the police. Let us show the Gadje that we do not condone such activities. Also, maybe our own justice system needs to go into action here and do something about it.
© 2009
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by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
London, November 2009: On Tuesday, November 3, 2009, shortly before 5pm, muggers punched a two-year-old girl in the head as they demanded money from her mother, Scotland Yard revealed.
The 23-year-old victim was shopping with her daughter in Wembley, north-west London, when two young women tried to rob her.
The attackers, thought to be in their teens, became aggressive when the victim did not let go of her bag, and hit the mother on the arm before punching the toddler in the head.
None of the victim's belongings were taken, Metropolitan Police spokeswoman Detective Inspector Rebecca Reeves said. But DI Reeves also said that although the victim and her daughter did not have any visible injuries, this was a frightening experience for them.
A CCTV image of the two alleged attackers has been released after the attempted robbery in the hope that someone will recognize the perpetrators.
While both the women are described by the police from the CCTV images to be of Mediterranean appearance, with long dark brown curly hair and aged 14 to 18, I will say, despite the fact that I will be gather flack for sure with this, they do appear to be young Roma females from the Balkan region, probably, going by the way they are dressed and by looks. Alternatively they could be Albanians.
One was around 5ft and was wearing a white jacket, black mini-skirt, tiger stripe leggings, black flat shoes and was carrying a large black fake leather bag.
The second wore a black jacket, blue denim "skinny" jeans, black Ugg-style boots and had a large brown fake leather bag with gold details.
Those further description, as above, leads me further to believe that this crime has been committed by members of the Eastern European Roma community that are in London, often as “tourists”, from the new member states of the EU, such as Romania, Bulgaria, and also those from the Balkans that are now in Italy, who, all three grous, unfortunately, have a way of life, and the Irish judge recently was right with this, that sees begging with menace and also robbery as something acceptable.
We, the Romani People from Britain and elsewhere in Europe who have a different way, must make it clear to those Roma that that is no way to behave and that crimes like that will not be permitted by the Romani community at large.
Police urged anyone with information on the attack to call the incident room on 07917 067 281 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Any of the community who knows anything about this please contact the police. Let us show the Gadje that we do not condone such activities. Also, maybe our own justice system needs to go into action here and do something about it.
© 2009
<>
Who owns your children?
by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
“What a silly question” many readers, and especially those who are parents, are going to think right now, and, like most people, they will regards that they, the parents, “own” their children.
I know, everyone thinks that, basically, the parents “own” their children but this, in the governments’ eyes, is not the case, regardless of what they may say otherwise.
However, according to the way the government(s) and powers-that-be see it it is they, the powers-that-be, who own your children, dearest readers, regardless of what they, the powers-that-be may say and claim to the contrary.
You may think me crazy but the fact is that the powers-that-be definitely do think that they own your children, everyone’s children, and the fact and truth of the matter is that they not just think thus; they do own your children in the way the laws have been framed.
You, their parents, are only permitted to look after them (as long as you do the job of caring for them according to the decrees of the governments.) feed them, clothe them, send the to government brainwashing institutions, called schools, and such, using, obviously, in the main your own money to do that all. All so you can call them “your children”.
However, if and when they state sees fit to come and take them from you because the powers that be have decreed that your upbringing is against the rules, they will surely do so.
If you happen to, as done under many of the social systems that are operative in many countries you receive monies from the state “for” your children, called in Britain “child benefit” and in Germany, for example, Kindergeld (children money), this becomes even more obvious and the state very quickly also interferes in how you raise your offspring.
And you still think that you “own” your children and have any rights to teach them the way you want them to be taught and all that. Think again.
© 2009
<>
“What a silly question” many readers, and especially those who are parents, are going to think right now, and, like most people, they will regards that they, the parents, “own” their children.
I know, everyone thinks that, basically, the parents “own” their children but this, in the governments’ eyes, is not the case, regardless of what they may say otherwise.
