Pope Francis defends Gypsies in Vatican address
Source: Guardian UK
Pope Francis has hit out at prejudice against Gypsies, urging people to stem their suspicion and calling on authorities to help those "at the margins of society" find greater means of integration.
In an address at the start of a five-day meeting in the Vatican on the pastoral care of migrants and itinerant people, the pope noted that Gypsies were sometimes seen with hostility and suspicion and were "barely involved in local political, economic or social dynamics".
In off-the-cuff remarks, he added that he had seen for himself the way in which parts of Italian society regarded them.
"I remember many occasions here in Rome where I would get on the bus and some Gypsies would get on too, and the driver would say: 'Keep an eye on your wallets'. This is scorn; it might be true, but it's scorn," he said, according to quotes reported by the Ansa news agency.
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/05/pope-francis-defends-gypsies-vatican-address
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)The people they're taking about are called Roma or Romani.
uhnope
(6,419 posts)& BTW how about addressing the content instead of the word choice
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)Ouch. With friends like that, the Romani hardly need enemies.
Smarmie Doofus
(14,498 posts)Good god.
Where were the Vatican PR guys?
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)In the UK the term gypsy is not an ethnic slur. Other terms for gypsies here may be.
We don't change our language to suit foreigners.
rug
(82,333 posts)Feron
(2,063 posts)There are also travelers that go under the heading of 'gypsy' as well.
For me at least, it's a lot easier to say 'gypsy' when there is no need to differentiate between the different groups.