There is a realistic exchange between politicians and voters. Politicians -especially the ones like Sarkozy, who losed his support significantly- do not hesitate to perform inethical policies if the expectations of the society is inethical. 

Thats why, as long as xenofobia takes place in a considerable amount of the EU citizens subconscious, we will go on to witness that kind of events more. 

This might shock people, but there are actually gypsies in Holland too! They don´t marry at 12, they don´t drive around the country to steal from people. Yes, some are criminal, but there are criminals in EVERY part of society.

In France there was a real problem. These newly arrived people brought a higher crime rate with them. BUTTTTT We all seem to forget the large gypsy population that has been living in France for many many generations, without any trouble! Let´s say France would get the same "brilliant" idea as Italy? And post "gypsy" in their passports... fingerprinting everybody, and putting them in a database. Even the young kids! (Yes, this WAS an actual idea in Italy.) Do you think this is fair to the good gypsy people, who have kept their noses clean? And why do you think those "new" gypsies came to France in the first place? Amongst them were people with diploma´s in their pocket, unable to get a good job in their home country, simply because they were gypsies.

This racism has to stop. I don´t know why people are always complaining about how others treat them bad. "Oh look, the West is against us Muslims... stupid racists"... "Oh look, the Turkish people aren´t nice enough to us Christians who live in Turkey"...bla bla bla, all empty talk if you treat others the same way! I agree with the previous post, that somehow racism against gypsies is accepted. It´s sickening.

It´s easy to play the racism card to avoid responsibility. The same goes for asylum seekers. European countries have been granting asylum for decades and look where it brought them. They came to the stage where people can refuse to work and choose to be given money by the state only because they´re refugees or because they have forged papers that give them the refugee status. Of course it doesn´t go for all refugees, it´s never possible to put everyone into one basket, but lots of refugees live like parasites and boas of their lifestyle saying their host country is stupid because it gives them free houses, cars and enough money not to worry about anything.

I don´t think many people are against Gypsies as a race (ethnicity?). I think if it weren´t Gypsies who camped on state land bringing along increase of crime, but, say, Poles, they´d be removed from there in no time, sent home at their own expense or end up in jail. And nobody would be apalled by such action. But since it´s Gypsies, the word racism springs to mind and instead of seeing criminals (regardless of their race) you see victims.

I wonder - what do you think French government should do?

I agree that Italian plans were a total disregard to human rights - you cannot do that as it´s no different than brading. It´s like having religion put into your documents as it is in Turkey. It shouldn´t matter if you are a Gypsy, A Muslim, a Kazakh or a Christian - as long as you don´t break the law you should be treated as the rest of citizens.

I think whoever committed the crimes should not be declared "illegal" and get money to go away again. The real criminals should end up in jail, either in France or in their home country. I don´t think the gypsies are being delt with because of racism, but I do think gypsies have to deal with a lot of racism, and the WAY that this group is being dealt with IS racist.. It´s not "criminal Bulgarians and Romenians" who are being put outside of the country... No, ofcourse not. It´s "the gypsies"... it´s 700 people at this time, and the crime that they all commited was illegal encampment. The crimes like stealing were not commited by all of them. They "build" houses in places that this was not allowed. So, just take the action that is normal for these kind of activities. Saying they are illegal is crazy. And what about the children in these camps?

They use the word gypsies in the press, and it rings in peoples ears and affects the normal, non-criminal gypsies. Nobody can say that gypsies don´t have to deal with racism all the time. Gypsy is a word I´ve heard many times being used as a curse word in Turkey.

By the way, there are a lot of critics who say that Sarkozy is doing this to distract the attention from the problems his party is having right now. And it seems that racism means you can win votes (like recent elections in Holland showed). I guess Sarkozy will win in 2012.

It´s not only illegal camping, in my earlier post I quoted the EU laws about migration. Since they do not work and cannot provide for themselves, they cannot stay in France. I imagine not every immigrant who lives in the streets is treated this way, but let´s be honest, 700 people who are illegally staying in a foreign country on illegal land, are a problem, aren´t they?

I can only guess that giving them money is in hope of them going away peacefully. I think it´s wrong, they should be kicked out at their own expense.

DD, you wrote negative posts about gypsies and nobody called you racist?   Oh, boy!

I suppose if those posts belonged to me ....

Hypocrats they are!  I mean some TC members.

Ha! They fear me! I´m more fearsome than you threatening everyone with God´s wrath!

Plus I´m not racist! I´m illegalist

 The problem of people is that they can be united and cooperate only when they are united againts others. The enemy unites them. It may seem that the joint uniting people is common language, common culture and commonly shared values, in the meantime it turns out none of positive joints is so strong to unite people. The only thing that can make people unite is the common enemy.... In 19th century nations were invented, the enemy becomes any alien nation, and the result?War between nations. After several wars and the death of millions in XX century it was decided to finish with nations and European Union was created. But in order Union exists, to make all see that she exists, some are not allowed to enter her. These are the rules of this stupid game: there must be always some excluded

Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt"Ulysse from Bagdad

Europe civilized? Since when?

Birdy, I don´t get what you´re criticising here. What do you mean Europe is not civilised? Europe is just a continent, it´s the people you can complain about. And I actually think Europeans are not that bad as far as "civilisation" is concerned. Of course there are issues that need to be improved but, all in all, it does grant its inhabitants more rights and more equality than they could dream of in backward Arabialand, where women are still murdered for adultery, or certain countries in Africa, where girls are mutilated for men´s pleasure.

You don´t like Europe? You think it prosecutes minorities? If deporting people breaking the law seems discriminatory, then you´re right. Sure, folks of Europe have been responsible for lots of actions against humanity, ie obligatory sterilisation of Romani women in Czechoslovakia. But it has nothing to do with the situation in France now. Not all Roma are deported, only these dwelling in public places illegaly. Also, if I´m not mistaken, 1/3 of the people deported are not Gypsies...

It´s easy to judge others if you have never had to tackle this problem yourself. I wonder how compassionate you´d be if 300 Gypsies decided to camp in front of your house, littering, stealing, begging and harrassing your children. What would the civilised action be? Many countries tried assimilating Gypsies - some were more, others less successful. I have no problem with Gypsies who obey the law, I wouldn´t mind them living next to me. But I object to people taking advantage of others. If that makes me uncivilised, then be it

Well, if you are reffering me, I can clearly say that I found DD´s posts -especially early posts- in this thread are quite racist. That was the reason why my post was  about gypsy-hating / respected racism etc.

I dont like ´prejudice and discrimination against any group of people without making any distinctions between that group when accusing´.

When you dont make that distinction, you are at the center of categorising, typecasting people .

Many examples all around: All pakistanis are sheria loving people; Turks are barbaric; Kurds are primitive; refugees are sucking the welfare system; Dutch are softy; Gypsies are thiefs; muslims are terrorists etc..

Removed one of Daydreamer´s posts.