Thread: ISO Austin students beg bdance 3/5/11 who heard instructor say" Gypsies get rich by selling their children into prostitution"

I am looking to hear from students who were in a beginning Belly Dance class in Austin, Texas on March 5, 2011 at a popular store/studio near Duval who will verify that they heard the dance instructor say to the class;"

“ Oh , ACTUALLY..in Syria, the Syrian Gypsies get rich by selling their children into prostitution. They then move into big houses, and everybody resents them for this. ”

or anything else along those lines of "don't exist/Ghawazees are prostitutes, etc" to a class of 15-20 students on March 5, 2011 in Austin, Texas USA.

Message me here or at :CCanino76@gmail.com

Are you sure that this is what was said? It sounds as if there could have been a major misunderstanding and resulting confusion that involves the practice of arranged teen marriages as well as stories about the Ouled Nail and the Ghawazee.

Originally Posted by steffib

Are you sure that this is what was said? It sounds as if there could have been a major misunderstanding and resulting confusion that involves the practice of arranged teen marriages as well as stories about the Ouled Nail and the Ghawazee.

Witnesses who were there in person that day are being sought.

-CCAnino

Originally Posted by CCanino

Witnesses who were there in person that day are being sought.

-CCAnino

To what end?

Originally Posted by da Sage

To what end?

For clarification of the incident.

-CCanino

"Witnesses?" "Specificity of statements for investigation?" "Clarification of the incident?"

Somebody's been watching too much CSI. If others corroborate your account, what do you plan to do with the information -- report it to the Bellydance Police? Blackmail the instructor? Or just smear her online, as you've already begun to do by posting the quotes and providing specific information on the date, city, and class level here?

If I had been there, I'd want to know a lot more about your personal experience of and connection with the incident and your motives before telling you anything. Contact the instructor directly, and privately, to discuss your concerns. This doesn't belong on an international, public online forum.

There is a simple to desire to reach the students and clear the matter up, which is why that information is there.

This is not directed at you.

If you were a student, contact me. Otherwise, your information is limited.

-CCanino

Originally Posted by Suzana

"Witnesses?" "Specificity of statements for investigation?" "Clarification of the incident?"

Somebody's been watching too much CSI. If others corroborate your account, what do you plan to do with the information -- report it to the Bellydance Police? Blackmail the instructor? Or just smear her online, as you've already begun to do by posting the quotes and providing specific information on the date, city, and class level here?

If I had been there, I'd want to know a lot more about your personal experience of and connection with the incident and your motives before telling you anything. Contact the instructor directly, and privately, to discuss your concerns. This doesn't belong on an international, public online forum.

Originally Posted by CCanino

Otherwise, your information is limited.

What does this mean?

Assuming there really is a teacher saying those things somewhere, what is the likelihood that the sort of student who would be content to study with such a teacher would be reading Bhuz's Instructor Center? Bhuz doesn't usually attract dancers who would be okay with being told culturally inaccurate, racist garbage. When students are exposed to a teacher spewing whacked-out nonsense, either they come here, learn better, and get away from that teacher, or they stay with that teacher because they don't care enough to want to learn outside of class.

Originally Posted by CCanino

This is not directed at you.

If you want to target people specifically then why do it on an international public discussion forum? Surely if you want to contact the students who were there, the best thing is to go back to the class.

The thing about posting on an international public discussion forum is that people from all across the world will discuss posts.

Just to make sure that the comments here are not misunderstood, since that would be extremely unfortunate. The vast majority of dancers and teachers, especially on Bhuz, are well aware of and deeply opposed to racism and discrimination against any ethnic group and educate their peers, students and the public about the Romani and Domari people and their impact on ME dance. Reservations about the allegations and (to me puzzling) cryptic comments by the OP are in no way an expression of support for racism, ignorance or discrimination.

Originally Posted by beafarhana

If you want to target people specifically then why do it on an international public discussion forum? Surely if you want to contact the students who were there, the best thing is to go back to the class.

The thing about posting on an international public discussion forum is that people from all across the world will discuss posts.

Visiting the class is not an option. The true intent is to find those students.The reason the alleged quote, d/t/l/ was put in the title is to get the attention of those students.
The intent is not to slander; the intent is to clarify with witnesses who were there.
The post is here in the event that those students left for whatever reason, or were removed by the instructor.

Yes, a Rroma community has been involved in this unfortunate and serious set of events.

Again, if you were there, please contact me at CCanino76@gmail.com.

If mods would prefer, the subject line could be changed to censor the quote.

Originally Posted by CCanino

If mods would prefer, the subject line could be changed to censor the quote.

There may be a bit of a misconception: Bhuz does not have moderators, and there is no censorship on the site, which is a word choice that leaves me confused. By using the advanced edit mode, users are free to modify the subject themselves.

Although I am puzzled what clarification you are making (why not just make post about it saying what's wrong with the statement?), you'd probably be better off trying Yahoo! list-servs. I assume there is one for Austin, though I'm not sure. They tend to reach many local dancers; I think in my particular region, more local dancers use the Yahoo! lists than Bhuz.

Originally Posted by steffib

There may be a bit of a misconception: Bhuz does not have moderators, and there is no censorship on the site[...].

I think the bigger misconception may be regarding the market penetration Bhuz has in any given area. Unless a teacher actively encourages students to join, or unless an individual comes across the site while doing her own dance research outside of class, lots of students will never even hear of Bhuz, and of the ones who join, many will never go to areas of the forum outside the shopping boards. Posting a query to a specific set of beginners who attended one particular class in a board entitled "Instructor Center" is probably barking up the wrong tree--on multiple levels.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

I think the bigger misconception may be regarding the market penetration Bhuz has in any given area. Unless a teacher actively encourages students to join, or unless an individual comes across the site while doing her own dance research outside of class, lots of students will never even hear of Bhuz, and of the ones who join, many will never go to areas of the forum outside the shopping boards. Posting a query to a specific set of beginners who attended one particular class in a board entitled "Instructor Center" is probably barking up the wrong tree--on multiple levels.

I had the same thought. Better off going to the class to find the people the OP is looking for.