[Callers] here it is - sorry

Mon Apr 4 06:54:00 PDT 2016

I also don't want to read any more of Michael's replies, particularly on
this issue (but also on others: see the comparing shadow swings to groping,
etc).  Several people have asked him to stop, but he won't.  But I don't
think "this list isn't working" just because some of us think one person is
rude.

Maybe others disagree, and find his comments helpful.  Great!  To each
their own.  But I can't figure out a way to block receiving his emails
without also blocking quite a bit of other traffic on this list.  Has
anybody else been able to do so?  Moderators, would this be a feature that
could be added?

On Mon, Apr 4, 2016 at 9:43 AM, Ron Blechner via Callers <
callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> I'm really tired of personal attacks here on Shared Weight, and a high
> percentage comes from one person.
>
> I've asked Michael Fuerst to not contact me again. I've already cut down
> my usage, but if we can't trade ideas without having them called "bizarre"
> and "absurd", then this list isn't working.
> On Apr 4, 2016 1:56 AM, "Michael Fuerst" <mjerryfuerst at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Ron:
>>
>> "we're comparing our having fun traveling to various dances to the
>> widespread persecution of an ethnicity (the worst being the Holocaust)."
>>
>> Maybe you do.   No one else uses such  bizarre logic.
>> Conbtradancers as a group are about as left of center  and
>> non-discriminatory in their beliefs as any non-political group gets.
>> Your suggestion is absurd
>>
>>
>> Michael Fuerst      802 N Broadway      Urbana IL 61801      217 239 5844
>>
>>
>> On Sunday, April 3, 2016 8:38 PM, Ron Blechner <contraron at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> That article had a few interesting *new* points, for me.
>> 1. That Roma are in the US, not just Europe, and face continued
>> discrimination.
>> 2. That Roma in the US often don't speak up about their identity out of
>> fear of discrimination.
>> 3. That perhaps the use of "gypsy" as a term isn't as bad as non-Roma
>> self-identitying as "dance gypsies". Roma wander because they are
>> persecuted or can't find work. When we talk about "dance gypsies" beig
>> wandering from place to place, we're comparing our having fun traveling to
>> various dances to the widespread persecution of an ethnicity (the worst
>> being the Holocaust).
>> On Apr 1, 2016 10:03 AM, "via Callers" <callers at lists.sharedweight.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>> I was thinking that very thing, but didn't have any experiences.
>> Something I read recently pointed out that Romani people in Spain proudly
>> refer to themselves as "Gitano" which translates to Gypsy.
>> This is issue is not as cut and dry as many of us would like it to be.
>> Thanks for sharing this story.
>>
>> ******************************************************************************************************
>> Amy Carroll
>> amy at calleramy.com
>> 206-330-7408
>> http://www.calleramy.com/
>>
>>
>> On April 1, 2016 at 9:02 AM Rich Sbardella <richsbardella at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> There are still at least two sides to this argument.  Although I am using
>> the term less and less, I want to relate a recent experience.
>>
>> I was dancing in one of MA biggest contra venues as a caller walked the a
>> dance with a "two eyed" turn.  A dancer in my line became more than a
>> little upset, yelling it "it's a gypsy".  Turns out the dancer is Romani,
>> and the term "gypsy" is one he proudly owns.
>>
>> I do not think the Roma people as a whole have come to a consensus.
>> (For example, The Gypsy Kings proudly use the term as a reference to their
>> heritage.)
>>
>> Rich Stafford
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Apr 1, 2016 at 4:56 AM, Michael Fuerst via Callers <
>> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>> Ms Carroll:
>>
>> Quite frankly a fairly useless article for us.
>> Ms Raessi is "a Romani/Métis researcher and activist" so it seems
>> logical that she dislikes the term gypsy.
>> She  lists alleged myths stereotypes about Romani people
>> Every ethnic group has an associated set of  myths and stereotypes.
>> Every ethnic group tries to purge the negative stereotypes and retain the
>> positive aspects of their heritage.
>> Ms Raessi writes "many people find that using this term is wrong because
>> it perpetuates misinformation about our origins"
>> This makes little sense.     Anyone person bigoted enough to entertain
>> any of her alleged stereotypes has no idea about the origins of Romani
>> people.
>>
>> Ms Raessi writes  "...the term has been used as a racial slur and is
>> loaded with stereotypes ..."
>> Yes the word gypsy has been used to deprecate Romani people but over the
>> years it evolved  to mean a free-spirited or nomadic person.
>> Other ethnic slurs (such as kike, chink, jap or nigger) have not
>> similarly evolved, and thus their use remains offensive.
>> This article discusses some  English words or idioms that evolved from
>> ethnic slurs:
>> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/24/offensive-words-_n_4144472.html
>>
>> The ongoing discussion during the past year of the word gypsy has
>> included claims that some persons of  Romani descent embrace gypsy and its
>> positive aspects of current usage,  most don't care, and some hate the
>> word.   And of course only those who object will speak out.
>> As long the common usage of  gypsy keeps evolving towards a free-spirited
>> or nomadic person, keeping it in the contra lexicon seems appropriate
>>
>>
>> Michael Fuerst      802 N Broadway      Urbana IL 61801      217 239 584
>>
>>
>> On Thursday, March 31, 2016 11:32 PM, via Callers <
>> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> http://bellydanceu.net/culture/520/
>> "What's wrong with the Word 'Gypsy'?"
>>
>> ******************************************************************************************************
>> Amy Carroll
>> amy at calleramy.com
>> 206-330-7408
>> http://www.calleramy.com/
>>
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-- 
David Casserly
(cell) 781 258-2761
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