Comment by roxana marin on March 15, 2011 at 12:52

that makes sense, you're right. ive passed the invitation on. lets hope at least some will follow!

Comment by Ciuin Ferrin on March 15, 2011 at 16:49

Just to let everyone know, I have made changes as they have been pointed out to me. The section about the "tigan" bill I have deleted and I have made two word changes that have been pointed out. I am honored that you approve and have joined me in sending this letter. Here is the final draft.

 

On Friday, March 11, 2011, the repeat episode of Criminal Minds titled Bloodlines ran on A&E network.

The story of this episode tells how a family of Gypsies kidnaps two young girls, age ten, wanting to make one of them the bride of their son. The Gypsies slice the throats of parents, and we learn through the investigation that the boy was forced to kill one of the parents while his father gave him instructions. This is considered a ‘rite of passage’ from boyhood to manhood. Later, the boy is being taught by his parents how to steal from a dummy that has bells hanging from it and the audience is informed by the “expert detectives” that this is the test of the seven bells, a method Gypsies use to teach their children to pick pockets. While the boy is practicing, the first girl kidnapped has a seizure. The father decides to murder her. His wife reminds him that they do not kill little girls. As the show continues, the “expert detectives” explain that “a lot of Romani make their living as petty thieves” as well as other statements based on racist and stereotypical beliefs. In the end, it is revealed that there are numerous Gypsy families living in the United States, murdering parents and kidnapping their daughters. The final scene in the show depicts yet another ten year old boy and his parents preparing to murder yet another set of parents and kidnap their daughter.

As this episode aired, a demonstration by white supremists began in Novy Bydzov in the Czech Republic. This demonstration was prompted by a Czech mayor who claims "They (the Romani) are roaming the town, being a nuisance, stealing and raping. During the time a decent citizen works, gypsies lazily sit on park benches in the square, happily chatting.”- Prague Daily Monitor, November 26, 2010.

The conditions of the Roma in the Czech Republic are appalling. Forced sterilizations have been in place from the 1970s until as late as 2007. Romani children are placed in schools for the mentally handicapped, even if they score well on tests. The Romani have sued and won the right to be educated in the public school system in the Czech Republic, yet they have yet to be allowed to set foot inside a regular classroom. Elsewhere in European Union, the Romani are being fingerprinted and photographed in Italy, a direct violation of the human rights regulations set down by the UN. The last time this happened, Hitler was in power and the Romani were sent to the gas chambers. Romani are being deported from France, Italy, Germany, with England soon to follow, even though these people have been living in these countries for over ten years.

Forced sterilizations, the denial of education, the denial of work, being fingerprinted and photographed, and now, being told what they may or may not call themselves; these actions are obscene to the American way of thinking, and yet, we don’t mind, because Gypsies really are dirt, after all, that is how they are portrayed on TV.

Contrary to the comments made on the show, most Romani do not steal. I will not deny that some Romani do steal, but can you name a race whose members have never committed a crime? Romani children are not ‘born to steal’ nor do parents teach their children to do so. The bell man is a creation of author Victor Hugo for his novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

Romani children in Europe are denied an education to help themselves out of poverty. Parents do not steal brides for their sons and they do not kidnap children. The show claims that the Gypsies in the US have gotten away with murder and kidnapping because they are nomadic, yet 85 – 90% of the world Romani population are settled. But more importantly, the crime of murder is considered not only heinous to the Romani, but a crime of such evil that those who commit it are put out from the society.

European politicians villianize and scapegoat the Romani, claiming they are to blame for high crime rates, poor economic conditions, and most social ills. Yet they refuse to follow through with the European Union’s plan for Romani inclusion and ignore the EU’s regulations regarding the treatment of minorities within the EU’s borders. By using such tactics, the politicians in Europe guaranty the continued persecution, discrimination, and murder of the Romani for years to come.

Your mission statement for your company makes the following claims to your work environment.

 We believe that our programs, products and services are only as good as the people who create them. Because of this, we have a commitment to high ethical values and to creating a workplace where employees are encouraged to strive for professional excellence. The diversity of our workforce plays an increasingly important role in meeting this commitment. Diversity extends beyond race, color, creed or sexual orientation. Diversity is that combination of traits and characteristics that makes each of us unique individuals and what brings us together to achieve our goals. Diversity is about respect, openness, innovation, and knowledge. It's what we practice in our business.

I ask you now to uphold that which you claim to embrace. I am not asking you to cancel the show, only to pull that episode. It promotes racism and the stereotypes that keep the Romani in both the United States and Europe in perpetual poverty and persecution.

Do the right thing, A&E.

