Romani Cultural Survival

Gypsies have a lot of history. It's getting repetitive for me to talk about how their culture survives, but I guess this is a good time to make a sort of "Public Service Announcement." Through my research, I have found that gypsies have undergone countless years of oppression, hardship, and dehumanization. The reason for this is purely egotistical and condescending, gypsies are treated as lesser people because they aren't economically and presentably favored amongst people. It's absurd that after getting ran out of their country, enslaved and expelled by the new lands they moved to, exterminated in mass quantities in gas chambers, and forced to live impoverish and often homeless lives that ANYONE would feel the need to give these people more grief. Gypsies are labeled as thieves and criminals because of their suspicious appearance, and sure it's possible that some gypsies steal to get by, but it's because they were dealt a horrible hand in their cultural life that quite frankly, I don't blame them for stealing. They have huge families to feed and support, yet in big cities like Chicago or New York you could very likely run into a gypsy family on the street begging for change. It's awful.

http://www.romaeducationfund.hu/support-ref
The website above is a way you could help support sending unfortunate Romani children who wouldn't normally receive an education. An education tends to open doors, so maybe the Romani's younger generation could turn things around for the Romani's current status.

http://www.romatoronto.org/involved.html#.U2cAUNuF-FM
This is another website where one can donate or even volunteer to help out with an organized gypsy community in Toronto.

Their culture has survived over the years by the gypsies constantly moving around and having such strong roots that even though it doesn't make sense to the world, it makes sense to them, and that's enough. As interesting as it would have been to interview a gypsy, I'm going to do it on my own time and not for this class assignment. I feel like though I know a fair deal about these people, that an interview would best be served in midst of their culture. What I mean by that is maybe go to a gypsy festival or something where I can interact with a person of this culture and it isn't so forced. I am genuinely interested for these people, and my heart goes out them... especially the ones struggling to make ends meat. I am going to donate a Romani cause, and if I can try to go to some sort of large Romani gathering. Class doesn't end when the semester's over, and anyone that reads this should help out if they have the capability to.

The gypsy culture has survived over the years by relentless dedication to traditions and a pursuit of a better life. Let it be a lesson that if someone with so little can live happily amongst each other that anyone can also do so. Lend a hand, help the Romani.