The Roma: A Discussion on Stereotypes

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by kisboszi on April 9, 2011 at 6:50pm

Here's a rather funny story about the gypsies in my town:

A few years back there was a huge thunderstorm in town, that damaged at least 50 or so houses, especially their roofs. And since many gypsies live in poor conditions here, many of their houses needed repairs. The town said that since they can't afford it, the town will get them repaired. To do this, the people who work for the town hall arrived at a Roma woman's house at 7 am. They were loud while getting ready to work, so much so, that they managed to wake up that woman, who immediately came out complaining about it. How dare they came here so early in the morning and wake her up?!? Why couldn't they come in the afternoon, when she had already woken up?

 

So I guess the biggest part of the problem is their attitude. Here (in Hungary) it seems that they can only complain, while do nothing the help themselves. I'm not saying that every one of them is like that, since there are always exceptions.

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Permalink Reply by Pavlor on April 10, 2011 at 3:42am

I've met Finns like that, so it's just the person, not the fact that she was Romany.

 

My question why do many Gypsies live in poor conditions in Hungary?

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Permalink Reply by kisboszi on April 10, 2011 at 6:40pm

Where the problem originated is a mystery to me, but the things are like this right now:

They barely have any education (while children are forced to attend school until they turn 18). And worse the parents don't seem to care whether their children get any education either.

Only a very few of them have steady jobs. I do admit that there's much bias here about them, yet somehow I don't hear them complain about that, only about the fact that the government doesn't pay them enough for having many children (I live in a part of Budapest that's famous of having many gypsies, so see them, hear them every day).

They usually have huge families. It's not unusual for girls to give birth to their first babies around the age of 14. And having 4 (or more) kids is normal (while in Hungary most families have 3 or less).

And they might be living in poor conditions, but in most of their homes you could find cable-tv (you can see the big saucers on their houses for receiving the satellite signs) or DVD players and Internet.

Alcoholism is also a rather big problem for them (well, it is for Hungarians as well who live in bad conditions). And somehow they always seem to have enough money for cigarettes.

I'm sure there will be some people like that in every culture, but if the Finns are like that, maybe they could get along better with the gypsies then us :)

But joking aside, behaviour like that is not part of our culture, thus we have a hard time accepting it.

 

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Permalink Reply by Kari on April 10, 2011 at 5:55am

I always thought the stereotype was intriguing and romantic ~ a spiritually connected counterculture. 

It makes me sad that these people are persecuted still today, but impoverished minorities are in many places - intolerance and ignorance I suppose.

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Permalink Reply by Alessandra DeLisana DelVelteris on April 10, 2011 at 9:51am

for starters Congrats on your prending marriage and new life in france.

 

secondly as a Roma of America i have seen a few of the stereotypes you've posted above but those i've encountered who after find i am a Roma dont always react negativly to me but then againi'm not a violinist or a trampy theif but anyways as you will find from the verious responses here that the europians are harsher then americans on the roma

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Permalink Reply by Comte D'Anjou on April 20, 2011 at 2:18am

Bright Benedictions au D'Anjou Alessandra:

 

merci

 

Namaste

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Permalink Reply by Comte D'Anjou on April 20, 2011 at 8:58am

Bright Benedictions au D'Anjou lateaprilrain:

 

You are free to rant and rave all you like to here.

 

En Service

Comte Geoffrey septime Comte D'Anjou

Namaste

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SponsorPermalink Reply by མཛེས་མ་ on April 13, 2012 at 5:23pm

Romania is indeed a favorite and most beautiful are the people.

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Permalink Reply by Lilitu Xoc on April 14, 2012 at 12:22am

My impression of the Roma is different, the traveling people have their own culture where women get married young and marriage to outsiders is taboo. There's a show about the Roma in England on American tv. The women tend to dress in reveling clothes, but all of their morals are very, very old fashion. Then you have things like grabbing. Very interesting folk.

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Permalink Reply by Garlic Clove on September 6, 2012 at 10:03pm

After disney's hunchback of notre dam came out, my sisters and I dressed as Esmerleda and other "gypsies" for Halloween.  We were young, but now that I am older and know better, I am we did this, embarrassed really.

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Permalink Reply by Maris Hellfaerie (Maire) on September 7, 2012 at 9:22am

The romantic bohemian/Boho look that is supposed to be "gypsy" is probably one of the most flattering clichés, I'd not bother any young person with PCness.

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Permalink Reply by Psyche on September 6, 2012 at 10:56pm

I have always respected the Roma people and their culture. Though my mom when I was little used to jokingly tell me that the "gypsies were going to take me away if wasn't good". She didn't mean it in a hurtful and cruel way. It was just something she said. I must admit it did peak my interest at the actual Roma people.

With that said the Big Fat Gypsy Wedding stuff on TLC really really bugs me. I won't even go fully into the long laundry list of why that sensationalized piece of turd bothers me.

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