[welanes]

> The response of Romania upon joining the EU was to thrust their failure to integrate the Roma on to other EU member states, who in turn have refused to offer anything resembling comprehensive help.

Can't speak for the entire EU, but in Ireland Roma have the same opportunity as any EU immigrant. There's no concerted effort to integrate them nor is there institutional prejudice to keep them down. Just good old apathy and a pretty solid social security system.

Any 'failure to integrate' is entirely on their part. Many are fully integrated, some are my friends. Others continue to live lifestyles similar to what has been described in the comments.

[woodcut]

I was trying to point out the nuance between an integrated multiethnic society and a multicultural one involving multiple parallel societies where to a certain extent a minorities own laws take precedence. Going back to the article, I think minorities have an easier time coming to terms with fractured identities in America as at least one can be American-whatever, unlike in Europe in my own experience where you're simply "not from here".

> "nor is there institutional prejudice to keep them down"

It's pretty well documented: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiziganism