I caught this article on El Pais. Interesting which comment they took for the attention-getting headline:

http://www.elpais.es/articulo.html?d_dat...nchor=elpepupor

There were a couple dozen putdowns in the personnel files, but the headline on this article is what is a hot topic. I think that we're already well aware of how polemic this topic can be!

Calibasco,
Thank you for sharing the article with us. ¡Que horror! What sheer arrogance on the part, assumably, of the HR department of that grocery store. I hope that this is not the typical way that other Spanish businesses select their employees. It was obvious that the person interviewing set great store by what people looked like. The writer emphasized physical characteristics as much as racial profiling for not hiring. What fascinated me was that out of the thirteen commentaries listed, the comment about gitanos made the front line.

I just want to thank those of you who have sent me personal messages about my hasty departure from the board. Several of you have apologized for giving offense, and I want to let you know that you did not. I found that what was happening was this...

I would read a post and get upset by it, because it seemed to generalize in dangerous ways or because it made assertions that I worried were too broad. Then I would go dashing off all over the Web and beyond, trying to find additional information about whatever the statement had been. Then I would come back here, share that information, and think all was done.

But then someone else would have posted, supporting the earlier statement, or making another that seemed too broad, or insensitive...and off I would go again...searching for information, coming back here to share it, etc.

This could have gone on forever. I also found that I was feeling like many of the responses were too personalized, that people were trying to convince me that I was wrong. Just to clarify once again, I don't think I can change any one person's mind about this, but I do think that it's important to get all sides out there. I feel strongly about this issue--but so do many people. We can probably all agree that we wish that the situation for gitanos in Spain were different--and the question of whether the situation is their fault or not is one that will not be resolved here.

And in the meantime, in between my frequent (but harebrained) attempts to change the world, I have a child to care for and a dissertation to write! So I will stop in from time to time to see how you're all doing, and I do wish all of you nothing but happiness, both here on the board and in real life!

Hi Taravb,
So glad you're back! I totally understand about the dissertation bit, I'm doing the same thing right now,I'm working on Chapter 2, the lit review, and the only thing that is keeping me sane is the wonderful postings in Madrid Man.

I have learned so much here, not only about Spain but other issues as well, such as was discussed on this thread, the plight of the gitanos in Spain. The seriousness of their situation is clearly underscored in the very sad article that Calibasco just shared above.

Y otro ha sido rechazado por 'Repipi y con acento andaluz'! ¡Jo'é macho!, si es que incluso a mí me han quitao la ilusión de trabahar de cahera! Me cago en la leche (semi-desnatada) de su putomercado!

I think in Spain the external appearance is very important to find a job, specially when it's in front of public. I think this is very extended, although normally it's more a global appearance than a question of race.
What I find more exasperating are the comments unrespectful against people who are just looking for an honest job.

Just a FYI for all on the topic--
El Mundo today published an article about a young gitano who is a member of the FUndación Secretariado General Gitano and an estudiante de 4o de Derecho who is trying to help young gitanos stay in school.

It's a short article but interesting because it remarks upon Juan José Bustamante's attempts to combat the stereotypes surrounding Roma ethnicity and, at the same time, dialogue with gitano families to help the students overcome the hurdles of public education in Spain. Dice el artículo: "Según Juan José, 'sólo un 1% [de gitanos] estudia en la Universidad'" But this is apparently a success considering 'the high rates of illiteracy that there were only a few years ago.'

The article is in M2, p. 8, and title is "Cuestión de educación."

I really really hope that in the future the majority of the gypsies in Spain would go to the school to the colleges and that they would and could work as any other spaniard, that is: that they would be integrated in the rest of the society, as any other ethnia and culture.

I have said in this thread all what I think about how the gypsies are in Spain. I would be glad to see how wrong I am, and see gypsies "en mass" be working, studying and living as the rest of us. That day I will drink a good wine of champagne

Fernando

taravb writes: I thought this board was real life! Am I wrong?

Isn't it a Spanish myth that education and healthcare are free to all Spaniards? Last time I checked children had to buy all their own books and employed people had to pay certain amounts for healthcare (and wait for up to months to be seen). I can see why so many Spaniards have private insurance. And I guess many Spaniards only like to dance to gypsies. sad....but true:(