However, according to the way the government(s) and powers-that-be see it it is they, the powers-that-be, who own your children, dearest readers, regardless of what they, the powers-that-be may say and claim to the contrary.
You may think me crazy but the fact is that the powers-that-be definitely do think that they own your children, everyone’s children, and the fact and truth of the matter is that they not just think thus; they do own your children in the way the laws have been framed.
You, their parents, are only permitted to look after them (as long as you do the job of caring for them according to the decrees of the governments.) feed them, clothe them, send the to government brainwashing institutions, called schools, and such, using, obviously, in the main your own money to do that all. All so you can call them “your children”.
However, if and when they state sees fit to come and take them from you because the powers that be have decreed that your upbringing is against the rules, they will surely do so.
If you happen to, as done under many of the social systems that are operative in many countries you receive monies from the state “for” your children, called in Britain “child benefit” and in Germany, for example, Kindergeld (children money), this becomes even more obvious and the state very quickly also interferes in how you raise your offspring.
And you still think that you “own” your children and have any rights to teach them the way you want them to be taught and all that. Think again.
© 2009
<>
It's not Monopoly Money, Prime Minister
It is not monopoly money, Gordon, and it is NOT yours to give away
by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Hard on the heels of throwing taxpayer money away at the banks, which then did not do as they were requested in return for the money, the current British Labor government – or should I better call it “regime” - has now given away more of the British taxpayers' money.
This time it has been given to the European Union (EU) and official figures show that our share of the EU budget is to soar by almost 60 per cent to £6.4billion.
According to a Treasury document that was very quietly and almost secretly released by the Government some weeks ago the nett effect of the concessions is that every household in Britain will have to cough up another £92 per year, making our overall contribution equivalent to £257 per household.
I wonder how many British subjects understand the benefits of membership of the Union
Would you vote to become a member of an association with a membership fee this size without checking out the benefits of membership? Would you call the Euro and the Common Agricultural Policy membership benefits – we do not partake of one and the other is "a hole in my pocket".
The EU contributions rebate was won in 1984 by Margaret Thatcher to compensate the UK for the massive costs of the Common Agricultural Policy, which benefits Britain much less than other countries because of its relatively small farming sector. British contributions will continue to rise as the impact of the government concessions increases in coming years.
The latest increase is the largest year-on-year rise since 2003. The loss of the rebate makes Britain the second highest contributing member of the EU behind Germany.
Not that this is very surprising from the clique around Gordon Brown that they have now, in the name of the British people, basically given away the EU contributions rebate won by the now Lady Thatcher, in the same way that they refuse to let the British people have a say as to whether or not we do want to be part of the Lisbon Treaty.
We have just seen the farce that the EU is claiming to be democratic but when a referendum result does not suit them they basically tell the government concerned where the people have rejected something to keep voting till the desired result is achieved, as just now in Eire.
How can anyone believe that unelected entity situated in Brussels and Strasbourg stands for liberty and democracy. It does not, that much is becoming more and more evident.
Despite their big talk Gypsy People in Hungary, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia, and other countries in the European Union are being persecuted, often by government decree, as in the case of Italy, with the EU bodies standing by. Ethnic cleansing by proxy, methinks.
We have nothing to hope for from the EU but everything to fear, namely and especially our personal freedoms, despite assurances to the contrary, and if the recent new laws in Germany are anything to go by then all one can say is “welcome to the Fourth Reich”, courtesy of the EU.
The only way for Britain, and other countries of Europe, to go if the people value their freedoms is to stay out of the EU or, if they are in, to get out, and that presto.
© 2009
<>
by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Hard on the heels of throwing taxpayer money away at the banks, which then did not do as they were requested in return for the money, the current British Labor government – or should I better call it “regime” - has now given away more of the British taxpayers' money.
This time it has been given to the European Union (EU) and official figures show that our share of the EU budget is to soar by almost 60 per cent to £6.4billion.
