The western Europe countries with a relatively high Rom density are amongst the more tolerant, while east Europe countries, with the higher number of Roma, are slightly below average but show, interestingly enough, a positive trend (higher Rom density = high tolerance). Therefore, the claim that in Italy there is a reaction to the too high number of Roma starts to look a bit fishy. What’s so special about Italy, then? Somebody particularly malignant could be tempted to answer that Italy is the only EU country with a prime minister with a dominant position in the mass media and a very strong interest first in creating dissatisfaction with the previous government and then in distracting the public from more important issues (for which he has no clue about possible solutions).
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
The Romas Italy Problem
Around the Euroblogosphere the treatment of the Roma in Italy has become an issue. A Handfull of Euros has a good rundown of the situation, the Turko Files and the European Tribune write about the generally bad treatment of the Roma in Europe, the Yellow Stars Blog strongly condemns the Italian Government and Gravitas Free Zone has a very interesting take. Excerpt:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
There are parallels with the treatment of the Roma in Italy and the treatment of the homeless in America.
Both groups are regarded by their societies as "a problem" - and a long with the definition of a group of people as "a problem" is their dehumanization. In other words, not having a home renders a person into a "non-person."
My personal feeling is that this is part of the invasion of American conservative ideas into European politics. It is no wonder that the government in Italy admires the Bush administration and conservative Republicans.
American-style conservatism is not a "kind and gentle" worldview, especially in its view of those that are living in poverty, unemployed and on social assistance. There is no such thing as "compassionate conservatism" - except traditional Christian Democracy, which is being lost at the EPP on the Europe-level.
Doesn't it get old to blame everything on America?
Invasion of American conservative ideas into European politics - as if Europe can't be bigoted toward its minorities on its own. The prejudices toward Roma were there before America, so let's not point the finger across the Atlantic when a little bit of introspection would go a long way.
At least as a philosophy, "compassionate conservatism" is gentle and kind. Its distinguishing characteristic is that it seeks to engage the private sector and civil society - rather than use the state - in an effort to eradicate social ills, such as poverty, unemployment, etc.
Whether it is such in practice is a debatable point
Excuse me, but I don't blame everything on America. America DOES tend to want to "shape the world in its image" and there is such a foreign policy that in intended to put "America first." I also don't blame everything on the the European Union and its elites, Islam in Europe, or "European socialism."
The private sector should (churches and civil society) should help the poor, but where the private sector is limited, the the government must step in to help its own people. Why in God's name are there people sleeping in the streets of American cities, which are small scale armed conflict zones?
The American government's lack of aid to its own people it beginning to resemble the shameful neglect of Latin American nations. Most responsible nations, if they can, show some basic concern for the welfare of their own people. Most of this started with Reagan and the images of "welfare queens sitting around collecting welfare checks." Now, there is NO safety net for Americans that lose their jobs and the ability to obtain schooling and advancement is also drying up!
The American Conservatives are now trying to advance their barbaric and inhuman philosophy to Europe by hijacking the European People's Party, spreading notions about "Islam in Europe," whipping up British nationalism- and spreading false and wrong notions about the European project and the Lisbon Treaty.
Now - notice all of those European leaders that admire the Western side of the Atlantic (and especially George Bush) the most, in Poland, the Czech Republic and these are the same leaders that are trying to hinder the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. Their opposition was predictable!
Also, if you have read the report from the European Roma Rights Centre - this is appalling what is being done to these people in modern Europe. Read the stories about how dwellings are trashed, including elderly women with health problems, people rousted out of their beds a 2AM and parents beaten by police in front of their children. This include taking away infant children without cause.
European Roma Rights Centre Report on Italy
Then, to read that some "sympathize with the Italian Government" is like reading that some sympathized with Slobodan Milosevic for his "Albanian problem" down in Kosovo!
@eslaporte: I agree with you that the republican have had a negative influence on European center-right politics, but only in the area of economics.
For the point I discussed in this post, 8th Circle is right. When it comes to racism Europe is second to none.
I never said that there was no racism in Europe. There is racism and all types of bigotry everywhere at all points in history, but there is no excuse, and there is no excuse for the legalized fascist actions directed exclusively against Roma people.
What is happening in Italy is that the ethnic cleansing of the Roma. The Roma have been the subject of a "emergency decree" against them exclusively and bigotry against the Roma has been given the blessing of the Italian courts. The fingerprinting of Roma people exclusively is reminiscent of past, and is a re-emergence of supposedly forgotten fascism in Europe.
What is happening in Italy is the reemergence of fascism and legalized bigotry directed against the Roma people exclusively - and there is no defense for what Italy is doing to the Roma people!
We have now a fascist regime in Italy - and it must be stopped or it will discredit and undermine Europe. There should be some action taken against Italy - and we should trust that some action will be taken against the fascist regime in Rome.
We should discuss and debate the type of sanctions and legal actions that the European Union can undertake against Italy beyond infringement proceedings for violating community law. There should be some actions up to and including suspension of European Union membership for this type of fascist government in a Member State.
Post a Comment