Dear Editor:
The ignorance of people, and the bigotry they attempt to conceal, never ceases to amaze me. In the February 17, 2008 edition of the Hoboken Reporter, Margaret O’Brien referred to taxi cabs that are owned or operated by people other than Hoboken residents as “gypsy cabs.” Apparently only the most evolved members of this community can correctly identify the term “gypsy’ as a term that is both derogatory and slanderous.
The term “Gypsy” is a disparaging expression that typically refers to the thousands of Romani families found all across Europe. From Helsinki to Belgrade one can find these close knit families of diverse backgrounds taking pride in the culture of their various adoptive countries, while preserving their own traditions. Only within a Romanis Family can you sit down to a Christmas meal that includes chicken for the Muslim members of the family and pork for the Orthodox Christian members.
Citizens who wish their voices heard should take more care with the words they choose, and this paper should conduct more research into the definitions of seemingly obscure terminology.
Richard Skalski