Slavery in England Today.

[Alt+F4]

And one more thing, don't use slang terms when talking about travellers, it will land you in court

Can I assume that "pikey" is like the "N-word" against criminal, immoral gypsies? Again, Brits (who I love by the way...but not Liz) should really come down hard on these horrible, horrible people.

 

[Rolfe]

I definitely got the "gypsy" message from the BBC report, even if they didn't say so.

I can only imagine their poor victims were too cowed or too uncertain of being able to find alternative accommodation or livelihood to blow the whistle. If you're basically homeless and on the streets, it might be quite difficult to take charge of the situation and move into an unknown future.

Rolfe.

 

[baron]

Can I assume that "pikey" is like the "N-word" against criminal, immoral gypsies? Again, Brits (who I love by the way...but not Liz) should really come down hard on these horrible, horrible people.

Pikey is getting close to the word n***** in terms of acceptance from the establishment. Travellers are now defined as a race so that any criticism of them is treated as racism, regardless of whether the criticism is valid, which it most definitely is when associated with anti-social tendencies and criminality.

 

[Duffy Moon]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-18811079


Sentencing remarks. (pdf)

 

[ddt]

The BBC managed to tell the entire story without once mentioning that the criminals were gypsies. No surprise there.

The Telegraph article spoke of "Travellers", and so did the BBC article Rolfe linked to. In my dictionary Gypsy = Roma/Sinti, but I'm non-native - does the word Gypsy in English also refer to non-Roma/Sinti travelling people?

I don't know what it's like abroad but in the UK the travellers are a bane on their neighbourhoods.

Here, the government has simply outlawed travelling and the trailer parks where they live are distant from residential neighbourhoods.

 

[Rolfe]

Actually, "Irish travellers". Says it all, really.

The sentencing report was an interesting read, explaining that many men actually did leg it pretty quickly, but how a minority were cowed and institutionalised. One young man was openly interviewed on TV. He seemed intelligent and well-educated, and described the situation he encountered at the camp as absolutely bizarre. He was one of the ones who scarpered pretty quick.

Rolfe.

 

[Guybrush Threepwood]

The Telegraph article spoke of "Travellers", and so did the BBC article Rolfe linked to. In my dictionary Gypsy = Roma/Sinti, but I'm non-native - does the word Gypsy in English also refer to non-Roma/Sinti travelling people?

In England in colloquial usage it probably does, here where the non-Roma travellers mainly come from they are referred to as 'members of the travelling community' or more usually 'knackers' if there's no-one from the PC police around.

Here, the government has simply outlawed travelling and the trailer parks where they live are distant from residential neighbourhoods.

You all have to stay in one place all the time? Ooh that's harsh!

 

[ddt]

In England in colloquial usage it probably does, here where the non-Roma travellers mainly come from they are referred to as 'members of the travelling community' or more usually 'knackers' if there's no-one from the PC police around.

Thanks.

You all have to stay in one place all the time? Ooh that's harsh!

I realized the ambiguity of that statement , and would be glad if you'd offer an alternative wording.

More seriously, travellers who can just decide each day to pack their stuff and go live somewhere else are of course anathema to a government that wants to keep a faithful civic registry of its residents.

 

[sphenisc]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-18811079


Sentencing remarks. (pdf)

Thank you for providing that. I have to admit I couldn't face reading all of it.

Too soon guys...

 

[Andy_Ross]

Through an acquaintance I know of a widowed farmer's wife

Oo look an anecdote. It even includes a poor widow woman.

Well, I am convinced.

 

[Alley Cat]

When I spent my summers in Ireland in the 1970s my grandmother always warned us to stay away from the "tinkers". Now we have these disgusting criminals in the U.S. too, but they are less brazen than they appear to be in Britain or Ireland. Why? Because we are bad-ass Americans who would just beat the you-know-what out of the whole community (think Anakin Skywalker and the Sand People). You Brits are just too nice, too liberal!

We're not really. What's happened here, mainly by political design or mistake, is that functioning cohesive communities, some having existed for hundreds of years, have been systematically broken up since the end of WW2. So now, most of Britain doesn't know its next door neighbour. If anyone wants to stand up against a local issue its very hard to find support in the "community". There usually isn't a real community, just a collection of strangers. The media and politicians constantly talk about the "community" but this is wishful thinking. So its become easier to pretend everything is alright, because if it isn't then you're usually a lone voice.

 

[Jim_MDP]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-18811079


Sentencing remarks. (pdf)

Hmmm, and they're cousins. Any chance this will slow the broad brush ridicule of rural Americans?

Sorry... don't know what I was thinking.

 

[Jim_MDP]

More seriously, travellers who can just decide each day to pack their stuff and go live somewhere else are of course anathema to a government that wants to keep a faithful civic registry of its residents.

As a full time RVer (see avatar), it doesn't seem to bother my government very much.

 

[ddt]

As a full time RVer (see avatar), it doesn't seem to bother my government very much.

That's why I wrote the restrictive relative clause "that wants to keep a faithful civic registry of its residents." I specifically meant a resident registration: in Holland, as in many other continental European countries, residents are required to inform the government of their current residence.

 

[baron]

Oo look an anecdote. It even includes a poor widow woman.

Well, I am convinced.

Happily I have not a care in the world for your views.

 

[Jim_MDP]

That's why I wrote the restrictive relative clause "that wants to keep a faithful civic registry of its residents." I specifically meant a resident registration: in Holland, as in many other continental European countries, residents are required to inform the government of their current residence.

Hmmm... here in the US, everyone is a resident of one, and ONLY ONE state at a time, mostly for tax purposes (of course ) social benefits and voting.

Other than that, they really don't give a damn where you physically spend your time (other than reporting earnings, again for taxes, big surprise).

Until, I guess, you drop off the radar and don't maintain a mailing address (at least).

That's not my kind of caravaning.

 

[Alt+F4]

We're not really. What's happened here, mainly by political design or mistake, is that functioning cohesive communities, some having existed for hundreds of years, have been systematically broken up since the end of WW2. So now, most of Britain doesn't know its next door neighbour. If anyone wants to stand up against a local issue its very hard to find support in the "community". There usually isn't a real community, just a collection of strangers. The media and politicians constantly talk about the "community" but this is wishful thinking. So its become easier to pretend everything is alright, because if it isn't then you're usually a lone voice.

Very good observation, especially about how World War II changed Britain. My dad lived in Bristol during the war....some very nasty stuff. It's difficult for communities to come back from something like that.