Not racist, come hither.

[Drabarni]

Now I have your attention.
If you think you aren't racist please look at this and if you feel like gettig behind this
Thank you very much.

www.travellerstimes.org.uk/news/2019/10/politicians-pledge-their-support-gypsy-roma-and-traveller-communities

www.gypsy-traveller.org/pledge-card-asking-your-mp-to-sign-up/

Obviously, you don't have to make an appointment with your MP as suggested, you could email or post.

[Drabarni]

Whiterose

Apologies, didn't mean to ignore your post.
I can't say all travellers pay tax and NI just the same as I couldn't with non travelling communities, but yes it's a bit of a stereotype that they don't.

Most travellers aren't allowed to travel as a general life, you have to live on a site or house. of course you have a NI number and pay tax on PAYE if employed, just the same.
If you are self employed and don't pay tax then you are treated the same way as anybody else who breaks the law if caught.
My tax bill was zero for last financial year, but our accountant puts everything through and will question me if she thinks there's something i've missed.
Personally, I find it important to be able to sleep at night. My dh is also a small business owner and is not Romany, but loves to travel with me.

[slipperywhensparticus]

No travelling wouldn't bother me neither would home education probably because my family history is full of the travelling community but people who break the law should be punished

Telling me I would be bothered about something is a new low you know nothing about me

[Drabarni]

slippery

You sound very naive for someone with a family history of travelling.
Yes, I agree law breakers should be punished.
However, it's racist to keep changes these laws to persecute a race, to eradicate their social norms, beliefs, and customs.
Do you not think?

[Passthecherrycoke]

Slippery my friend grew up in a country where it was illegal to have a religion and illegal to practise it.

Her parent used to go to underground churches and would’ve been imprisoned if caught.

Is it right that we punish any law breaking? Or do we need to ensure the law is suitable first?

[slipperywhensparticus]

Private property and private land is just that private people should have no more rights than anyone else to show up and leave a mess for someone else to clear up

Just because I disagree doesn't mean I'm naive

Travelling is not a religion it's a lifestyle choice

[Drabarni]

Passthecherrycoke

I find your posts very short and to the point, and of course hit the nail on the head.

Whether Roma/ Romany (same thing) or Irish traveller, this sort of sums it up for me.

[Passthecherrycoke]

Religion is a lifestyle choice too

[Passthecherrycoke]

What wonderful music! Such a rich history of folk music in travelling communities also

[woodhill]

The councils also take common land from residents as well unlawfully it seems.

HS2 has done this in places.

I thought certain travellers from Ireland came to the UK because it has become difficult for them to travel around in Southern Ireland and it was not as bad in the UK.

[Drabarni]

passhecherrycoke

Tbh, I feel worried for family and friends. I'm ok Jack as have a house, but those poor buggers who don't.
Post Brexit I can see one of two things happening.
Either travellers being forced to lose their identity and lifestyle
Or a huge movement to set the record straight, and to gain better rights and conditions for travellers.
I'm worried for Roma in this country, they are still very much a part of the same culture.
Travellers are used to persecution, I'm not sure there's a time in our long history not to have seen it. But soon we'll have no rights and we need to stand up for what's right.
There is so much work to be done when the first thing people associate with travellers is a disgusting mess, because it's how they perceive us. I don't blame them I would be the same, it's racist when people tar us all with the same brush, or think it's confined to one group.

[woodhill]

Where was that Cherry?. I think I have an idea. We are very fortunate in the UK to have religious freedom

[Passthecherrycoke]

It was Russia

[woodhill]

Yes, the Communists couldn't stop belief. I was also thinking of China.

[Drabarni]

www.travellerstimes.org.uk/news/2019/02/lancashire-travellers-worried-about-losing-homes-council-set-consult-site-sell

And here's another one, where will they go?

[TacoLover]

Yes, it's a bodily fluid and considered Marime. The men aren't involved with childbirth, very similar to the past when men paced the corridors with a cigar.

Lovely, isolating women on their period because they are 'dirty'.

[Drabarni]

No, the bodily fluid is dirty, not the women.
It's great you get away from the men for a bit and spend time with your sisters and other female family. They do your work for you as well if you are a traditional family.
Romany are very family orientated, family comes first.
Not individuals, or children but the family as a whole.
The eldest male is the head followed by the next male and so on.
It's like a game of chess when I visit some family members.

