No place for prejudice against travellers (From Crewe Guardian)

No place for prejudice against travellers

11:02am Monday 19th December 2011 in Letters

WITH reference to the article that appeared in the December 1 edition, page 7, of the Crewe Guardian, you publicised an ‘anti-traveller’ hog roast and carol singing party.

I believe that in this day and age, this sort of prejudice against an ethnic minority group is disgusting. I am a non-traveller married into a travelling family with two small boys and am trying to bring them up to be proud of their heritage.

With this sort of negative attitude around, it is hard for them to even want to be proud and tell people who they are as they are worried of the persecution they will get and spiteful comments.

I’m sure that nobody would advertise an anti-black hog roast or anti-Muslim hog roast as this would be against discrimination legislation rights but it feels as though it is ok to have anti-travellers as we are a lower end of society and we don’t matter and neither do our feelings.

People need to consider the implications this publicity has on the wider community not just themselves – I have children scared to say who they are in case they get bullied. I am a teacher at Sir William Stanier teaching pupils every day not to be prejudiced yet we have members of society who are feeling this sort of advertisement and activity is fine.

Laura Rogerson

The Guardian was asked to point out that Crewe Against Traveller Sites (CATS) is not an ‘anti-traveller’ organisation.

It only objects to the proposed gipsy and traveller site earmarked for land off Parkers Road, in Coppenhall.