According to a Treasury document that was very quietly and almost secretly released by the Government some weeks ago the nett effect of the concessions is that every household in Britain will have to cough up another £92 per year, making our overall contribution equivalent to £257 per household.
I wonder how many British subjects understand the benefits of membership of the Union
Would you vote to become a member of an association with a membership fee this size without checking out the benefits of membership? Would you call the Euro and the Common Agricultural Policy membership benefits – we do not partake of one and the other is "a hole in my pocket".
The EU contributions rebate was won in 1984 by Margaret Thatcher to compensate the UK for the massive costs of the Common Agricultural Policy, which benefits Britain much less than other countries because of its relatively small farming sector. British contributions will continue to rise as the impact of the government concessions increases in coming years.
The latest increase is the largest year-on-year rise since 2003. The loss of the rebate makes Britain the second highest contributing member of the EU behind Germany.
Not that this is very surprising from the clique around Gordon Brown that they have now, in the name of the British people, basically given away the EU contributions rebate won by the now Lady Thatcher, in the same way that they refuse to let the British people have a say as to whether or not we do want to be part of the Lisbon Treaty.
We have just seen the farce that the EU is claiming to be democratic but when a referendum result does not suit them they basically tell the government concerned where the people have rejected something to keep voting till the desired result is achieved, as just now in Eire.
How can anyone believe that unelected entity situated in Brussels and Strasbourg stands for liberty and democracy. It does not, that much is becoming more and more evident.
Despite their big talk Gypsy People in Hungary, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia, and other countries in the European Union are being persecuted, often by government decree, as in the case of Italy, with the EU bodies standing by. Ethnic cleansing by proxy, methinks.
We have nothing to hope for from the EU but everything to fear, namely and especially our personal freedoms, despite assurances to the contrary, and if the recent new laws in Germany are anything to go by then all one can say is “welcome to the Fourth Reich”, courtesy of the EU.
The only way for Britain, and other countries of Europe, to go if the people value their freedoms is to stay out of the EU or, if they are in, to get out, and that presto.
© 2009
<>
The Gypsy and the Environment
by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
The true Gypsy, o Tatcho Rom, he who relied on Nature for his livelihood in one way or the other, has always taken care of the environment, of Mother Earth.
This, unfortunately, is not true with many of those that are about today and that are perceived by people in general as Gypsy and who are thrown into one pot with the old Romani, the true Gypsy.
Many that are today referred too as “Gypsy” should never been given that “title” as it is not theirs for they have no link to the Rom, the Romani, the true Gypsy; the one with his roots in Ariyania. But I digressed.
The Romani, the Gypsy, has always treated the environment as a source for food and raw materials from which to fashion his home and his livelihood, whether that was for the making of baskets, pegs, wooden flowers, hurdles, or whatever else.
Most cultures that live from and depend upon Nature that surrounds them for food, shelter and material from which make goods for use and sale did used to have a much better take on environmental things than town folks did.
In recent years, even among the true Gypsy, the Romani, the understanding of and concern for the environment seems to have gone a little out of the window. This, however, is a rather recent phenomenon and to a degree being due to the fact that other itinerants, who are often referred to as Gypsy but are not, and who never had the same regard for Mother Nature as the Rom, and who fly tip rubbish and who also, otherwise, act against the environment. Not that that is an excuse and I am no0t offering it up as one either.
The truth is that there was a time when the Gypsy was real green, for let's face it: who were the first recyclers, well before recycling was even known as such a term. They were the Gypsy.
The Gypsy used what others threw away to make goods for trade and use, such as peg knives made from knives that the Gohja, the non-Gypsy, have thrown away for whatever reason.
They made other goods from what they could take from Nature, such as clothes pegs , tent pegs, baskets, wooden flowers, etc.
In most cases it was also the Gypsy, settled even, who was the so-called “Rag & Bone Man” who would come calling from door-to-door for scrap metal, old rags, bones, etc. From much of the good scrap iron and steel thus collected goods were made and even from tin cans. Many of those goods then found their way into use and especially as wares onto country markets and/or sold door-to-door.
