what is a gypsy?

Originally posted by metalmessiah
I wasnt sure exactly where to post this but figured I would get the most educated answers here.

I wonder what you think of that assumption now.

Try wikipedia as a decent on-line resource for basic information about the world and people and places.

en.wikipedia.org...

Nathraq
Europe is suffering from selective memory. So's the whole world. People forget those bits about their cultural heritage that are incompatible with current doctrine. Look at the supression of the Native Americans (just one example chosen at random from many). They would say white men were bad for this country. White men thought indians were bad for this country. You think gypsies are bad for Europe? I think Europe is bad for gypsies.

MaskedAvatar
Are you saying there was no good information provided on this thread? I thought there was, along with the usual bigotry and misinformation. That won't ever go away until, well, it really does cease to exist. If you're referring to my heated reaction, wait till you see my voodoo...

Originally posted by akilles
I disagree that giving up your Gypsy name on the internet is the same as posting personal information.

For one thing, it is useless contextual information, in the sense that no one will use the Gypsy name given in person, when speaking with said person.

It would be the same as me sharing my NICKNAME! (its Akilles, btw)

The problem with Gypsies and others I have pissed off (as stated by stalkingwolf) is that they deal with me through their 'guard', and expect me to respond 'unguarded'.

These groups hide behind their Hive Mentality, and attack from its safe confines, and then ask to not be discriminated against, they rage against NOT being treated as an INDIVIDUAL. Guess what, Brothers, you aren't!

I didn't realize I was doing so much ducking and weaving during the course of our conversation. I think you're confusing gypsies with ninjas, hiding and attacking from the shadows and all that assorted melodrama.

Your problem with gypsies is that we hide behind hive mentality (the hive was destroyed! the escape pods are thankfully working..)and we attack from the safe confines of our groups (more so than ANY other group - no.)?

How funny you should say that, because that's the excuse Hitler used for his criminalization of the gypsies. We were too unpredictable, too much of an unknown, so he consumed the lions share of my ancestors, pretty much erased the entire culture save isolated pockets and lone wolves.

And it all stemmed from one little generalization.. Just for that, I'm gonna put a gypsy curse on you.

I'm not an individual... Eat Voodoo evil-doer!

See, your hand is tilted, but I'm still a mystery to you. Do you like my Gypsy Voodoo?

Dude! If I call you by your nickname, call me by mine! Damn! ("Why you gotta treat me like I'm inferior just cause I'm on the grill, B? Damn!") I've had the same name online since I was like 12, it's always been me, what's wrong with it in this instance? It is my gypsie name in a way, and my real name in a way, and my new name, and my old name. It's a lot of names, all rolled into one. I'm sure if you go looking for meaning in my name you'll find all kinds, but then again, if you go looking for anything, you'll always find something. It's been good enough for me for the last decade and a half, it's gonna have to be good enough for you.

The information on Roma, as posted, was accurate, but gypsy roots aren't limited to Romania and Hungary. Gypsy blood goes farther back than any of the powerful religions want to publicize. Just like the Jews, gypsies come in all shapes and degrees. There are ethnic, religious/spiritual, family (name) by marriage, modern cultural gypsies, and various combinations thereof. My heritage is gypsy but I'm really more of a modern cultural gypsy paradigm programmed meat-shell, and there are many who adopt the lifestyle and creed without any gypsy blood.

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
MaskedAvatar
Are you saying there was no good information provided on this thread?

You will see that I was interested in how the author's "assumption" was tested out, a question that could be answered by the author, then I provided a link to information of reasonable quality.

I did not even reflect that the people who posted that gypsies are nomadic thieves who pollute their habitat are, in that analogy, the gypsies of ATS.

RCC - Roman Catholic Church

Originally posted by MaskedAvatar
I did not even reflect that the people who posted that gypsies are nomadic thieves who pollute their habitat are, in that analogy, the gypsies of ATS.

Niiiiice.

Originally posted by MaskedAvatar

Originally posted by metalmessiah
I wasnt sure exactly where to post this but figured I would get the most educated answers here.

I wonder what you think of that assumption now.

