The Modern Day Roma People Also Known as Gypsies - Essay Example

The Roma people are one of the largest ethnic minority groups living in Europe. The reason why they remain so small is because of the large amounts of persecution that they have faced over the centuries. For this reason, many Roma people are afraid to reveal they're true identity and instead prefer to blend in with the local population. This can be evidenced by the languages that most of them speak; Roma people used to speak Romani, although now they conform to the dominant language of the country in which they reside.

Although the Roma people can be considered a distinct ethnic group, they do not represent one nationality. This is because they are mostly spread out across Europe and the rest are scattered around the four corners of the globe. Because they are not represented by one state, it means that they do not have the same rights as those individuals who live in their own countries. Maybe this explains why they have been persecuted so much; there is no fear of a backlash from them because they have no power to do so. In many ways, this is very similar to the Jewish people until 65 years ago.

Because they are not united under one legal banner, it is very hard for them to progress as a culture. In Europe, the Roma people are often one of the poorest minority groups. People generally hold a bad view of the Roma people because of this. Back in 2007 when Romania became a part of the EU, many Italians protested when a significant number of gypsies moved to live in Rome. Racism does certainly play a part when it comes to discriminating against gypsies, but crime rates among this group are often higher than other ethnicities. Part of the problem with discrimination against gypsies is that the legal system in a country like Italy does not fully protect their rights. Prevailing cultural attitudes often take preference when a gypsy is involved in a crime.

Because the Roma people have been persecuted for much of their history, they sometimes have a stronger resolve than other ethnic groups because of the way that they are treated. For the Roma people to get recognition, it would be best for them to form their own state somewhere, although this is unlikely to happen anytime soon for reasons that are obvious. The Roma people will continue to be persecuted and taken advantage of so long as they have no legal measures to fight back. Read More