Comment by Viola Hinz-Hassan Pour Razavi on March 10, 2011 at 9:16

Dear Els,

I think to involve our lawyers is a really good idea, they should know what to do and they have the tools.

x, Viola

Comment by roxana marin on March 10, 2011 at 11:00

Dear Els and friends,

This morning I would like to say two things in response to Els' letter and prior conversation with Casimire. they'll take a while, so grab you coffee, stretch your back against your chair and prepare to smile, maybe cringe/cry, smile again - and get proactive:)

I will begin with reflections on how to cope with defamation as a gypsy versus coping with it as a non-gypsy. After centuries of being kicked in the balls and being ordered to say thank you (Casimire might like the phrase, apologies to the more sensitive ears), us gypsies understand that winning rights is a very slow affair. i believe we have learned it doesnt work with pitch, fork and fire, casimire - oh how i wish that it did. in romania it most sure did not - we had slavery for half a millenium and tens of reduced-size porrajmos since we have "gained" democracy in 1990 - and nope dudes, it dont work. just makes everything worse. those of us who've learned the speak, write and act of the gadjo so that we can better survive and help our people, know that it is when we boil most fiercely with fury and indignation that we should control ourselves. otherwise, we'll just be called "gypsies" and refused dialogue. and in the meantime other gypsies would be stuck in jail, or in the hospital lobby and denied intervention. or we'll be put in jail ourselves and god/f*@% knows who/when's gonna get us out. not an option. with time, you get better at the game. it's a game of alertness and resistance. you're always watching and listening, figuring out how that may better help you. modern times are not all that different from primitive times after all. non-gypsies who embrace the gypsy cause are often much more hurt and shocked than us when attacks occur. it's because they are not used to be kicked in the balls and then say thank you and look like they mean it. and because it's from fellow-non-gypsies that the attacks are coming, so that makes one feel bad.
BUT els, you dont belong with those pricks. you belong with us. remember that.
we'll help and support you and make you smile and give ideas when you're hurt. you are not alone, just like we are not alone anymore thanks to people like you. and you'll see you get better at smiling at the ham-heads you'd rather kick in the balls. and you'll also learn varied ways of kicking them while keeping your smile on and telling the reporters you're only defending the rights of absolutely everybody. which is exactly what you will be doing. but you'll feel so separated from the pig that it wont feel so heavy anymore - trust me, i know:)

and now to the second thing i want to say today. it results from the first actually and it is a list of concrete actions that you may wish to consider doing, if you want defamation to stop. (and stop it will, but maybe just maybe not exactly during your lifetime. or, who knows?... hehehe chuckle, chuckle)

MEDIA MONITORING
- this may appear huge, but it's really not that time consuming if you take a specific segment of the media (say weeklies) and you get a couple of friends to help with another segment (2 tv channels they always watch, or maybe a daily they are subscribed to) - just ask around your friends what media they consume daily, and use them as watchdogs. watchdogs for what? well, id say not just gypsy-related defamation, but anything that is meant derogatorily at an entire social category. i have recently done that with a romanian national radio show. i taxed the lady for making women appear programmed to be sluts or stuff like that. i copy other friends and colleagues on the human rights scene every time i have an exchange like that. they in their turn have a reaction and thus the "enemy" is bombarded from several directions at the same time. i dont know if im doing a good job explaining my technique, but ill be happy to talk to whoever wants to give this an actually go. there are also organizations that do this. this kind of thing is an important source for lawyers who take a matter to the attention of public authorities.

PUBLIC MEETINGS
observe your town hall meetings agenda. if you ever see anything on that agenda that brings the word equality to your mind, do your best to go. or ask someone else to go for you. go dressed formally (casimire hehehe) as a sign of respect for them, but carry a small banner saying something ball-grabbing, that will be sure to make it on the front page of whatever newspaper has sent their reporter to the meeting. make sure to have at least one intervention, and make sure you are in the minutes.

REAL STORIES
you know there is a tendency to speak about gypsies in very general or abstract/philosophical terms. there arent very many real people stories out there. you know what i mean, the kind of thing you read about people who are noted for doing something (as opposed to doing something "because" they are gypsies). collect stories of gypsies, wherever you find them. be that surreptitious reporter, and put a small treasure together. it will be your treasure, in the first place, and maybe one day - just maybe eh i cant help dreaming - we'll put together a petit larrouse of gypsy stories. at least 15 volumes pwease?:) anyway, moving on from my idealistic dream, the true use of that is twofold: for once, it will serve as your personal battery. everytime you're down, you'll look at them and you'll be charged again. try it, you'll see:) they'll put the role you have assumed in fresh perspective. sometimes we get so tired, right? the second one is that you may contribute these stories to educating public perceptions and behaviours. one has to maintain a positive outlook, even one that looks like swiss cheese (you know that cheese with big holes...hehe)

some of you may be pleased to learn that i gotta start working now, so i have to stop this interminable letter here. sorry it's sooo long, i just kinda go in places such as this one - cause i dont feel a need to "control myself" hehehe, i guess that means we're friends:)

casimire, a special recommendation for you, who - like me - has considered going neanderthal. marting page is a young frenchman who wrote a delicious novel "i have decided to become stupid." i love that book, tho it be of bitter-sweet humor.

wishing all a glorious day, and a big hug to els:)
xo,
roxana

Comment by Mr. Valery Novoselsky on March 10, 2011 at 12:07

I think it would be good for IRADL to respond on hate manifestations not exactly as ERRC does, but in a more artistic way. For example, ERRC and Amnesty International urged Czech Authorities to Protect the Romani Community in Nový Bydžov in a form of official protest letters. But Artists Initiative can respond in a form of art campaign (cartoons and installations together with our protest letter).

