I wouldn't normally post something about Madonna, but I was struck by the 19th century reaction to a 21st century problem. Roma are gypsies of Indian sub-continent decent who number in the millions throughout Europe. Their presence is greatest in Romania where Madonna played a concert recently. At one point she paused to speak out about the discrimination and violence faced by Roma only to be booed into submission. Click on the link above to discover more about these nomadic people and the subjugation they've faced for centuries.
I think Madonna did a really nice thing by addressing the issue of the discrimination against Roma. It's always inspiring to see celebrities using their popularity for something other then commercials. However, I do also agree with the fact that she is just a pop star, not a cultural attaché to the Roma population, and that her word means practically nothing to creating some kind of global change. But then again, you could say that her speaking out did create awareness. For instance, I personally wouldn't have known about the discrimination against the Roma population if it weren't for Madonna stepping in and saying something. So I think some good did come out of her getting booed at one of her concerts.
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