in which Katta engages in frequent but justified capslock

[kattahj]

You know, Criminal Minds is one of those shows I've contemplated watching. There are some actors in it whom I like, it seemed pretty interesting, people I trusted spoke well of it.

I have to say, though, that any such desire is severely marred by child-snatching gypsiesWhat the everliving FUCK? No. NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. Lord knows that there are a

Comments

[greenet]

It's usually a very good show - I can't recall anything this appalling in prior episodes - but this was such an absolute low point I really don't have words.

eta: icon fail on my behalf. *facedesks*

[kattahj]

Yeah, I've seen other comments saying that the episode isn't typical of the show, which, thank GOD, but still, even ONCE with this crap is quite bad.

[greenet]

*nodnods* Seriously. And in some ways to me it's somehow actually worse, because it's usually a good show. Like, I trust this show not to do this, and yet, here they are, doing it.

[kattahj]

Yeah, I can imagine that. Sort of the difference between getting mind-numbingly stupid from Supernatural ("All cultures have an anti-Claus!") and from West Wing. (Which could certainly also be quite stupid at times, but it was always more of a dissappointment when it was.)

[love2loveher]

I think we've talked about this before, but most Americans (and myself would be included had I never met you) are completely ignorant of gypsie-prejudice in Europe.

[kattahj]

I'm usually willing to give leeway for ignorance (I have to, considering that the Roma are hardly ever NOT treated as some sort of pixies), but this is so specifically evolved from racist propaganda that it's hard to imagine they didn't realize what they were doing. Like I said in the comment of brown_betty's post (and others said with me), it's the equivalent of having a Jewish family drinking babies' blood.

[love2loveher]

The Riches is based on gypsies, isn't it? How do you feel about the culture presented there? Because in the few episodes I've suffered through, they seem to present the Gypsy culture as entirely not reputable.

[kattahj]

I haven't seen the show, so I can't tell. Judging by Wikipedia, it's based on Irish gypsies/travellers, which seem to be a different ethnic group. Either way, I don't know much about the situation in Ireland.

[wee_warrior]

child-snatching gypsies

*blinks*

Um, wow. And here I thought we were living in the 21st century. Seriously, thi is obnoxious. (Although, unfortunately, it's far from the only misrepresentation - I know that certain TV channels in Germany show "documentaries" apparently mostly aimed at defaming social welfare recipients and minority groups, and one of these seems to have been about Roma. "Enlightened" doesn't begin to describe it. Not to mention the number of people who just seem to accept this "information" at face value.)

[kattahj]

I can't even comprehend the level of FAIL involved in writing that episode. Did they just read through the Gestapo Library to see if they could find any good ideas?

And yeah, misrepresentations are common and anti-Rom sentiments accepted in circles that would never accept other kinds of racism (my mind still boggles at the anti-racist speaker I heard who went, "Well, gypsies are rabble - because they've been treated the way they have, of course") but there's racism and then there's !!!HOLYFUCKWUT???

[staubundsterne]

I know that certain TV channels in Germany show "documentaries" apparently mostly aimed at defaming social welfare recipients and minority groups, and one of these seems to have been about Roma.

Out of curiosity, do you have any names/references of these 'documentaries'? (I'm not doubting you; I just don't have a TV and these things fly by me most of the time).

[wee_warrior]

I *think* Kabel 1 would be the channel (although both RTLs would seem like fitting candidates for this kind of, er, journalism).
As for the documentaries themselves: I've had colleagues at my various fast food/retail jobs tell me about the contents - it seemed to be where they got their information on such topics as welfare recipients (obviously all undeserving, lazy and greedy lowlifes) and in one case, Roma (who all steal and are basically multi-generational prison-inmates).

Not a very scientific way of researching, but I admit I haven't actually watched German TV other than the occasional news programme in several years. I was rather appalled that stuff like this actually gets made.

[pandarus]

???? You're kidding? Seriously? What the fucking fuck?

Fail.

[kattahj]

I can't even EXPRESS the level of fail.

[therru]

Now I'm glad I don't follow it.

[kattahj]

Yeah. I'm not saying I'll NEVER EVER watch an ep, but I'd hate to have been one of those viewers who have watched and liked the show only to have something like this showing up in their faces.