The Roma of America

After reading about the Roma gypsies, I started thinking about how cruel and inhumane the Italians were to a group that were essentially also human beings. Although I think most of us are appalled by the extreme cases of police burning down Roma camps and people holding picnics around dead bodies, some of this also exists too close to home. Being new to the west coast and Los Angeles area, I constantly notice the overwhelming amount of homeless in the area. How many of us Americans are able to ignore those begging on the side of the street or homeless man or woman possibly in need of help? You hear stories of the homeless population subjected to violence and lacking protection. They are too often turned away from public places, forbidden to loiter in most areas, and expelled from hospitals for their inability to pay. Are the homeless of America really that different than the Roma of Italy? In general, people may feel that it is easier to ignore the plights of others than to regard them as human beings with life, feelings, and rights.