Try wikipedia as a decent on-line resource for basic information about the world and people and places.

en.wikipedia.org...

I think I stand corrected honestly, there are a few tibits I found useful but the majority of the thread turned into recycled stereotypes. there were several members in particular that I was hoping would join the discussion that did not. there were more than several that I feel are worthy of adding to the "ignore" list. I guess those who felt the need to post inflamatory remarks about gypsies either feel that perpetuating these stereotypes somehow makes them better or they think I live under a rock somewhere and had never heard any of it before. unfortunately for me I was looking for truth rather than bigotry. overall I'm not really surprised. seems to be the general direction this whole site is headed in I do regret that this thread may have left WyrdeOne with some ill feelings towards other members that may not have surfaced had I not brought this topic up. on the other hand, maybe it is best that he learns whats in their hearts...

Originally posted by metalmessiah
I guess those who felt the need to post inflamatory remarks about gypsies either feel that perpetuating these stereotypes somehow makes them better or they think I live under a rock somewhere and had never heard any of it before.

I think the people you're talking about lack even the most basic understanding of their own thought process. Maybe I'm mistaken, but it seems as though most people in the world take their consciousness for granted, they don't even stop to wonder if the opinions they express are really their own. At least the arguments are weak and tired, and easily crushed by those who possess the will to do so.

Originally posted by metalmessiah
I do regret that this thread may have left WyrdeOne with some ill feelings towards other members that may not have surfaced had I not brought this topic up. on the other hand, maybe it is best that he learns whats in their hearts...

No worries. If their character wasn't illuminated by this discussion, it would have been through another. I know the nature of man, too well. I've lived in many places, been through many ordeals, and seen the absolute worst humanity has to offer. Still, we have enormous potential as a species, and one day we might even realize it.

There is a group of people who have an encampement about 2 miles down the road from me. Everybody around here calls them gypsies


Most are crooks and thieves

Originally posted by crackaboy
There is a group of people who have an encampement about 2 miles down the road from me. Everybody around here calls them gypsies


Most are crooks and thieves

The word gypsy has been a word to degrade people for a long time. Are you saying these people are gypsies or called them.

OK, let me clear this up abit, I am originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina and trust me we have alot of Gypsies there and all over the Balkans and Europe, so I do know something about them. Now no one can be certain as to where the Gypsies come from, their roots go back hundreds or thousands of years ago, and them being nomadic doesn't help trying to figure out where they're from, however I generally believe they are traced back to the Middle East or India, part of some large race of nomadic peoples, that for one reason or another decided to disperse and move elsehwere, and there records of such a nomadic race existing in around 100 A.D.

The Gypsies are a completely unique culture, influenced and made up of different religions and beliefs they have absorbed as they have travelled around the world. Gypsies around the world are different from one another, for example, Russian Gypsies have a very different culture than Italian Gypsies and so on as they have spread throughout the world and absorbed many different cultures. The Gypsies physical appearance does suggest however they were originally at one time from the Middle East, India or Northen Africa and so on, as they generally have black hair, deeply tanned skin, and have features that resemble Arabic, Indian or Middle Eastern people. Also I believe they're DNA and genes are very similar to Middle Eastern people's, however it's a longshot in deciding exactly where they are from.

They speak a unique language, made of different languages they have been influenced by in their nomadic lifestyle, and different gypsies from different countries will speak different dialects and such. It's said to be language similar to Turkish or Hungarian, however most gypsies speak dialects depending where they are from, so it's hard to tell where it might have orignated from because it's so diverse.

Gypsies also have their own belief system, unlike any other religion, and is related more to astrological and mythical beliefs. They believe in spiritual healing, more than one god, prophets, fore-telling, and some aspects of their beliefs relates to the occult and things like witch-craft and so on. Their religion is a blend of many different cultures and is again completely unique.

