Charmaine Smith
As a romany Gypsy women i ahve over come many racial shall we say "confrontations" in my 27 years my sisters and i got beaten up by boys at school both primary and high school, not to say that it stopped there also in my work place its very hard to just walk away and keep your mouth shut ...It seems to me that in england if you are from any ethnic minority you are targeted but as it was said on the programme the hate and racism against romanies is the last form of exceptable It must stop but we need to all stand together and say no more

TOM
New age 'travllers' give Gyspies a bad name

Rob
Stereotypes largely come from two types of source: 1)reality 2)resentment/fear/hatred. In my experience i have found that anywhere gypsies have been there have be a much higher level of problems.

Whilst i agree that it is unfair to badge all gypsies together, there is a big problem with criminality (i will not comment on hygiene as this is rather distasteful and uneccessary aspect of this debate). Anywhere even the good examples of these group of people go they are accompanied by a larger proportion of thugs, criminal and scammers and thats why they get the reputation. The big problem is they use land illegally, they leave a mess and they can easily evade the law by moving on.

THE ONLY WAY TO CHANGE PEOPLES OPINION IS TO CHANGE THE BEHAVIOUR OR HELP ROOT OUT YOUR BAD ELEMENTS.

sarah
I used have the opinion that alot of people have about travellers until I met one and started going out with one and there not dirty or scum they are more hard working than anyone I know and we have a baby together. They treat each other with such respect and are always looking out for each other. People just need to understand their culture like I did and you will find there much better people than most.

cara
So there they were, finding council land laybys, places where work and parking up coincided. it had all been going for some time. It would have been possible for the government to have helped it go in either direction. Instead they tried erradication, brought in various white papers directed at travellers that affected everybody. Laybys were closed, much council land sold off. The persecution of travellers was easy. A floundering economy and a scapegoat to direct peoples anger at. Slight fear through ignorance already in place.

I know it is not true that all travellers are scroungers or druggies, the same way I know its not true all business people are tax dodgers, or all models take cocaine instead of lunch or people deciding to be single parents have done so to get social support. Things are not black and white. Tolerance from every body towards every body regardless of religeon race or beliefs. we are all unique x

Patricia
so many people of gypsy origin live in houses as their way of life has been marginilised by society.. Gypsys used to be held in high regard as Horse Traders in the Victorian days.

joe and Jane hurn
I think this programme shows Gypsies and Travellers in a postive light. Not enough is being done by the media to show that the majority of Gypsies and Travellers are respectable people and that those whom pull onto road sides and onto illegal encampments do so due to the lack of the provision of sites and that given the chance many would stay on an authorised encampment if they could do so. I am a gypsy from Cheshire where Gypsies and Travellers are the largest ethnic minority. I am settled in a house have undertaken all my education and Yes! I pay Income tax, NI and even council tax. There are plenty of others like us.

Debbie
We have a camp of gypsies in our village, they've been there nearly 2 years and the injunction for them to leave comes in to place on the 25th. Ever since they arrived there has been more crime here, and the site is a blight on the beautifal landscapre. Why should they get to live in a connservation area without planning permission when most people who grew up here can't afford to stay?

laura
my family descends from gypsies and we are not scum, we are not scroungers and we are not dirty! how can people say travellers are scroungers when the majority of england have 10 kids and live off benefits in scummy council estates all their lives?!! Ive always been bought up 2 earn my money and be a decent person

Dave, London
I bet the gypsy and traveller community feel really pleased about this programme being made. I imagine it's a rare chance to have their voice heard. Well done 1Xtra.

Chris, Belfast
The travelling community definately suffers Racism more than other minority communities here in Ireland, and I do think it's because most people find it acceptable. Sometimes racist attitudes against Blacks, Asians, Eastern Europeans etc. would still be present amongst older people in mainstream society, but the Travelling Community seems to me to be the main group that suffers from Racism widely across all age groups.

I would admit that i don't feel very comfortable around Travellers, mainly based on my experiences with certain members of the Travelling Comunity and misconceptions passed on to me from others. This stereotypical view which is verified by a minority of Travelers is probably the main reason that they suffer the most discrimination.

Recently there has been alot in the news surrounding Black people and gun crime in England. Also there has been a lot of bad light shed on Muslims because of certain violent elements and extremists within their community. Anyone that would try to use these stories to claim that all Black people carry guns and all Muslims are suicide bombers would almost certainly be ridiculed by the vast majority of the Community and their views would be mostly discarded, so why doesn't anybody speak up for the Travelling Community?

Work needs to be done on all sides of the community in Ireland and in Britain to dispell myths based on Racist and Sectarian views.

Lindsay Walker
i think people think they're justified in thier prejudism against Gypsy and Traveller communities, when really not enough is done to understand their culture and to work with Travelling communities to build stopping places for them.

Ben Jags
You got to feel sorry for these people to some extent. But on the other hand travellers often don't respect the people whos endz they move to.

Tom, Thurnscoe
I think gypsys are given are bad name just like any other group of people can be. They have criminals particularly thieves within their communuties who cloud the judgement of societys views on a whole bunch of people.