Before visiting Paris it is important to have an understanding of their Roma situation. I have mentioned Roma in a previous post but in case you've forgotten Roma are essentially gypsies. Roma have faced a lot of persecution in Europe over the years but things have reached a boiling point in France. A recent article in The Huffington Post focuses on comments made by a Romanian Gypsy leader that compares French President Sarkozy to Nazis. These comments are in response to Sarkozy's decision to expel hundreds of Roma from France. About 1,000 Gypsies have been sent back to Romania and Bulgaria as a result of France's crime fighting measures. The French president "has linked Roma to crime, calling the camps in which some of them live, sources of trafficking, exploitation of children and prostitution." Because EU governments are allowed to send citizens of other EU countries (Romania is also an EU country) home if their citizens can't find work or support themselves in other countries, and because 1.5 million Gypsies already live in Romania making it the largest population of Gypsies in Europe-- the logical decision on Sarkozy's part was to send the Gypsies in his country back to Romania.
The problem is the expulsions are being criticized by many in Europe, and not just Roma. Sarkozy has the Catholic church, the United Nations, and even members of his own political party on his case. Keep this in mind while traveling in France because it could come up in conversations-- you want to be sure and look like an intelligent American not a narrow minded one.
Here's the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/08/romanian-gypsy-leader-com_n_708764.html
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