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--></style></head><body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p>I am calling in the UK and have had positive feedback from Romany gypsies about using the term ‘gypsy’ and I will continue to do so until I get some advice to the contrary from a Romany gypsy in the UK.</p><p><o:p> </o:p></p><p>John Meechan</p><p><o:p> </o:p></p><p>Sent from <a href="http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986">Mail</a> for Windows 10</p><p><o:p> </o:p></p><p><o:p> </o:p></p><div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p style='border:none;padding:0cm'><br><b>From: </b>Harris Lapiroff via Callers<br><b>Sent: </b>03 November 2015 19:22<br><b>To: </b>Donald Perley<br><b>Cc: </b>callers<br><b>Subject: </b>Re: [Callers] Gypsy perception</p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>To quote the <a href="http://www.gypsy-association.co.uk/gypsy.html">Gypsy Council website</a> you have shared: "In the UK today we are proud to be Gypsy's but in Europe many people regard the term Gypsy as a term of abuse and prefer to be called Roma or to be called by the name of their individual group, such as Kalderash or Sinti."</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>On Tue, Nov 3, 2015 at 2:16 PM, Donald Perley via Callers <<a href="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net" target="_blank">callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>I'd say I'm putting it in the context of a bigger picture, in multiple<br>dimensions.<br><br>I would call diving right into which phrase should replace gypsy<br>before there is any agreement that it should be replaced<br>passive-aggressive.<br><br>Go ahead and discuss.. as someone else posted, a national group in<br>Britain uses the term in their web address<br><a href="http://www.gypsy-association.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.gypsy-association.co.uk/</a> so maybe you can pop in there and<br>ask whether they find others using the term in a non-derogatory way<br>offensive.<br><br>Personally, I look at the situation with African-Americans. There<br>have been many iterations of a term being offensive and deemed<br>impolite. A new term comes into use, but if the same people hold the<br>same ill feelings with the new term, it also becomes derogatory in a<br>few years. Rinse and repeat; you haven't fixed anything.<br>If a term has its roots in disparagement, (say, "nigger" as a<br>demeaning variation on negro) then it is offensive from the start. I<br>don't think that's the case with gypsy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><br>On Tue, Nov 3, 2015 at 11:22 AM, Ron Blechner <<a href="mailto:contraron@gmail.com">contraron@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>> Donald,<br>><br>> I am reading your comments as an attempt solely at shutting up other people.<br>> Is this your intent? It also comes off pretty passive aggressive. That is<br>> *not* appreciated and *not* helpful.<br>><br>> Disagree all you like, but if you don't want to participate in a discussion,<br>> please don't interfere with others who do.<br>><br>> Respectfully,<br>> Ron Blechner<br>><br>> On Nov 3, 2015 9:06 AM, "Donald Perley via Callers"<br>> <<a href="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net">callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a>> wrote:<br>>><br>>> On Mon, Nov 2, 2015 at 10:42 AM, Aahz Maruch via Callers<br>>><br>>> > I have to admit that technically your argument is correct WRT me, but<br>>> > that's because I haven't been contra dancing at all (except for Queer<br>>> > Contra Dance Camp). Instead, I've been focusing my time/energy on<br>>> > learning to call MWSD, which leaves this as my only outlet for contra<br>>> > dancing. ;-)<br>>><br>>> Like I said, more into the crusade than the dance.<br>>><br>>> While we're at it, more offensive terms that may need replacing:<br>>><br>>> Chain - represents slavery<br>>> Cast(e) - discrimination affecting a billion Indians<br>>> Swing - derogatory term for swapping sexual partners.<br>>><br>>> I notice that in quotes from the original complainant who spurred this<br>>> subject, he never claimed to be Roma himself, and it was a little<br>>> unclear whether he was more offended by just the term gypsy, or the<br>>> implication that same-gender gypsies would be flirting with each<br>>> other.<br>>> _______________________________________________<br>>> Callers mailing list<br>>> <a href="mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net">Callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a><br>>> <a href="http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net" target="_blank">http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net</a><br>_______________________________________________<br>Callers mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net">Callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a><br><a href="http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net" target="_blank">http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></blockquote></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div>
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