 

Signed in unity by:

Maurizio Cimino, photographer, Italy

 

Irina Costache, academic, Central European University, Romania

 

Ciuin Ferrin, writer and researcher, USA

 

Els de Groen, writer, poet, former MEP, Netherlands

 

Simina Guga, Romani activist, Romania

 

Bajram Haliti, President of the "Journalism-informative agency of Roma", Serbia

 

Dr. Ian Hancock, Director of The Romani Archives and Documentation Center,

Commissioner in the State Holocaust and Genocide Commission, USA

 

Max Heijndijk, photographer, Netherlands

 

Nada Kokotovic, Film and Theatre Director, Choreographer, Germany

 

Roxana Marin, United States Visitors' Program alumna and President of the Centre for Action and Responsibility in Education, Romania

 

Valery Novoselsky, editor of the Roma Virtual Network, RVN, Israel

 

Viola Hinz-Hassan Pour Razavi, dancer, Germany

 

Niko Rergo, researcher, teacher, lawyer, writer, Ukraine

 

Hans Wahler, sculptor, restorer, architect, teacher, photographer, Greece

Comment by Ciuin Ferrin on March 15, 2011 at 17:58

I do have time and I can include the film maker...can you send me the text as you want it written? And good catch on the other paragraph. My head has been with all the things going on here. My 17 month old grandson is a handfull and it has been awhile since I've had a 17 month old in the house! I'm being run ragged, but I sleeo well at night!

 

The letter will go out later this afternoon, though I can wait if you want me to.

 

Baxt,

C

Comment by Niko Rergo on March 16, 2011 at 10:41

T'aves baxtali, Ciuin. If there's time to include - pls, include as (co)-signers 2 Roma more: Iryna Mysyk, Dr.habil., Prof. at the Chair of Philosophy and Sociology, Suotj-Ukrainian National University, Odessa, Ukraine, and Rustam Stoyan, human rights defender, producer, Tatarbunary, Ukraine.
Niko

Comment by Lukáš Houdek on March 16, 2011 at 23:09

Hi, thank you for the letter. 'It is very very good! Sorry i did not participate till now, but i was kind of busy by the case in Novy Bydzov, Czech Republic, as we are collecting some proves agains the neo-nazi. hopefully i will be able to contribute in any next step.

 

Lukas

Comment by Casimire Williamsii on March 17, 2011 at 1:17

@Cauin. I think you're letter was excellent and I totally respect the effort that it took. However, I worked around so called "big shot" Hollywood people before...Reality is, your better off expecting a rabid & syphilitic pit bull to apologize for biting you! You might be better off sending a copy to the actors involved and attempt to embarrass them into supporting IRADL. They are artists and perhaps a bit more sensitive. Surely one or two of them must have looked at the script and thought...."do I really have to say this crap"? The screen actors guild in Hollywood might be able to give you contact information.

Casimire

 

 

 

Comment by Ciuin Ferrin on March 17, 2011 at 1:57

Dear Casimire,

 

I am very well aware of it. I have some of those 'big shots' in my family. I'm aware that the letter will do little against the network. The next project on the list is more of a declaration to be sent to the major networks, the UA, and other individuals. It was a start, it will be noted, and that will be all, but at least it was sent.

 

A close relative of mine is a film guaranter and we have had many long talks about this. It will be a long time before Hollywood or Vancouver takes us at all seriously. Little things will be noted before the big things come. I have no illusions. Just rage.

 

Baxt,

C

Comment by roxana marin on March 17, 2011 at 12:03

i much agree with you both, and i note much insight in casimire's outlook - individual actors' (favourable) responses to us may be exactly what we might need for networks to eventually really-really notice us.
though, like you ciuin, ive been playing the game at different levels for some time now, i cant help being a grassrooter at heart:)

Comment by Casimire Williamsii on March 17, 2011 at 13:13

@Roxana. People will follow, if IRADL had the support of actors and spots figures. Sad but true (fact) that is human nature these days! You can publish the reality of what is going on for years and few will listen. But if Madonna (for example) supports us then you have the worlds attention. 

Comment by Ciuin Ferrin on March 17, 2011 at 13:44

Dear all,

I do agree we need both celebrity and scholarly support. We need to contact academics at universities as well as members of the UA, WG, SAG and on and on. Now is the time to do research before we begin to send out letters. There are proper ways to go about this and we need to be careful about our word choice and our choice of contacts.

 

Most organizations of this sort have certain contact people. If you don't get the right guy, it is doubtful he will forward the letter on to the correct person. As often happens in the writing world, the letter or request is simply thrown out; one less thing for someone with an over taxed schedule to do.

 

I'm willing to do the research, but it will take some time. If there are others willing to help research, that would be wonderful. Actors are harder to reach because they are sought out by so many charities, special interest groups, and, of course, people like us.

 

As for reaching the celebrities, I suggest we begin creating a list, beginning with the actors in Criminal Minds, the former stars of Charmed, and the cast of Damn Me to Hell. To the best of my knowledge, these are the latest releases that have used Roma as stereotypical tools to advance their own plots. We need to be careful not to condemn them, but only explain the role the show/film plays on the world stage, then gently explain the situation of the Romani in the world. We don't want to offend, but educate. We don't need them turning on us.

 

Just a thought of where to begin.

 

Baxt,

C

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