“I cannot explain why so many of them have hated us so much over so many years, and even if I could, it would make it too easy for them. They cut our tongues and make us speech-less and then they try to get an answer from us. They do not wish to think for themselves and they dislike those who do.

They are comfortable only with the whip above their heads, yet so many of us have spent our lives armed with little more dangerous than song. I am filled with the memory of those who have lived and died. We have our own fools and evils, but we are pulled together by the hatred of those who surround us. Show me a single patch of land we did not leave, or would not leave, a single place we have not turned from.

And while I have cursed so many of my own, our sleight of hand, our twin tongues, my own vain stupidities, even the worst of us has never been the worst of them. They make enemies of us so that they do not have to look at themselves.

They take freedom from one and give it to another. They turn justice into revenge and still call it by its old name. They expect us to see the future or at least rob its pockets. They shave our heads and say: You are thieves, you are liars, you are filthy, why can’t you just be like us?” - Zoli, Colum McCann

I recently came across the website, MANAA and this picture was very moving to me…

I could understand how asians feel about this, Even though being a beautiful, mysterious woman is very provocative and technically a “Positive Stereotype” just as a Free, Magical and Romantic Gypsy is a “Positive Stereotype” it’s still hurtful to be objectified for something that you cannot control and to answer for ideals that are few and far between.

As a Romani-American, “Gypsies” have faced a LOT of Racial “Romanticism” at best and Prejudice and Hate at worst. The Term Gypsy, Tzigane, and Zigeuner are derogatory terms that have stuck and since the culture is small and hidden, these racial slurs have been used as proper identification and to further the folklore-like facade of Romani people, thus leaving them ostracised by default.

This is why It’s been difficult for me to speak up about my Heritage, I feel as if I have too much to answer for, there’s too much hatred and ignorance to take on and since it seems that so many Romani people would rather maintain their secrecy then to proclaim their pride, this has gone on for too long.

I feel more motivated to speak up now because I feel more confident in who I am and what I contribute to the world. Being born in a world that is intolerant of your elusive race makes one feel shameful, hidden and thus, small - I feel more empowered about who I am now because I am not just a “Gypsy”, I am a child of the universe living amongst others who inhabit such a role and I feel as if I could make people empathize with the plight of the Romani People and to appreciate the culture not through guilt, ego or arguments but through what defeats all racism and intolerance; love, powered by my genuine motive for acceptance and unity in society.

So many “Reality” TV shows have the word “War” in them… Trying to glorify violent, insignificant opposition as healthy and ideal.

I hate when people claim to be pro-population control when I know they’d be shitting bricks if they were the ones who were in the middle of a war or just realized they had been fatally inoculated or poisoned.

It’s easy to say “We need less people on the planet”, when you think of people as statistics or numbers. They’re not, We all have the right to exist on this planet no matter what color, class or function.

I just hate that mindset, that’s what the government sees us as and now we’re policing ourselves into believing this hateful and spiritually ignorant crap. It just breeds so much selfishness and other dangerous thought-traits that only help to pollute the planet with negativity and it also makes me feel like ‘Gee, if you really are so passionate about it, KILL YOURSELF’ but I don’t because it’s not my right to say what should live or die.

Palm Readings I’ve had seem to imply that I’m eventually going to go insane.

It seems most people just seek out enlightenment to be ‘better’ than others or ‘advance’ past the shell of mediocrity. The latter is all well and good but I want to seek evolution to help humanity, not to use it to further seclude myself into some ‘special awakened’ club of one member.

Going by my gut, I feel true enlightenment starts with striping away the idea of anyone else being different and tapping into our one consciousness and awareness and then using that to cultivate a warmth towards everyone else. It’s not about judgement or standards, it’s about having a true love towards life that comes through in a natural and peacefully primitive way. Like how nature is both raw and harmonious at the same time.

As a Romani-American woman, it’s funny to me that the only TV Shows featuring Gypsies have only showcased “White” gypsies, (e.g., My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, The Riches).