The Gypsies have now migrated all over the world, and many live normal, western lives like us and reside in places like the USA, Australia, England, and so on. However alot of Gypsies still live their traditional, nomadic lifestyle and many still travel from country to country, trying to earn money. Europe still has the largest Gypsie population, and they can be found all over Europe, although they're mainly found within Eastern Europe and the Balkans. They have migrated all over the world and as a result there are many different types of Gypsie's. European Gypsies, Arabic Gypsies, Indian and the list goes on, and while they do share many things in common, Gypsies are all very unique people, which is what makes them such an interesting culture.

The Gypsie Culture is characterised by being Nomadic, moving from town to town, earning money by selling crafts, hand-made goods, trading in the traditional style, fortune-telling, they also have their own unique festivals and celebrations and have a very vivid music and dress sense, which is a mixture of all the cultures they have been influenced by. They sometimes perform shows in towns or sell their own special foods, which again is a blend of everything, and they always maintain their own close-knit communities that travel together. Usually a community or group of gypsies will comprise of several different Gypsie families who all travel together and maintain a close-knit "family" relationship with each other. This is not to say Gypsies are an isolated and distant peoples, as many do settle in certain areas to live permanently and become absorbed into that country's population. Also, Gypsies are a very friendly people, as their whole life of nomadicness and bartering depend on others they have learned to become very hospitible. They will even let people stay with their family if someone is in need of help or will be happy to talk to foreigners and tell them about their culture. They are generally a nice and good race, who stay out of trouble and only want to get by to survive so they can prosper, they live a wonderful, happy life with their own customs and beliefs and are usually not bound by the laws of nations and such like we are.

Modern gypsies still remain the same today, living the same nomadic life as their ancestors did before them. However, in modern times persecution of the Gypsies has become a problem, and like many indigenous races around the world, they been have mistreated, thrown out of their native areas, and have been given a general image of a bad, evil and distrustful race, which is by no means true. After the persecution of them during WW2, alot of Europe's Gypsie population have been wiped out, and since then many have gone abroad to the Western World to settle down or have moved away from Europe. Most of Europe's gypsies nowadays live in Eastern Europe (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Moldova, Rumania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia, Western Russia and most of the "Balkans").

However during this persecution of them, which has lasted for centuries, the Gypsies have gotten a bad reputation and many people seem them as homeless, lazy, and simply beggars, which is nothing like the Gypsies. Because of this, many governments in Europe and around the world, dislike the Gypsie Race, because they don't work and simply move around from place to place and see them as useless people, so in many places around Europe they have been denied basic rights, like being able to work, freedom of belief and speech and have in some cases been deported out of countries or sent to jail or hard labour simply because their culture is so different and they don't fit in other societies. This persecution has degraded many Gypsies and forced them to survive by begging, theft, and other bad things which do not truly represent the Gypsie Culture, and is something they would never do, but simply show how far these poor people have been pushed around and abused and that they lack the basic needs for survival and are being mistreated.

It's a shame such a thing is happening, as the overall Gypsie population is declining and these people, in one way or another are being abused, killed, forced to leave a country or simply dying because they are being denied basic rights that all human beings should have. The Gypsie Race should not be looked down upon as they are generally good people, but they need our help otherwise we may even lose the once thriving Gypsie Culture that has long being associated with Europe and other parts of the world and that has enriched and taught us alot about life, these people should not be seen as an evil, secret society, but as any other indigenous people around the world, who are always being persecuted and mistreated, and who have given us so much but get so little from us. Fortunately many aid agencies around the world help the Gypsies where they are being persecuted, and many new freedoms are being granted to these people around the world, and the governments of the world are finally starting to realise that we cannot just avoid these people, and that they are human, just like us.

There is my opinion...

P.S. I've met alot of Gypsie's in Bosnia and they're very nice, friendly people who enjoy all the same things we do, and just want to be accepted. I even know of some Gypsies who live here in Australia!

Originally posted by The Godfather of Conspira
However during this persecution of them, which has lasted for centuries, the Gypsies have gotten a bad reputation and many people seem them as homeless, lazy, and simply beggars, which is nothing like the Gypsies. Because of this, many governments in Europe and around the world, dislike the Gypsie Race, because they don't work and simply move around from place to place and see them as useless people, so in many places around Europe they have been denied basic rights, like being able to work, freedom of belief and speech and have in some cases been deported out of countries or sent to jail or hard labour simply because their culture is so different and they don't fit in other societies.

