Sparkling Adventures in Child Neglect - "Gayby" on Board

[FoxyMoxie]

Okay, so if denouncing the fact that the French government abandoned the Roma immigrant, and that they are in the hand of organized crime, is racist, i'm very proud to be a racist.

Foxiemovie I hope someday you'll be in a Roma camp, you will read testimonials about poverty, about exploitation, and you'll change your mind.

Edit : btw, in France, this can be extended to other immigrants. We're not the country of human right when it come to immigrants. :angry-banghead: )

on the subject of Roma, we are stuck between "THERE IS NO PROBLEM BOUH YOU RACIST" and "ROMA ARE ALL THIEVES."

Wait what? I'm not talking about your comments, I don't think you're racist :?

[Marianne]

Wait what? I'm not talking about your comments, I don't think you're racist :?

I'm the first (I think ?) who speak about the fact that immigrant Romas are exploited by a "mafia" (or organized crime), that's why I take your comment personnaly. Sorry if my answer was agressive !

btw, Lauren is the queen of cultural appropriation.

[Trudestar]

Edited to add that g*psy is a slur and you should not use it unless you yourself are Roma. And yes, Lauren's use of the term is racist.

I'm pretty sure it's been mentioned before, but in Australia, "gypsy" is a term used to describe anybody who wanders or moves around a lot. It is definitely not considered a racist slur in Australia. It is more of a romantic notion of a traveller.

We don't have Roma here or what Europeans would describe as real Gypsies.

I'm often called a gypsy purely because I move around a lot.

[skankbiscuit]

I think she was referring to my comments. Like I said before, we can speak freely about this issue here in France, because it is actually a problem. I said that I could see that my comment could be offensive to some. It's not racist, it's just a fact about how things are in big touristy European cities.

[Marianne]

I think she was referring to my comments. Like I said before, we can speak freely about this issue here in France, because it is actually a problem. I said that I could see that my comment could be offensive to some. It's not racist, it's just a fact about how things are in big touristy European cities.

I think that, when you speak about the problems (pickpocket, etc...), you should explain the cause of the problem, like, for example Romas children who, in France, have no right to school, etc...

[skankbiscuit]

I think that, when you speak about the problems (pickpocket, etc...), you should explain the cause of the problem, like, for example Romas children who, in France, have no right to school, etc...

I did, in my 2nd posting.

[skankbiscuit]

I am American by nationality, currently living in France. I don't think there is a group in the United States that as a culture, makes their living off of property crime and begging. Roma in France are wary of the government, do not speak French for the most part, and can't send their kids to school because they have no rights here. In the United States, you can be "illegal" and still enroll in public school. Because Romas have no legal standing in France, they build shanty towns outside of large cities (many of which have been torn down by order of the government, citing the camps are unsanitary and dangerous). I have rarely seen any other groups besides Roma panhandling and scamming tourists in the big cities. I just read an interview done with a Roma family, and they said that rather than go back to eastern Europe where there are no jobs, even if they make 10-20 euro a day by begging, it's enough to feed their kids. The children get wrapped up in the criminal lifestyle, because none of them attend public school. So what you end up with is an entire group of people who are living on the fringes of society and the kids are growing up being criminals. They can't be a part of French society, because they aren't here legally and they don't have any rights here. As a culture, they are anti government and do not want to assimilate into the French culture as well. So there you have it. Sad but true, as Marianne said. There is a time to be PC, but this is just a fact of how things are here.

My previous post.

[Marianne]

My previous post.

I forget, sorry :embarrassed:

[skankbiscuit]

I forget, sorry :embarrassed:

[August]

I'm pretty sure it's been mentioned before, but in Australia, "gypsy" is a term used to describe anybody who wanders or moves around a lot. It is definitely not considered a racist slur in Australia. It is more of a romantic notion of a traveller.

We don't have Roma here or what Europeans would describe as real Gypsies.

I'm often called a gypsy purely because I move around a lot.

Sorry, but no. You don't get to decide that because everyone uses a slur that it's totes fine to do it. Roma say using the word gypsy to describe people who move around a lot it a slur,then it's a slur and you need to stop using it. Same goes for

retarded, spaz, kike, nigger, redskin, etc.

