My latest research paper is complete and turned in, though I feel it is more of a draft than a final paper. It needs some technical corrections, such as works cited and notes.
The paper reviewed the case of the Romani exclusion from the Holocaust in textbooks and literature. So many scholors refer to us as the "other victims", marginalizing us further in the cracks of history.
We have been marginalized into 'maximum minimalization'. When Romani homes are bombed in Hungary, when Romani women are sterilized in the Czech Republic, when ROmani men, women, and children are fingerprinted and photographed to prevent crime in Ital, the world looks the other way. The American press does not pick up the story about events in Italy. The European press vilifies the Roma, placing the stereotypes in front of readers' eyes that somehow suggests that the Roma deserve what they get.
If we, as Romani, turn our eyes to Italy and look at the policy that violates both human and civil rights, we have reason to fear. The same process was implemented against the Romani in the 1920s in Germany, long before Hitler came to power. Hitler didn't have to list the laws he would create against the Romani when he came to power in Mein Kampf because the laws were already in place.
If this same policy Italy is using were being practiced agianst the Jews, the world would be in an uproar. Italy, the home of the Mafia, is fingerprinting a minority race to prevent crime. Why not fingerprint all whites? They *could* be in the Mafia. Why not photograph all blacks? They *could* be gangsters. Oh, that's right, I forgot. The Mafia doesn't exist. The evil Gypsy, unprotected by any home country, DOES exist and therefore all crime in Italy *MUST* be the fault of the Roma.
Everyone, both Roma and non-Roma, must learn their rights and be watchful for rights violations. We have a policy in the United States that dictates that we will not trade with a country who practices such human rights violations, yet the United States has done nothing about Italy's policy. Ask your congressman why we have not demanded Italy to review their policies. If you get an answer, let me know. As of today, I have yet to get an answer from Senator Harkin, the "leader in human rights", my own Senator.
As my paper progresses I will post segments here for comment and critique. In the meantime, my work continues.
No comments:
Post a Comment