Anyone have any of these groups living in their communities? Where I live there is a group of Irish Travellers that have been here for years. They used to live in a trailer park on the edge of town for a while but have amassed enough money to buy new houses close to my neighborhood.
They make their money doing shoddy scam construction type work out of state during spring and summer months. After they collect money for the work they high tail it out of town back home just in time for the lightening rods and repaving jobs they do to fall apart. The women and kids that live back home (unfortunately in my area) work scams at local businesses to get free stuff or just shop lifting. Many local businesses and restaurants have banned them from even entering their stores. The young girls probably age 11 to 14 are dressed up almost like hookers with makeup and the clothes in another scam where men hit on them and then are threatened by having the police called unless they pay the nearby parent off.
At my place of business they would come in at night and leave sitting areas in a wreck and their kids would run wild attempting to steal retail items off of shelves. Had them banned about a year ago with the help of the police.
Several years ago they made national headlines in my area when at a Wal-mart one woman was caught beating her toddler by CCTV when she was loading her in the van. Apparently the kid had screwed up her shop lifting scam.
Curious if anyone else is living with this in their communities?
Posted by Hal (Member # 3484) on :
We have some Sinti and Roma living in our town. I don`t know any of them personally and mostly only see them begging for money in the city...some also play the accordian in exchange for a little cash. I have nothing against them (and have had no negative experience with them) but I have heard of a few scams that they have been trying to pull. Some of them are also quite "aggressive" beggars.
I don`t really know a lot about their culture, but I know that it goes back over 600 years here in Europe....a history which has been full of persecution and discrimination. The German Nazis murdered half a million gypsies during the 1940s, and many Roma & Sinti are still being discriminated against today...especially in Eastern European countries. They are also popular scapegoats for extreme right-wing parties over here in Germay.
-Hal-
Posted by diamond johny (Member # 27586) on :
LeDaemon I'm assuming you're in the US? If so, why don't the police step in, bust a few heads & clear em' out? God forbid we act superior or show a little muscle to the rest of the world. They might feel inferior and get their feelings hurt. Participation prizes for everyone. Posted by vanderfeet (Member # 8733) on :
This is the first I'm hearing of the phenomenon of the Irish Traveler and yet they are apparently considered by law as an 'ethnic group' in the eyes of the British government.
As for the Roma, I also don't know a whole lot about Roma history, aside from their unfortunate involvement in the Nazi nightmare, but I have always found the romanticized representations of the Gypsy archetype in Western art and media vaguely appealing. The fact that they are often reasoned to have originated in India is fascinating too. I also love their music.
Such is my experience with gypsies or any of the aforementioned traveler communities.
Interesting question.
Posted by LeDaemon (Member # 198) on :
Well I live in Texas and I had never heard of Travelers until that news story I mentioned hit and then of course meeting them all in person at my business. Another interesting thing I don't see how they get away with is pulling their kids out of school after 8th grade. I'm assuming its to learn the "family business" as they usually tend to not settle and move around.
Posted by temp1234 (Member # 33411) on :
I have central European relatives and I have a house out there too so I see these people all too often. They're not so bad out there. Mostly stick to prostitution by forest roads but where I live (england) they are more dangerous. Some moved into an old car park and it suddenly became dangerous to walk nearby at night. They were forced out but they left a mess to clear up... and they never paid any taxes so it all came from my (and others) wages.
No sir I dont like them.
But irish? I have never seen or heard of Irish travellers before. Around here they're always eastern european.
Posted by Hal (Member # 3484) on :
quote: As for the Roma, I also don't know a whole lot about Roma history, aside from their unfortunate involvement in the Nazi nightmare, but I have always found the romanticized representations of the Gypsy archetype in Western art and media vaguely appealing. The fact that they are often reasoned to have originated in India is fascinating too. I also love their music.
And let`s not forget that many of them love being barefoot
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