Assuming that a gypsy sitting all away across the room is a pickpocket is as wrong as assuming a black dude all the way across the room is a pick-pocket. Sure, some gypsies are crooked. Some of every group is crooked. The gypsies I know raise horses.
Here is what she wrote:
I did notice that she had a Romanian passport to which I said to my guy “no wonder, she couldn’t respond in Italian” and also “we need to be careful because the greatest numbers of gypsies come from Romania and my experience with them is that they are pickpockets.”
Two things:
The greatest number of gypsies don't come from Romania, but Romania does have one of the largest groups of gypsies in Europe.
When she says, "my experience with [Romanian gypsies] is that they are pickpockets" is grossly overwrought if she really means that
every single Romanian gypsies are pickpockets.
But I wonder if that's what she really means.
I think she is more guilty of imprecision than racism.
(Of course, I don't know her ... maybe she
is racist.)
You say, "Assuming that a gypsy sitting all away across the room is a pickpocket is as wrong as assuming a black dude all the way across the room is a pick-pocket."
Why do you say that? Was the gypsy all the way across the room? Not in my reading. She was close up, and the OP seemed to feel crowded by her. Quite a different situation.
I think it would be outrageous to assume that "a black dude all the way across the room is a pick-pocket." No argument there.
Is making the assumption that someone you think might be a gypsy and who is crowding you might be a pickpocket equally outrageous? Not to my mind. You should look for the stats. I actually have a few, which I may post if I find time.
The gypsies I know raise horses.
The gypsies I (slightly) knew were building a house in Marseilles. Fine people, and straight as arrows, as far as I knew.
I wonder if the OP has irritated many of you before.
On the evidence of her opening post in this thread, I just don't see cause for all the criticism.
I have to go out now, so I guess I'm done.