The Rom thus became the first scrap metal dealers and salvage consultants. Gypsies were the first real recyclers and prevented many a still useful item ending up on the rubbish tips.
They also were the repairers of time gone by, mending pots and pans, umbrellas, and even large industrial boilers. They were the ones that went and sharpened knives and scissors, and all kinds of other cutting tools, providing a service that country- and town folk wanted and needed.
The Churimengro, the knife man, made their cutting tools usable again and the “rag & bone man” took away the unwanted pieces of this and that, often, as said, to repair and resell even, or to just resell for the metal or whatever lese to be salvaged from it.
Many a Rom clearing people's clutter for them and bringing the stuff to the rubbish tip that really had not further use anywhere would leave the tip with more then he came there; salvaging usable goods from there and keeping them out of the waste stream. Many a times I would go with my uncles to the tip to dump the things that really could not be recycled and the guys at the tip would comment that we were leaving with more than we had actually brought.
Wastefulness of the Gohja is nothing new, to be very honest, but in recent years it has gotten worse, I am sure.
Without the often despised Gyppo the landfills of old would have been much fuller than they ended up being and reusable items would have just been left to rot.
Nowadays this has all become commercial and the ordinary Gypsy can no longer follow any such trade without this or that license and pickers at the dumps are all licensed and pay fees for the privilege of going through other people's rubbish in order to recycle the good things, and many a good thing does end up on the dumps.
The economic downturn that we all have ended up in at the beginning of 2009 may turn, I hope, the tables once again and make it possible for the Gypsy to follow such green jobs once again, including even, I should hope the making of clothes pegs, tent pegs, baskets, etc.
© 2009
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Gypsy group angered by Huddersfield University lecture
by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
A row has broken out over Huddersfield University’s choice of speaker on Gypsies and Travelers.
Hughie Smith, president of The Gypsy Council, said the university has caused a “great deal of unrest” in the Romany community, including Huddersfield’s large population of settled gypsies, after it invited Jake Bowers to be a guest speaker.
Jake Bowers, who edits Travelers Times Online, contributes to The Guardian and presented a BBC radio program for the traveling community, which has ceased, so we understand, operating.
Mr. Bowers is due to lecture students in the School of Human and Health Sciences on ‘Britishness, Roma, Gypsies and Travellers’ as part of their studies on citizenship on October 22.
But the invitation has angered The Gypsy Council, a group formed in 1973, who say they are the only authentic Gypsy organization in the UK and do not acknowledge Mr. Bowers as one of their own.
Mr. Smith said extensive research among the Gypsy and traveler community nationwide had failed to produce any evidence that Mr Bowers had any Romany heritage and that he was purely a member of the relatively unknown National Romany Rights Association.
A spokeswoman for The University of Huddersfield said they were aware of Mr Smith’s concerns but said the lecture would still go ahead.
The problem, it has to be said, with The Gypsy Council and Hughie Smith is that they think they are the only ones that should be allowed to represent the Gypsy community in Britain and secondly it is bad blood because it was not they, or better Hughie Smith, that were asked to do the lecture.
It might be a good idea if Mr. Smith would get glasses if he cannot find any Romani connections as regards to Jake Bowers. Any tatcho Rom would recognize Mr. Bowers as one of the People; it definitely is not difficult.
What this shows, yet again, is that there is no unity amongst the Romanichals even in this small country of ours; so how does anyone expect unity to be possible amongst the wider Gypsy community. It shows how much clannishness and jealousy there is.
It is strange that The Gypsy Council and Mr. Smith never had a problem with Jake Bowers when Jake had him on the shows at the BBC Rokker Radio but suddenly...
Anyone who cannot see what this issue is all about will need to have their sense and not just their eyes examined.
