Student knocks on the door and enters. She has a question...
Q, I was wondering, just how many gross racist stereotypes can you
get into one paragraph?
(I scratch my chin, think about it, and then check my e-mail...)
A, I say 'see the section below written by an academic on a mailing
list. I think that answers your question'.
I couldn't write a better parody if I tried...
As someone who teaches and does research in the area of Romani
Studies (not 'gypsy' (sic) studies) I'm particularly offended (but
not surprised) by the remark that 'gypsies (sic) steal with style'.
Most of my Romani friends and colleagues will no doubt be flattered,
in a perverse way, by such a comment. This is the first occasion, I
imagine, where the word 'style' has been included in the statement
that 'gypsies (sic) steal'. I suggest you do some serious reading on
the history of the Romani population and start by looking at Ian
Hancock's book 'The Pariah Syndrome' (Ann Arbor: Karoma Publishers,
Inc, 1987) on the history of Anti-'Gypsyism' and Romani slavery. If
you have problems getting this then read 'The Gypsies' by Angus
Fraser (Blackwell, 1992/1995/1999). The latest edition of this work
has just been published so you should be able to get hold of it quite
easily. I only hope you do get it, then read it and then learn from
it. I have my doubts though....
Still, some of these e-mails will make for good teaching materials on
the 'race' and ethnicity courses I teach here at Newcastle. I'm sure
my students will be surprised to learn that such 'learned' academics
are capable of such stupid, offensive, ill-thought out rubbish. Quite
incredible.
Colin Clark
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
> "Albanians are even worst. They are eternal beggars and stealers with no
> gratitude. Even gypsies steal with style. Albanians no. When you pay an
> Albanian in Greece as illegal worker he will come next day to steal YOU and
> not another who did not pay him. THEY ARE ETHNICALLY CRAZY. They became
> Muslim just not to be taxed by Turks and the half of them surveilled the
> other half as spies. "
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|