Ok, so fist of all, I have lived in Eastern Europe for many years to form an opinion about the gypsies. From my personal experience I define gypsies as lazy, dirty beggars who don't want to work. When they are offered a job, they don't want to take it because appearently they are better off just popping out children and filing unemployed. Basicaly they are like leaches, getting advantage of the government, getting free housing in parts of the city.
Small children are tought how to steal, 5 year olds gather in groups and attack a pedestrian with pocket knives.
Now, at last, I don't know about them being the best fortune tellers etc., they just got this mystical image from the movies. They are magical in a sense, though, they know how to trick people, they are dishonest and they steal.

To say something good about them, they are damn good musicians!!!

Bigoted trash.

You know them all I guess. You've eaten with them, trusted them, and spoken with them all, each and every one. Right? I mean, how can you form an opinion about such a large and diverse group otherwise?

Oh..assumptions..I get it. You think you know everything there is to know about these people...

Hmmm..this rebuttal is probably unnecessary, given the obvious nature of your prejudice...

Your delivery could use some work too..maybe make you at least appear smarter than the people you're #ting on...

Then again..they say you can tell a man's character by his enemies..so that begs the question, can you quantify the value of a race or creed judging by the elements that seek to badmouth and destroy them? I think so...

sorry, if i offended you WyrdeOne, i was only talking about my own experiences, which were not good with the gypsies. I didn't say all of them are that way, but unfortunatelly, the ones that are lazy and don't want to work give the bad reputation to the whole culture.

sorry to disapoint you, but the majority of people in Eastern Europe don't have a glorious opinion of them (and they are the ones who interact with the gypsies daily)

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
I think Europe is bad for gypsies.

You think so? Well then why did migrate there if it's so bad for them?
Europe would be happy if they went back to the place they came from.

I take your comments as racist, ignorant, and stupid midnight_fairy.

Europe would be better if all the immigrants from the middle east and asia went back to their homes, even after more than 14 centuries of inhabiting Europe... Then all you white folks could have all the land right?

That's what you are saying, your logic is simple and your words very clear.

It's people that think the way you do that cause wars.

The earth belongs to no one. Only culture belongs to you. You know nothing about Gyspy culture, you probably know nothing of your own culture too.

There are theives and liars and beggars and wanderers in every culture.

You think there are more in Gypsy societies because they are inherently evil? If you think this

YOU ARE EVIL

[edit on 27-5-2005 by 00PS]

thank you for your comment OOPS, i have nothing against immigrants of any race if they are civilized and want to contribute by living a life that is expected in the certain country. However, if they live a lazy life and only expect the government to pay for their food and living, it makes me really angry.
it is true, they are lazy people in every culture, but this post was about the gypsies. "what is a gypsy?" it doesn't say: "if you have a bad opinion about gypsies, say something bad about your culture too"
i was only answering the question and not based on silly movies, but from MY OWN EXPERIENCE. i can't change it, it has happened.

now, what do YOU know about gypsies, are you one of them, you know some nice families?? if yes, you base it on your own experience, but if not, how do you really know how they live, what they do, etc. if you never met them

I am Gypsy so what? If I go and make a thread, What is a White person or What is a black person, it's really pointless and stupid.

And anyone that comes in and shares their negative experiences like you in the way you did is racist, a bigot and not welcomed in a community that is based around education.

Your point was racist.... will you admit to it?

Alright. A little chillin is needed right now.

You think so? Well then why did migrate there if it's so bad for them?
Europe would be happy if they went back to the place they came from.

The meaning of this is that White people would be more happy when Colored people leave or are exterminated....

I think Hitler said German would be happy when the Jews go back to the place they came from... Was the author of this comment German by any chance?

Facist?

Racist?

National Socialist?

- I won't apologize. I'm pissed off that moderators don't deal with this #!

As I wrote the last post so did a mod...

Chilling...

How about dealing with the actualy situation....

Racist comments aren't welcome here!