In a sense the campaign against Roma beggars was just another tabloid spasm of outrage or hatred - they come so regularly now, and certainly seem to work partly on a libidinal level. It could be ersatz grief for Lady Di, ersatz hatred for paedophiles, or ersatz outrage over fuel tax. There's no telling what it will be next month, but there's sure to be something. They did, and will, find more tolerance and compassion here than in many other European countries. If England is then a product of this ebb and flow of peoples, it is those who welcome them that are the true patriots.
Diverse communities are what makes London exciting and cosmopolitan.
This prospect is met with strong resistance, and the victimisation of the Roma by the press is an example of the growing Europe-wide problems of race and nationalism. It is the beginning of a turbulent and violent period in which everything is at stake. Faced with corporate takeover on a global scale, they represent hope. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.