Quite apart from it obviously being disgusting, I cannot see how it can possibly, possibly be legal. Romania is part of the EU, France is part of the EU, EU citizens have the legal right to live in any EU country. I don't understand what possible legal grounds he could be claiming. It's blatant discrimination, blatantly against EU Human Rights law, and blatantly against whatever bit of the EU law that allows free movement of people across EU countries.

If the EU doesn't somehow prevent this, the whole institution will be shown to be a sham.

Grrrr.

Yeah. It's like the whole thing is a hand of poker and Sarkozy is hoping the EU is just a load of bluffing. Because presumably if it's all bound by treaties, then if you blatantly break the treaties, you should be kicked out. But I have zero understanding of how it's meant to work. In fact, it's so generally baffling that I think I'll have to ask my father to explain it to me tomorrow (on the assumption that it's the kind of thing he ought to know).

I KNOW OMG. *facepalm* If I can do enough research to know all that for BtVS fanfic, POLITICIANS can do enough research to know all of that for REAL WORLD ISSUES.

As you probably know, discrimination toward Roma has been growing in Europe ever since the collapse of the USSR. France is not alone or new in this behavior; Sarkozy is just being more blatant about it. As I understand it, previously, there were always individual charges against deported individuals (trumped up when needed). France has actually seen protests against Sarkozy's actions in recent days.

The Roma individuals who are being deported are reported to be citizens of Bulgaria and Romania. Mr. Sarkozy is not deporting western European Roma, as far as I have heard. Have you heard otherwise? This is not a justification in any way, but merely context: my understanding is that except for some Travellers, western European Roma are highly integrated, while eastern European Roma have maintained much independence from the dominant culture.

>"and who are living in traditional (and allegedly illegal) camps"

From what I've read, outlawing "camping" was a primary strategy used on both sides of the Iron Curtain to suppress Roma traditions during the twentieth century. (Granted, the spectrum run was from Britain mostly fining people, to some of the communist countries forcing people into horrid state-built accommodations that directly conflicted with cultural norms and then being furious when that didn't magically assimilate them.)

When I'm spending money again, I'm planning to buy one of the few books about North American Roma history (library doesn't have them). Amazon lists one about California Roma dating to the '70s that looks to be the most comprehensive, which is weird -- no new scholarship in forty years?

>"but the PBS NewsHour always seems to have something eye-opening when I do."

They're the best! My local NPR station airs the audio of the PBS NewsHour at 3 PM local time; sometimes, in my current circumstances, I go for a walk with my walkman then. You can tell that it's very serious journalism and scholarship when the audio alone is complete, clear and thought-provoking, with little to no loss from omitting the video.

I am deeply, deeply baffled. And outraged. But honestly, mostly like "But how can they even DO that?" and yeah "...but... Romania?"

I have a lot of large, angry ??????? floating over my head right now.

I caught this story last week or so off the BBC's website, and yes. Just... very much not impressed. Although it's occasionally nice to see somewhere other than the US stick its head up its ass, just as a reminder that we don't hold a monopoly on idiotic behavior.

I know, right???

-J

The levels to which my frustration and spite have ascended (or descended, depending on your point of view) in relation to the latest European racism debacle cannot even be put to words. It's always easy to kick the Roma when you want to distract your citizenry from the real batshit hellbath that you've allowed your country to become. Same shit, different century. >:C