Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Any Jewelry, post: 225498, member: 2844&quot;]I think neither Mansons nor I are up to a writing duel, but I am sure we both led full lives when we had the chance. This makes me sound past it, I&#039;m not, but I don&#039;t expect any interesting experiences to come my way soon. By the way, Mansons is the better writer.</p><p><br /></p><p>About the Gypsies, they are still the most misunderstood nation in the world, and the word Gypsy is often used very loosely (i.e. Irish Gypsies). They have been derided, mistreated and murdered, and still are, because of their ethnicity, yet they are just about the only nation that has never started a war.</p><p>An estimated 1.5 million were murdered by the Nazi&#039;s, something that is often forgotten. To add insult to injury, photographs of Sinti, Manouche and Roma Gypsies are often used to illustrate Jewish suffering during WWII. Not that Gypsies don&#039;t want to be compared to Jews, but their identity is stolen from them. What is worse, is that their departed are portrayed. For many traditional Gypsies,&nbsp; showing photographs of the dead means their souls will have no rest. An example, which the relatives are very hurt about, is a well-known photograph of a Dutch Gypsy girl with a white headscarf on a train. I know her name and I used to know members of her family, and I can only ask everyone, please don&#039;t ever use that photograph.</p><p>My experiences with Sinti and Manouche Gypsies have always been good. It is the same as encounters with any other people in this big world, as long as you&#039;re respectful, view and treat them as fellow human beings, but be mindful of the fact that they have a different culture with different sensitivities, things usually go smoothly. And when you&#039;re invited, dress smartly, it shows respect. I have seen people trying to &#039;go Gypsy&#039; in their dress and never get asked back. Different sensitivities often means very differently with traditional Gypsies. They have very strict laws on cleanliness, purity and impurity, which they clearly brought with them from India.</p><p>I have always found them to be very hospitable, generous, and protective. And they have a wicked sense of humour.</p><p><br /></p><p>I was once invited to the wedding in southern France of a Gypsy girl I was very fond of. I happened to be the first to give her a present, just chance, or not.... Her mother said it meant that I would be married within a year. I told her in that case I would have to meet someone else soon, because my boyfriend had two failed marriages behind him and no intention of ever marrying again.</p><p>I was away from home for a week, my boyfriend hadn&#039;t been able to go with me. When I got back he proposed to me, he said he had missed me too much. We had local Gypsy musicians playing at our wedding, and have been married for 26 years now.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in