well, 17th, I'm learning lots about u man... first I learn ur an ex-JW, and now, ur a NIMBY... lol...
seriously though... u ask-"What are your views on the Gypsy?
Does crime rate rise? Do they steal? Do they dodge taxes? Do they even have jobs?"
imho... really we should make a distinction from new age travellers and gypsies, and then between the different type of gypsy... the word gypsy itself is considered derogatory, and so ppl tend to use the word Roma now, but I like the word gypsy, so I'm sticking with it...
real gypsies have been around for a long time, they tend to keep where they live clean... the local council should by rights allot a little land for travellers to use, although when they do it's usually a scabby patch of concrete without facilities...
new age travellers, on the other hand, are a pain in the nether regions, there's a general lack of respect for others and lots of heavy drinking and hard drugs, lighting fires and generally being a nuisance... society's drop outs, they are, in the main, however romantically they talk about life on the road, life on the road in this country is crap- it's cold, and ppl hate u...
realistically, there's lots of "gypsies" about- approximately 21,000 Irish "Pavees" in Ireland, although Ireland doesn't recognise them as a anything more than a social group, in England and Wales they have rights as a minority ethnic group, and according to estimates there's around 15,000 of them in England, most of which now live in houses...
romany gypsies, aka "the Roma", worldwide, number some 8-10 million, they originated from the Punjab and Rajasthan regions of India, and they migrated to Europe and North africa via Iran in about 1050 AD...
yes, gypsies have a reputation for stealing, but they are in fact these days far more likely to be involved in building scams, offering neighbour's work and then not doing the job or doing the job badly and running off with the money... these days it's usually roofing and tarmac-ing, but they can turn their hand to other things should the mood take them...
they are not likely to burgle your house or mug you, though, although they might turn their hand to the odd bit of shoplifting should they have to, and if you leave something lying around, they might well take it, but that happens everywhere...
as for dodging taxes- unless ur a settled traveller u do not need to pay council tax.. unless u have a real job u do not need to pay income tax either, and so they're not doing anything that the law doesn't allow...
traditionally, of course, gypsies worked copper, fixed tin, sold clothes pegs and bits of cloth door to door, kept horses, told fortunes, travelled with the fair, didseasonal work picking hops, and fruits, etc, etc, yet most of these traditional ways of making money are no longer open to the traveller, and he still has to eat...
ur still entitled to welfare benefits, as a traveller, and probably most of them claim something, which will keep them fed, at least, but it doesn't pay for diesel for ur van and it won't stretch to many gas bottles in the winter, so, what do u do? there's only so much lucky heather and good luck charms you can sell in the town centre, after all...
not so long ago where I live a little gypsy boy was killed by a gang of scally kids, for no other reason than the kid was a gypsy... they had befriended him and then killed him... most gypsy kids don't go to school, as they can't handle the discrimination they recieve... it's not an easy life, but ppl feel that it is their right to live how they choose, and most councils have a worker to deal specifically with travellers, make sure their kids get schooling, ensure communities have access to adequate healthcare, etc etc, but they are a much maligned group, and ppl view them with such suspicion it is no wonder they have become an insular community who dislikes the gorgio...
when we were kids it was a real insult to be called- "gyppo"... sure, being fat and ginger was bad, but to be called a gyppo? it meant u had to play fisticuffs and defend ur honour... lol...
so, 17th... next time, phone the council, rather than the police- they get enough stick from the Law as it is, and probably don't need any more... and well, no doubt u will see them again, as they tend to come back to the same pitches about every two years or so...
course it's ur right to complain, but why complain at all? unless they're stealing from u and urs, leave them alone, man...
or ye shall be thrice cursed!
lucky heather, anyone..?
They are not welcome here.
