So as stated in the previous post I'm going to try and discuss the gypsy situation in the Czech Rep/ (Slavic states.) I kind of wanted to avoid it since it's a race relations issue, and even as an "objective" outside observer it's hard to form a politically correct view of the issue. I'll try and go over the history I've learned in brief, but I mainly want to focus on what's going on today. There's been pretty horrendous things done to the Romani people, and it plays a part on how they've kind of fallen into their lower class niche of society today, but I'm not sure if it really justifies the way the modern gypsy behaves.
First, let's make a clarification of definitions even it's one that is not found in the standard dictionary. Ethnically a gypsy is a Roma/ Romani, a people descended from the Indian subcontinet. In England, a gypsy is a pejorative term, stemming from the Greek word for an Egyptian. During the middle ages when the Romani first entered European lands, the Europeans believed that they were descended from Egyptian exiles who had protected the baby Jesus (how much of this confusion was due to European ignorance or Romani leaders looking to earn hospitality and favor from the local lords, one can only guess). In the US we think of the term gypsies belonging to a romanticized lifestyle of artistic vagrants, fortune tellers, or the beautiful Esmeralda from the Hunchback of Notre Damne story. However when I use the term gypsy I don't mean for it to be synonymous with all Roma, instead I use it to refer to those Roma, predominantly living in Eastern Europe, who follow a certain lifestyle of getting by living off of charity, welfare, and the occasional illegal activity (theft). My intended usage is similar to how the term "white trash/ trailer trash" is not a pejorative term for Caucasians in general, but for a specific group, that is by definition Caucasian, living a distinct type of lifestyle the other members of society finds unbecoming.
Americans tend to think of this:
Modern reality is this:
History in Brief:
My following criticisms on gypsies should not be considered criticisms on the Roma in general, nor a criticism of being poor. I feel that the gypsy persecution Roma face are the similar to the hardships of the impoverished groups living in the U.S. (lack of means and education leading to a repeating cycle of social repression), but there are disparities that make the comparison not entirely equal. Due to protests of racism the Czech government had built brand new housing for the Gypsy community in the late 90's - early 00's. Within a couple years the tenants had torn the place up, setting fires in the middle of the room (perhaps for traditional cooking purposes, or cheap way to heat the apartment), and tearing out anything of reasonable value and reselling it to pawn shops. Then the gypsy community came back and demanded another residence be built because the original building is now in a state of complete disarray, or else they will protest racism again. Stories like this are quite commonly shared amongst my Czech acquaintances, and I was literally dumbfounded to think such a situation of "bite the hand that feeds you" could possibly be true.
Outside nations have taken a crack at solving the issue, believing it's the Czech's fault for being too racist to give the gypsy community a fair chance at thriving, and have gotten their share of the headache. After a documentary broadcast where an elderly gypsy woman living in Canada appeared stating Canada as a promised land of spacious housing, plentiful welfare, jobs for the asking and trips to Niagara Falls. Some local Czech governments even jumped on board and paid for their one way tickets. Amidst a refugee boom Canada was forced to put in place a visa requirement for Czech citizens to halt the wave of people. Canada even took the unusual step of sending a delegate from its embassy in Prague to conduct television interviews and speak with Gypsy groups. The envoy was not, as Canadian diplomats often do, spreading the gospel that Canada heads the 1997 U.N. list of national economic and social development. The mission, rather, was to remind potential immigrants that it's hard to find a job if you don't speak English or French, that housing is expensive and hard to acquire and that no one will greet you at the airport with a welfare check. At this point the fact that Canada is making no attempt to give asylum to any more gypsies I think speaks volumes regarding how justified the criticisms levied against the Czech government attempts to aid their gypsy citizens have been.
First, let's make a clarification of definitions even it's one that is not found in the standard dictionary. Ethnically a gypsy is a Roma/ Romani, a people descended from the Indian subcontinet. In England, a gypsy is a pejorative term, stemming from the Greek word for an Egyptian. During the middle ages when the Romani first entered European lands, the Europeans believed that they were descended from Egyptian exiles who had protected the baby Jesus (how much of this confusion was due to European ignorance or Romani leaders looking to earn hospitality and favor from the local lords, one can only guess). In the US we think of the term gypsies belonging to a romanticized lifestyle of artistic vagrants, fortune tellers, or the beautiful Esmeralda from the Hunchback of Notre Damne story. However when I use the term gypsy I don't mean for it to be synonymous with all Roma, instead I use it to refer to those Roma, predominantly living in Eastern Europe, who follow a certain lifestyle of getting by living off of charity, welfare, and the occasional illegal activity (theft). My intended usage is similar to how the term "white trash/ trailer trash" is not a pejorative term for Caucasians in general, but for a specific group, that is by definition Caucasian, living a distinct type of lifestyle the other members of society finds unbecoming.