Where the choice of speaker by the Huddersfield University can have caused “a 'great deal of unrest' in the Romani community, including Huddersfield’s large population of settled Gypsies”, is entirely beyond the comprehension of this writer for the majority of Gypsies in this country, the great majority of the Romani community, could hardly care less who gives the talk, of that we can all be assured.
This is yet another illusion of grandeur by Mr. Smith in the same way that his claim that The Gypsy Council is the only true representative of the Gypsies in the UK is also rather null and void as most of the Romani People here have no interest in that organization and its self-centered attitude, especially of its Fuehrer.
This is as much a void claim as that of some of the Roma groups that they are the only true Rom.
Is it not time that we learned to work together, at least the Sinti-based groups, such as the Romanichals, the Manush, and others?
© 2009
<>
A row has broken out over Huddersfield University’s choice of speaker on Gypsies and Travelers.
Hughie Smith, president of The Gypsy Council, said the university has caused a “great deal of unrest” in the Romany community, including Huddersfield’s large population of settled gypsies, after it invited Jake Bowers to be a guest speaker.
Jake Bowers, who edits Travelers Times Online, contributes to The Guardian and presented a BBC radio program for the traveling community, which has ceased, so we understand, operating.
Mr. Bowers is due to lecture students in the School of Human and Health Sciences on ‘Britishness, Roma, Gypsies and Travellers’ as part of their studies on citizenship on October 22.
But the invitation has angered The Gypsy Council, a group formed in 1973, who say they are the only authentic Gypsy organization in the UK and do not acknowledge Mr. Bowers as one of their own.
Mr. Smith said extensive research among the Gypsy and traveler community nationwide had failed to produce any evidence that Mr Bowers had any Romany heritage and that he was purely a member of the relatively unknown National Romany Rights Association.
A spokeswoman for The University of Huddersfield said they were aware of Mr Smith’s concerns but said the lecture would still go ahead.
The problem, it has to be said, with The Gypsy Council and Hughie Smith is that they think they are the only ones that should be allowed to represent the Gypsy community in Britain and secondly it is bad blood because it was not they, or better Hughie Smith, that were asked to do the lecture.
It might be a good idea if Mr. Smith would get glasses if he cannot find any Romani connections as regards to Jake Bowers. Any tatcho Rom would recognize Mr. Bowers as one of the People; it definitely is not difficult.
What this shows, yet again, is that there is no unity amongst the Romanichals even in this small country of ours; so how does anyone expect unity to be possible amongst the wider Gypsy community. It shows how much clannishness and jealousy there is.
It is strange that The Gypsy Council and Mr. Smith never had a problem with Jake Bowers when Jake had him on the shows at the BBC Rokker Radio but suddenly...
Anyone who cannot see what this issue is all about will need to have their sense and not just their eyes examined.
Where the choice of speaker by the Huddersfield University can have caused “a 'great deal of unrest' in the Romani community, including Huddersfield’s large population of settled Gypsies”, is entirely beyond the comprehension of this writer for the majority of Gypsies in this country, the great majority of the Romani community, could hardly care less who gives the talk, of that we can all be assured.
This is yet another illusion of grandeur by Mr. Smith in the same way that his claim that The Gypsy Council is the only true representative of the Gypsies in the UK is also rather null and void as most of the Romani People here have no interest in that organization and its self-centered attitude, especially of its Fuehrer.
This is as much a void claim as that of some of the Roma groups that they are the only true Rom.
Is it not time that we learned to work together, at least the Sinti-based groups, such as the Romanichals, the Manush, and others?
© 2009
<>
BBC Program “This World” - “Child Thieves”
by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
While this program has come under attack, some rather severe, from several quarters, especially from academics in the field of Romani Studies in the West, including Romani People amongst them, and also some Romani activists, it is time that we, the Rom, the Romani People, firstly admitted to ourselves and amongst ourselves that this problem exists and then admitted it also to the outside world; and secondly that we, as a People, did something about stopping this practice.
