Jeri - you haven't listened carefully to my thoughts on this issue (or perhaps I have not made them clearly). I don't sing the song. I don't even know the song very well. I have chuckled at it when I've seen it performed by the Blarney's and have no particular reason to defend it. I simply say that I fail to see any hidden evils in it.

I also accept that other people may have reason to be more sensitive to it then I. Prejudice and/or injustice toward gypsies has not been an obvious issue in the small part of the world in which I live - so for me, when I hear this song, I simply put it the context of songs/jokes about Paddy and Priest, Abby and Rebecca, or other tales that have a good natured 'poking of fun' at the stereotypes. The song does not foster pre-conceived negatives notions about gypsies in my heart, but then I've never been exposed to real bigorty against them, either.

And finally, I do not trivialize the suffering that anyone has suffered at the hands of bigots; be they gypsies or blacks, jews, catholics or any other convenient 'grouping.' I find the the teachings and deeds of hate mongers extremely repugnant, and fight against them in any way I can. I just don;t see that bigotry in this song, silly as it is.