First refferences of Roma people appear in Romanian teritory around 15 cetury. A big part of them were slaves in Romania before the abolition on the slavery between 1833 and 1854( the movement movement to abolish slavery was a gradual process with first important movements at the end of the 18th century, which ended in England and France around 1848, and in US in 1865).
And this wdnesdqy (26 august 2009) Madonna had a concert in Bucarest. 60000 people assisted. And she tried to launch a tolerance message . The crowd responded in a shamefull way … they booooed her. Why ? They her message as a reproach … as she was accusing them of being racist. Well, just a part of the crowd responded by boooing …. let’s say 20%. But this is enough. Because this is the answer of somebody who doesn’t accept criticism and his guilt.
As a Romanian I know very well what’s happening in romania. At least 10 to 20% don’t like Romas. Why ? There are multiple answers, some more motivated (“i’ve been robbed 2 times by romas”), but the vast majority just because they have been thought by their parents or their friends that Romas are more often prone to stealing and robery.
I happend to see some otherwise very educated and usually nice persons who manifested straghtforward adversty towards Romas. Imagine that i have friends with high moral standards, except for the Roms. I asked them, how they can be fair in most cases, but totaly hate the roms. And they said they know it’s not right, but that tehy cannont help it : they had been educated from young age to think that and they don’t want , or cannot change.
So a part of the romanians are racist toward Romas. And they don’t accept that. And the are offended that they are called racists.
Well, there is an important part of the romanians which are nont racist(i hope that more than 90%. But this part never stand out, they won’t boo when acused of racism, so you’ll never notice them.
I hope that better education will get this 90% to 100% … and soon.
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