REALITY CHECK

Ah the support for the Museum Project over here on Vashon Island is so great that one can forget momentarily about life's realities.

Today Kate and I worked on displays for the festival.  The displays cover History, the Porraijmos, and the Present Day Situation of the Romani people, not as much fun as the games for children.  When I returned home, I visited the shop owner next door.  She told me that she had a customer today who said she was Romanian by heritage.  My friend eagerly (and naively) told her about the museum.  (The first thing Bonnie said to me was that she had a lot to learn--ha).  The customer responded with a deluge of racist epitaths against Romani.  Her first words were "They are the scum of the earth.  They murder their mothers.  They are not human...."

This proves the necessity of the museum and education center.  Racism is alive and thriving.  And the beat goes on......