This is about a thread on Facebook. I thought that I was both on the moral side and doing quite well in the argument. Then, the thread was not there anymore. I’m assuming that somebody deleted it. So, this is from memory.
A friend posted a meme joke. The punchline was “Nothing happened. What a gyp!”. A few people left laughing emojis on the post. I responded with "I find this offensive. The word gyp has bigotted origins. It originally meant “To be swindled or cheated as though by a gypsy.” I was expecting a response from the friend who posed the meme, something like “Oh. I did not know that. I will stop using the phrase.”
What I got was a question from a third poster, who I will call JR. He asked “Are you a gypsy or just somebody who gets offended on their behalf?” I responded with “First, the word gypys is somewhere between outdated (like colored) and offensive. The proper term is Romani. Second, to answer your question I am not Romani That I know of. Are you sayijng that I since I am not black, I cannot object to use of the N word. If you are not saying that, what exactly are you saying?”
JR “I was just asking if you are a gypsy. It’s not that complicated.”
Me “Why do you continue to use a word you know to be offensive? And why does it matter if I am Romani or not?”
JR 'So now the word is offensive? I knew you weren’t a gypsy. Do you have any gypsy friends?"
Me “I said, you can check my first post, that the word was somewhere between outdated and offensive. By continuing to use it, you are clearly trying to cause offense, I may or may not have Romani friends. Why does it matter?”
JR “I knew it was performative outrage. I knew you didn’t know any gypsies.”
JR “Things I learned in 2024- DocCathode doesn’t know any gypsies.”
Me “I neither confirm nor deny having Romani friends. On what exactly do you base your claim that I do not?”
JR “Call it gypsy intuition.”
At this point, I gather he expected me to accept that he was Romani, bow to his superior knowledge and withdraw. Instead, I responded with
Me “Intuition? So,you admit that your claim is not based on anything I’ve written in this thread or facts of any kind? And why do you continue to use an offensive term when you have been provided with an acceptable alternative?”
JR did not make another post. But, he did use the Like button to leave a laughing emoji on my last post.
I waited a few hours. Several people had commented that they were enjoying the argumen between myself and JR. I felt much like I had played chess with a pigeon. I had achieved check mate quickly and easily. He just pooped on the board and strutted proudly. I made one last post-
Me “You claim to be Romani. You may well be. You make this assertion without proof or evidence of any kind. Why should I believe you considering your admission that your claim I do not have any Romani friends is based on zero evidence? Assuming for the sake of argument that you are Romani- so what? This makes you a sample size of one. I will illustrate. I am Jewish. I love cheezy movies. When Hebrew Hammer came out, I had to see it. I did. I loved it. I was sad that there were no Hebrew Hammer or other merchandise. Going by me, a sample size of one, Jews were crazy about the film. A long time friend who is also Jewish and who also loves cheezy movies (In fact he was the one who introduced me to Troma many decades ago), hated Hebrew Hammer. He thought that those responsible should be punished and all copies of the film destroyed. He also felt that Hebrew Hammer was deeply anti semitic. Going by him, a sample size of one, Jews absolutely hated the film. You are a sample size of one. Without a statistically significant number of people, your opinion is just that - your opinion.”
I was curious what JR’s response would be, and what the onlookers would say. When I went to look at the thread again, I could not find it. Even previous notifications about it in my notifications tab were gone.
Please Note- We used to have a member who went by the screen name of Kal. He was Romani. Being a Doper, he always backed up his claims about the Romani with valid cites and links to credible sources. I learned a great deal about the Romani from him. I was not about to tell JR, who struck me at the beginning is your average troll, any of this. JR never did answer my question of why it mattered whether or not I have Romani friends. I do not, at this tme, have any black friends. I’m still going to object if somebody says or posts something derogatory about black people.