[Drabarni]

Taco

Have a look at the caste system, tis nothing new it's been a culture for 100's of years.

[Drabarni]

thousands should sy, not hundreds

[Varric]

Just because it's around for a long time hat doesn't make it okay.

[Drabarni]

Erm, it does if that's your culture.
There's a lot of the gorger belief system and norms that Romany find strange or different, or even not ok by their standards.
But I for one won't challenge other people's systems and belief, especially if it doesn't bother me, why should I?
There's quite a lot of the culture I have left but some I have kept, that's fine as I married a gorger.
Had I married Romany my life would have been that of the Romany.
This can't be difficult to understand, surely?

[LuckySeventhWave]

I can tell a gypsy. It’s a feeling I get. They have a look in their eye! They’re clever at reading people and can get your measure instantly. A bit like you can tell a practising witch when you meet them. There’s just something fascinating and mysterious about them.

The rest of the time their accent gives it away (Irish travellers anyway), their confidence, their staccato speech speed, the way they dress their babies and toddlers. Maybe I’m generalising but I’ve only met a few.

I once went with a new date to Dozmary Pool on Bodmin in Cornwall to meet up with his gypsy family. They were in proper old fashioned wagons. I immediately felt at home and unjudged, and a great unspoken sense of protectiveness being around them, as if I’d always be safe.

We dated a few more times before he disappeared off the face of the earth, and not long after I dated another man who turned out to be gypsy. He also did a runner, not unexpected mind you. I shrugged it off. I was quite a gullible young woman and only later realised the trip to Bodmin was drug running, he’d probably taken me along so that if the police stopped us he could blame it all on me. He was a lot older than me, I was in my 20s and he was 50s probably pushing 60.

I like to call this period of my life ‘those times I ran away with the gypsies’.

[Drabarni]

Lucky

That was most unlucky
There are a few stereotypes in there, but that is what you experienced the same as others who have posted their experiences.

This is a classic example if you don't mind me using it.
You say nice things, you felt safe you give positives.
Even though they both treated you pretty badly.

Travellers don't want to shout racist every time somebody says something that is true and sharing their bad experiences. In every culture, race, creed, there are good and bad.

It's the out and out racism, bullying, discrimination, and fear in some cases. I don't feel safe in my van, I'd be scared to take our gd other than on a holiday at a holiday park.
We never spend long filling up or shopping at supermarkets, because it's too scary.
The kids are sometimes lovely and come and ask questions, but some are just hostile the minute you park.
None of my immediate or extended family have ever parked illegally, made or left a mess, or any of the other things associated with travellers, I know it does happen though, I'm not stupid.
Regardless of what society thinks of our culture and lifestyle we need to initiate change in the outcomes for travellers, and stamp out racism.

Oh, some info on being able to read you.
Stems from having to be wary of gorgers, being cautious.
Checking you over and reading you, in order to give you counsel if you need it, like a wise old woman that she probably was.
So you could cross her palm with silver
That's how my ancestors made their money.
There was none of this woo stuff, and crystal balls, like gorgers are lead to believe.
Lots of herbal remedies, crafts, oracle reading, and advice on personal matters. In a nutshell.

[Varric]

Erm, it does if that's your culture

In some cultures it's okay for men to beat and rape their wives, for gay people to be shunned, for other races to be seen as inferior, for FGM to be carried out on young girls. It's not okay just because it's someone's culture.

[Drabarni]

for other races to be seen as inferior

You got it, racism, the subject of the thread.
My culture does no harm to anyone, does yours?

[whiteroseredrose]

Hi Drabarni.

The people being evicted in Lancaster is dreadful. I'm sure people in council housing wouldn't be evicted. Properties would be properly maintained.

The problem is that there is little sympathy due to the common perception that I mentioned earlier of mess and tax avoidance. Many people will have personally seen the mess left behind when travellers move on (the same way that many people will know a small potatoes benefits cheat - very few actually know a multi million tax avoider) so that is the focus.

People need to know that in the majority of cases myths are just that, myths. No idea how though!