Americans tend to think of this:
Modern reality is this:
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| Taken from http://www.1adventure.com/archives/000207.html |
History in Brief:
- In Royal Hungary, strong anti-Romani policies emerged since they were increasingly seen as Turkish spies or as a fifth column. They were expelled from many locations and increasingly adopted a nomadic way of life.
- In the Habsburg Monarchy under Maria Theresia (1740–1780), a series of decrees tried to force the Romanies to sedentarize, removed rights to horse and wagon ownership (1754), renamed them as "New Citizens" and forced Romani boys into military service if they had no trade (1761), forced them to register with the local authorities (1767), and prohibited marriage between Romanies (1773). Her successor Josef II prohibited the wearing of traditional Romani clothing and the use of the Romani language, punishable by flogging.
- Porajmos/ Porrajmos "Devouring" the victimization of Roma during the holocaust
- Post WWII, Communist Eastern Europe, Romanies experienced assimilation schemes and restrictions on cultural freedom. What were originally migrant populations (filling social niches like migrant farmers) were seen as leading improper lifestyle, and forced to settle into government provided housing (often on the outskirts of the community). I don't imagine any residential buildings in the communist era being considered very good, but most likely the housing provided to the Romani was even worse.
My following criticisms on gypsies should not be considered criticisms on the Roma in general, nor a criticism of being poor. I feel that the gypsy persecution Roma face are the similar to the hardships of the impoverished groups living in the U.S. (lack of means and education leading to a repeating cycle of social repression), but there are disparities that make the comparison not entirely equal. Due to protests of racism the Czech government had built brand new housing for the Gypsy community in the late 90's - early 00's. Within a couple years the tenants had torn the place up, setting fires in the middle of the room (perhaps for traditional cooking purposes, or cheap way to heat the apartment), and tearing out anything of reasonable value and reselling it to pawn shops. Then the gypsy community came back and demanded another residence be built because the original building is now in a state of complete disarray, or else they will protest racism again. Stories like this are quite commonly shared amongst my Czech acquaintances, and I was literally dumbfounded to think such a situation of "bite the hand that feeds you" could possibly be true.
Outside nations have taken a crack at solving the issue, believing it's the Czech's fault for being too racist to give the gypsy community a fair chance at thriving, and have gotten their share of the headache. After a documentary broadcast where an elderly gypsy woman living in Canada appeared stating Canada as a promised land of spacious housing, plentiful welfare, jobs for the asking and trips to Niagara Falls. Some local Czech governments even jumped on board and paid for their one way tickets. Amidst a refugee boom Canada was forced to put in place a visa requirement for Czech citizens to halt the wave of people. Canada even took the unusual step of sending a delegate from its embassy in Prague to conduct television interviews and speak with Gypsy groups. The envoy was not, as Canadian diplomats often do, spreading the gospel that Canada heads the 1997 U.N. list of national economic and social development. The mission, rather, was to remind potential immigrants that it's hard to find a job if you don't speak English or French, that housing is expensive and hard to acquire and that no one will greet you at the airport with a welfare check. At this point the fact that Canada is making no attempt to give asylum to any more gypsies I think speaks volumes regarding how justified the criticisms levied against the Czech government attempts to aid their gypsy citizens have been.
My main criticism, and what I feel is the crux of the situation is the cultural attitude towards education. Education in the Czech Rep is far more accessible to everyone than in the U.S. Even up to the university years tuition and books are paid by the government, and students just need to provide their own housing payments.
There is discrimination due to Romani children primarily entering school speaking a pigeon of Czech and the traditional Romani language that usually places them in remedial schools or for schools for the mentally handicapped. However while that kind of exclusion from better schools is certainly wrong I don't think being stuck at "bad" school is legitimate grounds for why gypsies have a ridiculous drop out rate by the 2nd year of high school. I find it completely intolerable to quit school when you have a system that even if you start at a remedial level you are still almost guaranteed some form of higher education if you desire to pursue it, while there are countries where kids who just want to go to primary school have to bear the burden of traveling vast distances or helping the family gain additional income.
The culture values members who are clever, but in their history it's never been about book smarts, it's always been about how well do they know the traditional customs, and how well one could improvise a solution to get their family/caravan/village out of a bad situation. This might be my personal bias, and with respect to the value of adhering to traditional ways as a form of communal identity, I find this apathetic attitude towards a scholastic education incredibly short sighted. It also did not help my opinion to read a news article that a Czech school had to implement a penalty of reducing the welfare checks on gypsy parents to keep them from pulling their kids out of school I.E. the government is literally paying gypsies to keep their kids in school, while every other community pays to put their kids in school. I mean really what is one supposed to do for a living as a high school dropout in the Czech Rep, besides peddle flowers on the street, ask for hand outs or as personally experienced, subject others to cons and thievery. Why are these parents shooting their kids' future in the foot?
Not to be a total uncle tom about this, but there something to be said about at least in part trying to be a model minority: assimilate into the local culture, get educated so that you can bring something useful to the the table as well as learn how to protest in a meaningful way for social justice not for some sense of entitlement towards receiving government handouts.
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