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The main difference between racism against gypsies and antisemitism is, that most antisemitic people are to afraid to stand to their prejudice because the publi

by phaer 12y ago

The main difference between racism against gypsies and antisemitism is, that most antisemitic people are to afraid to stand to their prejudice because the public climate is against them whereas racism against gypsies is completely socially accepted in big parts of Europe, especially in the east and south. But around a quarter of the population beliefs in anti-semitic stereotypes if asked directly, according to studies in Austria and it's much, much worse in Hungary or Greece for example. And Gypsies can't be "responsible for their sad image" as a whole because nobody is responsible for their ethnicity. Responsibility for prejudice lies at the racists who can't see people as individuals. One aspect might be that Gypsies in general aren't very visible in large parts of Europe except in stories about criminals.

Swizec 12y ago
To add to this point, the phrase "Don't be such a jew"[1] is widely accepted as a thing to say in large parts of Europe. It's probably got a lot to do with the fact that there simply aren't (m)any jews in large parts of Eastern and Germanic Europe. First time I interacted with somebody who identifies as jewish was when I came to the US. This makes it easier for long-standing stereotypes to stay put because nobody is there to challenge them or give you a different experience than what is passed down through oral tradition. [1] it roughly means something along the lines of "Don't be so calculative with money, be more generous, don't count pennies"
guard-of-terra 12y ago
"nobody is responsible for their ethnicity" But you might be responsible for not setting yourself apart from poisonous culture prevalent within your ethnicity. I know a few people of Gypsy descent, they're assimilated perfectly well into the society we're in (for multiple generations I should add). It is sad when they're confronted with stereotypes about culture they are not defined by, but the only constructive solution to this is changes to said poisonous culture. Do this and prejudice goes away fast.
rmc 12y ago
It's also interested to look at the history of the Holocaust and the Nazis. They gassed the Roma/Gypises as well as the Jews.

by phaer 12y ago

Swizec 12y ago

To add to this point, the phrase "Don't be such a jew"[1] is widely accepted as a thing to say in large parts of Europe. It's probably got a lot to do with the fact that there simply aren't (m)any jews in large parts of Eastern and Germanic Europe. First time I interacted with somebody who identifies as jewish was when I came to the US. This makes it easier for long-standing stereotypes to stay put because nobody is there to challenge them or give you a different experience than what is passed down through oral tradition. [1] it roughly means something along the lines of "Don't be so calculative with money, be more generous, don't count pennies"

guard-of-terra 12y ago

"nobody is responsible for their ethnicity" But you might be responsible for not setting yourself apart from poisonous culture prevalent within your ethnicity. I know a few people of Gypsy descent, they're assimilated perfectly well into the society we're in (for multiple generations I should add). It is sad when they're confronted with stereotypes about culture they are not defined by, but the only constructive solution to this is changes to said poisonous culture. Do this and prejudice goes away fast.

rmc 12y ago

It's also interested to look at the history of the Holocaust and the Nazis. They gassed the Roma/Gypises as well as the Jews.