Gypsies who make their children beg - is it slavery? Not if it's only part-time!

Once again, the Italian courts have outdone themselves. An article published today in La Repubblica outlines how a Rom woman who was sentenced to 5 years in prison for "child slavery" has just had the conviction overturned and re-established as a lesser crime of "child mistreatment". According to the courts, there is a fine line between the two crimes, and if the hours that a child is forced to beg for money do not exceed 4 per day, then this cannot possibly be tried as child enslavement.

Since street begging is considered a deep rooted practice in the Rom culture, the Italian courts have decided to simply apply a few simple child labor law limits and give them its blessing?

Mia V, the gypsy woman in mention, will now await a second trial, and who knows if she'll be punished. My guess is that she will get a fine, probably less one one that any of us would get for passing a red traffic light - and be sent on her way to beg with her child by lunchtime.

The Cassation courts justified their actions by stating that it is wrong to "criminalize behavior that is rooted in the culture and tradition of a people".


Moral of the story, by all means let your children get used to a life of begging from birth, but be sure they punch out after 4 hours or so, or you could be in trouble!

Comments, opinions anyone?! In my own humble opinion, this is topped only by the law recently taken off the books that stated a woman who was wearing jeans could not possibly be raped...