We have out own system of justice but maybe we have to get an international version of this sorted out and then proceed against those criminal elements amongst our People at speed.
As long, however, that we are in total denial of this, publicly and as a people then it will continue and programs of this nature will be broadcast.
Why suppress the truth, as some of the “leaders” seem to wish to do? If we do that we, that is to say those that try to do so, are as guilty as those who perpetrate those things.
This is the same with the issue of Gypsy children being trafficked for this purpose and other more sordid things even and the sale of children by some Roma groups from Eastern Europe to others simply for gain. The same comments are made as to that not being the case and it all having been made up by the media in racist attempts to smear the name of the Romani People.
The fact is that all of this is happening and that some groups are even proud of doing what they are doing, whether it is living of begging and stealing and such or the sale of children for this or that purpose.
The cases in the UK that have been uncovered where Gypsy boys and girls, some as young as four and five, had been trafficked by Rom from Eastern Europe to places such as Glasgow for sordid exploitation and the rings that were smashed by the police are then, I should assume, also made up by the authorities; if one would go with the logic of those “leaders”.
Many of the “leaders”, it would appear, have no interest in accepting the truth and in actually doing anything against those activities. Instead they are employing the “Ostrich Syndrome” and try to claim that this is not happening.
One can but wonder why this denial in the face of the facts?
We must not try to shoot the messenger just because he carries a truth that is somewhat unpalatable to us and we do not like the taste of it. Instead we must try to discover more and then try to put a stop to it.
We must accept the truth of this and not just because the Fagins that were in the documentary openly admitted it and I also personally have experience with Rom from the former Yugoslavia whose children were proud to go out pickpocketing and stealing from shops and parents of those kids who were proud of what they stole.
It happens. So let's face it! And then, deal with it! But do not shoot the messenger.
© 2009
<>
While this program has come under attack, some rather severe, from several quarters, especially from academics in the field of Romani Studies in the West, including Romani People amongst them, and also some Romani activists, it is time that we, the Rom, the Romani People, firstly admitted to ourselves and amongst ourselves that this problem exists and then admitted it also to the outside world; and secondly that we, as a People, did something about stopping this practice.
We have out own system of justice but maybe we have to get an international version of this sorted out and then proceed against those criminal elements amongst our People at speed.
As long, however, that we are in total denial of this, publicly and as a people then it will continue and programs of this nature will be broadcast.
Why suppress the truth, as some of the “leaders” seem to wish to do? If we do that we, that is to say those that try to do so, are as guilty as those who perpetrate those things.
This is the same with the issue of Gypsy children being trafficked for this purpose and other more sordid things even and the sale of children by some Roma groups from Eastern Europe to others simply for gain. The same comments are made as to that not being the case and it all having been made up by the media in racist attempts to smear the name of the Romani People.
The fact is that all of this is happening and that some groups are even proud of doing what they are doing, whether it is living of begging and stealing and such or the sale of children for this or that purpose.
The cases in the UK that have been uncovered where Gypsy boys and girls, some as young as four and five, had been trafficked by Rom from Eastern Europe to places such as Glasgow for sordid exploitation and the rings that were smashed by the police are then, I should assume, also made up by the authorities; if one would go with the logic of those “leaders”.
Many of the “leaders”, it would appear, have no interest in accepting the truth and in actually doing anything against those activities. Instead they are employing the “Ostrich Syndrome” and try to claim that this is not happening.
One can but wonder why this denial in the face of the facts?
We must not try to shoot the messenger just because he carries a truth that is somewhat unpalatable to us and we do not like the taste of it. Instead we must try to discover more and then try to put a stop to it.
We must accept the truth of this and not just because the Fagins that were in the documentary openly admitted it and I also personally have experience with Rom from the former Yugoslavia whose children were proud to go out pickpocketing and stealing from shops and parents of those kids who were proud of what they stole.
It happens. So let's face it! And then, deal with it! But do not shoot the messenger.
© 2009
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