I must admit I'd not looked at this as the idea of "not renting to Gypsies" didn't appeal. However, daughter, Wavestar, told me I should. Those of us who have the unearned privilege of being the majority probably would do well to listen well to those of us who do not. I for one am in both categories but understand that truly I am privileged to be white and educated. I have heard of an article written years ago called the Unintentional Racism of Well-meaning Whites, which if anyone knows where it can be found, I would like to see.

I have been (astonishingly) beaten up for being the wrong color, and was so naive that someone had to tell me why. I have been ridiculed and ostracised for being friends with the "wrong people". Sorry I don't feel like changing. I really want a world where there is no prejudice, though I may not be contributing to it too well when I prejudge those who look and act like skinheads and white supremacists.

There are some really good books that poke holes in the myths that surround the travellers. Susan Cooper's "Dark is Rising" series comes to mind, and I always delight in Trina Schart Hymen's illustrations, particularly of fairy tales, where the characters are a marvelous mixture of colors and the Princess often has a lovely Rom look to her.

There is another quite haunting song that applies, also buy Ewan MacColl

The Terror Time (and sorry, I can only put in returns as the PermaThread that would have told me how to format this is gone...) Better yet, look in the DT!

THE TERROR TIME
(Ewan MacColl)

The heather will fade and the bracken will die
Streams will run cold and clear
And the small birds will be going,
And it's then you will be knowing
That the terror time is near.

Whaur will ye gan an' whaur will ye bide
Noo that the work's a' done
And the fairmer disnae need ye,
And the cooncils winnae heed ye
And the terror time is come?

The woods give no shelter and the trees they are bare
Snow is falling all around
And the children they are crying,
For the bed on which they're lying
Is frozen to the ground

When you need the warmth of your own human kind
You move near a town and then
The sight o' you's offending,
An' the police they soon are sending
An' you're on the road again.

Whaur will ye gan an' whaur will ye bide
Noo that the work's a' done
And the fairmer disnae need ye,
and the cooncils winnae heed ye
And the terror time is come?

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 29-Aug-02.