Try using "nomad" instead.

ETA spoiler text didn't work!!!

[happy atheist]

From Instagram

Wow, Delaney does not look happy.

Someone brushed Aisha's hair! Do you think Lauren actually got enough side-eye that she decided to groom her children, or did someone they're mooching off take pity and do it for her?

They all look cold.

[sol]

She would have sent Lauren to her favorite country, Iran.

But, please, don't make me dream of Frigide Barjot. This is a nightmare. (for American Reader : Frigide Barjot is a leader of the fight against marriage equality. Frigide Barjot is a nickname who mean : Crazy Frigid/sexless. GOogle her and you'll understand. She's gay best friend, just, she don't want them to be married.)

oh, yes, "Barjot" and Boutin and the whole Manif pour homophobes have been a real nightmare for my wife and me. those manifs started right after our son died (the son we spent years and many trips abroad trying to conceive because of the laws preventing us from getting reproductive care here in France). constantly seeing signs/poster/t-shirts and hearing people on the news saying that people like my wife and me are perverts and shouldn't be allowed to have children was and still is a knife in the heart. i would spit on that frigid loony if i ever ran into here in Paris (and give Taubira a teary hug of gratitude if i ran into her instead).

[nausicaa]

From Instagram

[attachment=0]playmobil.png[/attachment]

Wow, Delaney does not look happy.

Someone brushed Aisha's hair! Do you think Lauren actually got enough side-eye that she decided to groom her children, or did someone they're mooching off take pity and do it for her?

They all look cold.

Dang those girls are cute. And I think Delaney looks really spunky, and I kinda like it!

[freejugar]

Aisha seems always better groomed, maybe she's self concious of it and does it herself?

[halcionne]

European here (UK) and the racist comments about the Roma are horrendous but sadly not surprising. Persecution of Roma in Europe is widespread and disgusting. To those calling the Roma thieves and mafia - you are RACIST. Roma are an ethnic/racial group. It's like calling all black people thugs.

Europeans often like to pretend that the US is some kind of racist hellhole and that Europe is totally free of racism and prejudice, but sadly that's not true. Racism is very widespread in Europe (less so in the UK but still there) as these comments show.

Edited to add that g*psy is a slur and you should not use it unless you yourself are Roma. And yes, Lauren's use of the term is racist. Plenty of casual racism gets overlooked in the name of 'authenticity' by crunchy types.

