What stereotypes, exactly?
o.o

Well, a lot of Americans base their assumptions of Rom (aka Gypsies) on things from books or movies, have the bigotry passed down to them, or assume that just because they've never seen any must mean that they were successfully wiped out in WWII (I've had that argument SEVERAL times in high school). But you run into stereotypes about how Rom are a lazy, dirty people that shouldn't exist anymore. I used to have to deal with such wonderful jokes about dancing for money, reading palms and cards, being a whore, buying or stealing children and that they shouldn't be hired at jobs because they're all thieves. There are around 1 or 2 million Rom in America, and the other3 or so million are in Europe, parts of the Middle East, and southeast Asia. And those places feel the same way unfortunately.

You run into a lot of leftover hate from people who've never even met and gotten to know any Rom to base their feelings off of; it's more than a little unsettling and makes it hard to be friends in high school when you're told by your peers that you shouldn't exist, or that the Nazis missed a few.

Ah. Apparently, if there is a people, someone will find something bad to say about them. I never even heard about the whole non-existance argument. Unfortunately, I have heard almost everything else, used against other folks. On this one, you are far from alone. People all over deal with these problems, and all I can say is, at this point, hold on, and prove them wrong.

Very cool. Good to be proud of yer heritage.