Also, the members of Initative can galvanize the other people of art in support of IRADL`s campaigns.

Comment by Els de Groen (Archive) on March 10, 2011 at 22:21

Dear Roxana, dear Casimire,

I guess you taught me some precious lessons today. I cannot promise you yet that I will be able to practice them. I was never very good in say "thank you", let alone if I was kicked in the balls. For me equality is a starting point: today I help you, tomorrow you help me. Humans are social creatures... I thought. Reality however is much more complex. Elephants are social, but human beings need stimulus, reprimands and fines to behave social. After all I am naive. I am shocked about something that I should know by now. I should have got used to the toxic combination of fear and stupidity, but it frightens me over and over again. I will try the mental Kung Fu. I understand the advantages of confusing fascist people. Aren't they victims themselves of prejudice and circumstances? They are. But... if I would lose a child in an arson attack or my husband in gun shooting, I think I would not be Job or Jesus. I'd cry for the rest of my life. Maybe... I have too much imagination, I understand too well the pain of being discriminated against. I admire your attitude, your irony and your strength. When I am angry again, I will think of you and hopefully it will calm me down. But it's not going to be easy.

Els

Comment by roxana marin on March 10, 2011 at 22:57

i now it's not the kind of things one says on sites like this but: i have so much love for you right now:)

Comment by roxana marin on March 11, 2011 at 5:19

ah, romanistan!.... what a beautiful dream, casimire!
much is to be accomplished until that dream becomes even remotely possible...

Comment by Els de Groen (Archive) on March 11, 2011 at 14:05

Dear all,

The idea of a piece of land, called Romanistan, is good and worth to be tried out. Only, I suggest that we focus here on IRADL.

Tomorrow there will be demonstrations in Novy Bydzov, Czech Republic: basis of the mayor (Louda Pavel, I believe) who is behind the statements and the mayors' declaration. There will be demonstrators from the Workers' Social Justice Party. A year ago this party was called Workers' Party, but for being racist the party was forbidden and therefore it changed its name. In  2008 the Workers' Party had a rally in Litvinov, where demonstrators went to the Roma neighbourhood, armed with stones, firecrackers and petrol bombs. Five hundred demonstrators clashed with the police. For tomorrow Amnesty International and the European Roma Right Centre have urged the Czech authorities to ensure protection of the Roma in Novy Bydzov...

No no, I am not getting angry. I just repeat what I have read. What strikes me most of all is the complete silence in Brussels, where they are working hard on the EU Roma Strategy and leave monitoring savety measures to Amnesty and the ECCR. As long as Europe had to bu rules by NGOs, it cannot be taken serious. I have nothing against NGOs, but in a political structure one needs governmental bodies.

What will happen tomorrow and has already happend in recent days, is a clear form of defamation. It is a violation of EU's laws and its fundamental rights. Most probably there will be clashes tomorrow and also most probably it will hardly catch someone's attention, as most of the media will focus on the horrible earthquake in Japan.

It will be just one more dark page in the cahier of the EU, that does not manage to cope with nationalism, populism, racism and other ism's. My question to you is: how do we proceed?

I believe that Ciuin and Valery are right. Let's use our energy to raise our voice in an original and artistiic, our way, but let's raise it. I am willing to make cartoons if you like (the last one was not so good). If it comes to this topic, I might be even stronger in drawing than in writing.

Thanks for the links you send me, Casimire. I will study a bit what the Jewish ADL did. We can also learn from them. And finally: I have to focus now on fundraising, preparation of the Roma for Roma event and on studying the possibilities of a foundation, with statut, board and bank account. It takes all my time. But... if you give me a good excuse to make you cartoon, I will happy to do so ;))

Els

Comment by Els de Groen (Archive) on March 11, 2011 at 15:48

Casimire,

a very first reaction: I believe that the most "crazy" ideas and options are the most effective. So, keep on suggesting. Only, it is and and. Also linier acts can be valuable. In my own activism (East West relations and ecological adventures) I always combined two ways: I was both formal and creative and surprising the others in what I did. I still think this is the best combination.

Els

Comment by Els de Groen (Archive) on March 11, 2011 at 16:15

I agree that it is not very obvious, but one can face surprises in Linier circles. When I stepped into the communist world of the USSR in 1984, I was invited in the Linier way but behaved in the other. I had many meetings with dissidents while being a guest of officials. It was even more complex. Some of the officials badly wanted to become dissidents. The best motto for me was always: be frank. As an official guest I asked for subvention to work with a dissident writer. But okay, I admit: perestrojka was about to start.

In the very same way I was dealing with ministers from Eastern European countries on Roma issues when I was a MEP (Member of European Parliament). It is my style.

But it does not always work. It did not work with the Commission after all, though I presented them a very good plan (strategy).

Els

Comment by Els de Groen (Archive) on March 11, 2011 at 17:01

I almost died in Brussels, I saw how colleague MEPs surrounded once an artist as a special guest and their king. They know they are lacking something! Still... there are surprises. Even in politics and in diplomacy you might meet people who have an artists' soul, whereas some artists behave like bureaucrats and arrogant officials. Be open to nuances. And whether I am Ying or Yang I simply do not know. I am me. And this me is much happier with people like you around than the majority I lived with in Brussels.

Your "linier" soulmate, Els

Add a Comment

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• …
• 43
• Next ›
• Page