BarkellWH -> RE: Documentary on the Roma and a segment on Flamencos in Spain (Mar. 7 2011 13:58:11)
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Bill, it sounds to me like you've already made up your mind about a whole lot of people that you've never met. If you're theorizing to make some kind of point, that's fine. If you're making some kind of evaluation of other people's moral standards, that's dangerous. Three quick points in response. A. I was responding to Sean's statement regarding Gypsies' deliberate choice not to integrate in the society in which they have chosen to relocate. B. I did not, and do not, make any value judgment regarding Gypsies', or any other peoples', moral standards. I simply stated that when one immigrates to a new country, one should observe the basic rules and broad cultural mores of the society in which one has chosen to live. C. While I have not met recent gypsy immigrants to the UK, France, Italy, and other European countries, I am somewhat familiar with the Gypsy culture. I lived for two years (1974-1976) in Bulgaria, during which time I became acquainted with the Gypsy culture in Bulgaria (which was rigorously suppressed by Todor Zhivkov's hardline Communist government). I also was tangentially acquainted with Gypsies during trips to Greece, and, surprisingly, I met some Gypsies in Valparaiso, Chile, while living in Santiago, Chile for three years (1987-1990). This, of course, does not make me an expert on Gypsies, which I most assuredly am not. Neither, I would guess, are many on this forum taking the opposite point of view. Cheers, Bill
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