Why is racism always used in the Gypsy debate.

[Top totty]

I live about 2/3 miles from a peaceful permanent Gipsie caravan park. There are about 20 caravans that have been here for many years, all nicely kept and very private with no trouble. In the last few years a lot of gypsie/travellers (whatever term you want to use) have bought houses very near to this park and they have spent a fortune on the properties (about 15 in total)

They are all surrounded by high wrought iron gates with security lights in every corner and every drive has at least 2/3/4 large caravans on it where extented members of the family live. Since these families have arrived the crime rate has gone through the roof, the local shop is a no go area except for the very hardened few and the local Primary school has been taken over and no child is safe from the bullying and intimidation that takes place every day. The parents are no better than the children with threats of violence every day and total disregard for everyone but themselves with regard to parking etc. I have luckily got my children into a school 8 miles from my village to avoid them having to attend there. Local shops have all been targarated in one way or another and forget visiting the local pub/resturant as they take it over most weekends and spend the time fighting each other and wrecking the place.

There is not one aspect of village life that these people have not trampled all over. Their houses are beautifully kept and we are lucky in that respect as I have seen what can happen but I don't care what race or colour these people are I hate the way they have moved into this village and ruined the peace that we once had. I would not dare challenge them face to face for fear of what would happen to my own property as I was once warned my car would be fire bombed, a complaint to the police did not even get a response.

[JSB]

I'm told that flash cars are easier to obtain if you don't pay tax?

[Kialouanne]

I’m a Romany Gypsy, my family owned a (quite famous) travelling fair for a lot of years until my deceased Grandfather and parents decided to settle down, I have been brought up knowing and respecting my culture, it may be old fashioned, but still it’s my heritage. I have also been brought up to know and respect the people around me, the ‘Gorjer’ community. Now, I am not uneducated– I have been to school and have done ( though with some disapproval from my parents) most of the things that girls do in their early teens and twenties. But I was raised in the a different way that you and will probably use many of those teachings when I bring up my own children.

Many of the travellers that you speak about, do in fact, come from Romany Heritage – there family lines are probably not as pure and many of them were people who were not entertained by the Romany people. Unfortuntely these people are now the ‘norm’ instead of the exception. From a personal point of view I have to stand by and watch as these people ‘ruin’ my culture, watch when the traditions are both mocked and not carried out, watch they use my language as a few ‘words’ throw in with English to defy the police or make other people feel excluded from conversations.

I do not steal, nor do I lie, nor do any of my family. My family are not poor, but that’s through generations of hard work and we are still working now – my brothers own a freight company and my parents own a successful Hackney stud. Yes, we work as a family unit, yes we are very tight and tend to stay close to each other but no, we do not fight for the sake of it or vandalise – far from it, most Gypsy women are extremely house proud and my mother will still go out of her way to pick litter up in the street so as not to make our local ‘area’ look untidy. My family are well known and well liked in my local area

[Kialouanne]

I think they are a disgrace and I back anyone who wants to make a difference but please remember that there a few of us who are trying to protect our heritage and who are a minority but a minority that is law abiding and respectful. I resent being labelled as a pikey because I come from a Romany heritage.