FTFY.

~~~

It is exceedingly difficult to examine one's own attitude and make changes when necessary. But it's what one must do when trying to be decent. Not 'PC,' just decent. Politically correct is a term used by bigots who are mad that it's a tiny bit harder to get away with bigotry than it used to be. Feminazi, anyone? So what if the is-Roma-bashing-okay argument gets rehashed every two years, like another poster said. Rehash and rehash until it stops happening. Some of the comments in this thread have left me truly flabbergasted.

On topic: nice to see the kids' hair was combed for that pic.

[ViolaSebastian]

I guess the answer to "how is she going to afford to get them coats?" is "She's not going to get them coats."

[Miggy]

Sorry, but no. You don't get to decide that because everyone uses a slur that it's totes fine to do it. Roma say using the word gypsy to describe people who move around a lot it a slur,then it's a slur and you need to stop using it. Same goes for

retarded, spaz, kike, nigger, redskin, etc.

Try using "nomad" instead.

ETA spoiler text didn't work!!!

I'm going to back up Trudestar here. In Australia, we use gypsy to describe anyone from Roma to Irish Travellers to ourselves while on holidays and don't acknowledge any difference, much less see the offence we might be causing. Most of us don't know anything about Roma. I think most people, if asked to describe Roma, would give you a very romantic description of Irish Travellers of 100+ years ago. These groups are not part of our society so we simply don't know any better.

In saying this, I am not trying to defend Lauren's nor anyone else's use of an offensive term. Those of us who recognise it as offensive will gradually correct those who don't. I just understand how someone like Lauren can use the term.

[Gherkin]

I'm Australian and have very rarely heard the term gypsy used to describe someone who travels. Not from anyone under 55 anyway.

Having lived overseas I have seen and experienced the Roma (Traveller) but they were what were considered the socially undesirable ones. They were those who pick pocketed, ran scams, shoplifted, slept in public parks and thoroughfares (while annoying the rough sleepers who knew the "rules"), defeating on footpaths etc. The majority of people just see what the Daily Mail shows them. They just see benefit grabbing people from other countries who don't contribute.

I personally would not call the word gypsy racist. The Roma are not a race. They are an ethnically diverse group,of people who have roots to Iran, Egypt and some Eastern European countries for example but the term Gypsy was used to describe those from Romania, Bulgaria etc. I would say that it is derogatory term though and is slowly moving out of fashion.

Most prefer to be called Travellers or so I've been told.

[Miggy]

*All my older relatives and their friends use Grey Nomad and Gypsy interchangeably. That's what I meant when I said we use it to describe those of us who travel. Sorry I wasn't clearer on that.

[lilith]

I'm going to back up Trudestar here. In Australia, we use gypsy to describe anyone from Roma to Irish Travellers to ourselves while on holidays and don't acknowledge any difference, much less see the offence we might be causing. Most of us don't know anything about Roma. I think most people, if asked to describe Roma, would give you a very romantic description of Irish Travellers of 100+ years ago. These groups are not part of our society so we simply don't know any better.

In saying this, I am not trying to defend Lauren's nor anyone else's use of an offensive term. Those of us who recognise it as offensive will gradually correct those who don't. I just understand how someone like Lauren can use the term.

I'm Australian, and I'm well aware that gypsy is a term with a history of racial discrimination and that the Roma people generally prefer that it isn't used. So I don't use it, and when my kids come across it in old books I explain why it's a word that isn't commonly used anymore.

I really haven't heard it used recently. I vaguely remember in my childhood some of my parents friends, nomadic hippies, styled themselves as gypsies, but even they seem more self aware now.

In fact, the only recent use I've seen of the word is a bikie club called the Gypsy Jokers.

[Mama Mia]

From Instagram

[attachment=0]playmobil.png[/attachment]

Wow, Delaney does not look happy.

Someone brushed Aisha's hair! Do you think Lauren actually got enough side-eye that she decided to groom her children, or did someone they're mooching off take pity and do it for her?

They all look cold.

Well, Aisha's nine. So presumably she's capable of brushing her own hair :)

[August]

From Instagram

[attachment=0]playmobil.png[/attachment]

Wow, Delaney does not look happy.

Someone brushed Aisha's hair! Do you think Lauren actually got enough side-eye that she decided to groom her children, or did someone they're mooching off take pity and do it for her?

They all look cold.

Apparently it was 68/20 that day. We wouldn't be wearing coats, either.

[Trudestar]

I'm Australian, and I'm well aware that gypsy is a term with a history of racial discrimination and that the Roma people generally prefer that it isn't used. So I don't use it, and when my kids come across it in old books I explain why it's a word that isn't commonly used anymore.

I really haven't heard it used recently. I vaguely remember in my childhood some of my parents friends, nomadic hippies, styled themselves as gypsies, but even they seem more self aware now.

In fact, the only recent use I've seen of the word is a bikie club called the Gypsy Jokers.

Well I'm definitely not racist, and have never thought of gypsy as a racist or even derogatory term. Perhaps because I've never travelled in Europe. Heaps of people I know use the term and would be mortified to think it was considered racist, as I am.

I see it used all the time, especially in hippy type clothing businesses, and just the other day I saw a circus in Perth called The Gypsy Circus.

So I guess it just depends where you are as to whether you see/hear it used.

[acheronbeach]

We've had this discussion before, but I'm going to third Trudestar... here in Canada, I've never heard gypsy used to refer to an ethnicity, just for a type of lifestyle.

Where is it a slur? I suppose it must be a British thing?

[Blahblah]

Aussie here. We've had a TV show, obviously british, called "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding" I believe there was also an American version.

There used to be a restaurant in Adelaide run by people who identified as Roma. They called it a "Gypsy Taverne".

So my experience of the term Gypsy in Australia has been a mainstream TV show and a family self-describing their business as "gypsy".

I don't use the term myself but I think I would be excused for not realizing it is a racist slur.