As I said, I'm sure there's some basis to the Gypsy reputation. I wouldn't want to live around or be associated with people who live that way. BUT I'm not gonna hate everyone that comes from that ethnic background. In the states that would be like saying ALL blacks are drug dealers,murderers,pimps,con artists...whatever....because some are like that.
M2W brought up a goodpoint. Some northern Italians view southerners as nothing but criminals. I have an Italian friend who refuses to travel to Sicily or anywhere south of Rome with me because he sees the south that way. He's never been but repeatedly warns me when I go. He's never made a statement like it but I get the feeling he would react the same way as what we've seen here "A Sicilian got caught in the crossfire....so what.....all criminals anyways"!
I've travelled Sicily a good bit and the south of the boot a little. In fact, all the guys I work with are southerners and are a great group. Never had one bit of trouble and enjoy the south more so than the north.People are friendly and have never been robbed,raped or left for dead. If I had listened to things like that I would've missed out on some great experiences.
So for you guys south of Rome.....does it feel good knowing that some of your own country's citizens (and historically, your own government) view you the same way simply because of where your from? Are ya'll agreeable to that?
I am Italian, and we Italians do not hate Gypsies, at least without a good reason. My mother was a social worker, and followed the cases of minors Gypsies, who were induced to steal from their families in homes, to beg in the streets and other criminal acts, in Rome had discovered their slums in the middle of a park , that poor Rumanian, (Rumanian, not gypsy) in Naples murdered during a shootout between gangs was a person who earned an honest living sounding in the street with his wife, while the gypsies live in slums, rape, steal,make prostitute their daughters, so it's not without reason that we hate them.
