Sister harassed and intimidated by Irish gipsies in Blackpool

redpete

Spinkz wrote: »

I was always told to never let those people with the heather touch you because you will be cursed if you dont give them money! I dont know if that is true but i avoid them if i see them :eek:

It's not true.

redpete

Petra_70 wrote: »

My sister is starting to recover, since a few people she told about it laughed at her being afraid of a 'curse.' Most people said 'who believes that?!'

Why was she worried about a curse when the fortune telling was so obviously nonsense?

So then the woman had her cornered and said 'I see a new bungalow for you, you will move house to a bungalow soon. (She moved house a year ago to a 3 bed house and is only 45 so I don't see this happening!) Then she said 'someone is stabbing you in the back at work and is not the friend you think she is. (She is a SAHM and hasn't worked for 15 years, so THAT is nonsense too!) 'And someone called David features in your life.' (Doesn't almost everyone know some called David or Dave?!)

peachyprice

GwylimT wrote: »

I remember spending summers making paper flowers with my gran, its nice to know so many of you think I'm scum.

Did you and your gran then go out in the streets accosting people, demanding money with menace and and putting curses on them?

belfastgirl23

I debated whether to comment on this thread but every time I see the title I feel more and more uncomfortable. I was brought up alongside Irish traveller families in rural Northern Ireland and they were good people (albeit tough on discipline, their kids were probably the best behaved on the street because if their dads heard they'd misbehaved there was hell to pay). They were good people and good neighbours. Like any ethnic group, you can pick out the people who don't represent that particular group well. I know OP that you weren't saying that all Irish travellers are terrible but you are warning people to beware of them in a certain geographic area - which does tar many people with the same brush. It's not that you can't use adjectives to describe people but you need to be aware of the implications of that, particularly if it's a small group. For example if I were to say on a very public forum that I was robbed by a Pakistani cab driver in Belfast (I'm sure there are some ) it would negatively affect all Pakistani cab drivers in Belfast. Which isn't fair to the others who are probably decent and hardworking people.

In your shoes I'd just have said beware aggressive onstreet beggars in Blackpool and then explained the circumstances re selling heather etc. This would identify the people you mean just as well.

Vikipollard

belfastgirl23 wrote: »

I debated whether to comment on this thread but every time I see the title I feel more and more uncomfortable. I was brought up alongside Irish traveller families in rural Northern Ireland and they were good people (albeit tough on discipline, their kids were probably the best behaved on the street because if their dads heard they'd misbehaved there was hell to pay). They were good people and good neighbours. Like any ethnic group, you can pick out the people who don't represent that particular group well. I know OP that you weren't saying that all Irish travellers are terrible but you are warning people to beware of them in a certain geographic area - which does tar many people with the same brush. It's not that you can't use adjectives to describe people but you need to be aware of the implications of that, particularly if it's a small group. For example if I were to say on a very public forum that I was robbed by a Pakistani cab driver in Belfast (I'm sure there are some ) it would negatively affect all Pakistani cab drivers in Belfast. Which isn't fair to the others who are probably decent and hardworking people.

In your shoes I'd just have said beware aggressive onstreet beggars in Blackpool and then explained the circumstances re selling heather etc. This would identify the people you mean just as well.

What would you have said (re the hypothetical taxi driver)?

Not all football supporters are hooligans, but they are all tarred by the same brush when disorder occurs.

Not all groups of young people will mug/abuse/intimidate a lone passer by, but they are purported to be the devil incarnate.

At least by being more specific, it allows a narrowing of the criteria of who you are looking for.

worried_jim

Most of them are good honest hard working tax payers, it's just a minority of Irish gypsies that spoil it for everyone. All their transit vans are taxed mot'd and insured as well.;)

BarryBlue

worried_jim wrote: »

Most of them are good honest hard working tax payers, it's just a minority of Irish gypsies that spoil it for everyone. All their transit vans are taxed mot'd and insured as well.;)

Are you the comedy turn on North Pier?:rotfl:

LandyAndy

belfastgirl23 wrote: »

. For example if I were to say on a very public forum that I was robbed by a Pakistani cab driver in Belfast (I'm sure there are some ) it would negatively affect all Pakistani cab drivers in Belfast. Which isn't fair to the others who are probably decent and hardworking people.

.

Better to just say you were robbed by a taxi driver and spread the effect wider, or not mention it at all to avoid offence?


PC Plod (for it is that very stereotype): Can you describe the person who robbed you?

belfastgirl23: No.

PCP: Why?

bg23:It wouldn't be fair.

worried_jim

BarryBlue wrote: »

Are you the comedy turn on North Pier?:rotfl:

A few years ago there was story in the local press about an old lady who had had her drive tarmacked. Usual story of 1cm of blacktop with no gravel underneath then marched to the bank to withdraw her life savings.

I wrote in about them all being good honest hardworking, small minority etc I'd love them as neighbours, salt of the earth, leave your back door unlocked etc, and the paper printed it! Well the responses I got. Readers of the Leicester Mercury have no sense of irony, sarcasm or humour.