3 Nov
2015
3 Nov
'15
12:13 p.m.
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.
John Meechan
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
From: Harris Lapiroff via Callers
Sent: 03 November 2015 19:22
To: Donald Perley
Cc: callers
Subject: Re: [Callers] Gypsy perception
To quote the Gypsy Council website 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."
On Tue, Nov 3, 2015 at 2:16 PM, Donald Perley via Callers
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I'd say I'm putting it in the context of a bigger picture, in multiple
dimensions.
I would call diving right into which phrase should replace gypsy
before there is any agreement that it should be replaced
passive-aggressive.
Go ahead and discuss.. as someone else posted, a national group in
Britain uses the term in their web address
http://www.gypsy-association.co.uk/ so maybe you can pop in there and
ask whether they find others using the term in a non-derogatory way
offensive.
Personally, I look at the situation with African-Americans. There
have been many iterations of a term being offensive and deemed
impolite. A new term comes into use, but if the same people hold the
same ill feelings with the new term, it also becomes derogatory in a
few years. Rinse and repeat; you haven't fixed anything.
If a term has its roots in disparagement, (say, "nigger" as a
demeaning variation on negro) then it is offensive from the start. I
don't think that's the case with gypsy.
On Tue, Nov 3, 2015 at 11:22 AM, Ron Blechner <contraron(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Donald,
I am reading your comments as an attempt solely at shutting up other people.
Is this your intent? It also comes off pretty passive aggressive. That is
*not* appreciated and *not* helpful.
Disagree all you like, but if you don't want to participate in a discussion,
please don't interfere with others who do.
Respectfully,
Ron Blechner
On Nov 3, 2015 9:06 AM, "Donald Perley via Callers"
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> On Mon, Nov 2, 2015 at 10:42 AM, Aahz Maruch via Callers
>
> > I have to admit that technically your argument is correct WRT me, but
> > that's because I haven't been contra dancing at all (except for Queer
> > Contra Dance Camp). Instead, I've been focusing my time/energy on
> > learning to call MWSD, which leaves this as my only outlet for contra
> > dancing. ;-)
>
> Like I said, more into the crusade than the dance.
>
> While we're at it, more offensive terms that may need replacing:
>
> Chain - represents slavery
> Cast(e) - discrimination affecting a billion Indians
> Swing - derogatory term for swapping sexual partners.
>
> I notice that in quotes from the original complainant who spurred this
> subject, he never claimed to be Roma himself, and it was a little
> unclear whether he was more offended by just the term gypsy, or the
> implication that same-gender gypsies would be flirting with each
> other.
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