7:48pm October 23, 2013

“

The parents of a blonde-haired Roma boy taken from his family overnight have spoken of their distress at the ordeal.

The father, who has been living in Ireland for a number of years, told how gardai came to his home late yesterday evening with questions over the identity of his two-year-old son

He said his girlfriend - originally from Bucharest, Romania who is the mother of the little boy - had been extremely distressed and unable to sleep after his son was kept overnight.

Outside their home in Westmeath, the father – who cannot be identified for legal reasons - said he was extremely relieved when he got a call from the Health Services Executive (HSE) health centre telling him he could pick up the boy at midday.

He told how his son repeatedly asked him where he had been.

”

Child taken from second Roma family is returned | Belfast Telegraph

This is at least the second instance since the story of Maria in Greece broke of authorities taking away blond(e) Roma children from their families on no basis other than their coloring.  The first instance, also in Ireland, is not yet resolved.

(via theyeatthemweeping)

This is just appalling. The case of Maria and all the bigotry getting spewed around that was bad, and so authorities elsewhere choose to rush down the same road.

I was a blonde little kid, and people kept assuming that anybody but my darker (Tutelo-Cherokee) mom must be my Real Parent. Even random White strangers on the street. Those particular instances of racist ignorance of how genetics actually work were just annoying and disconcerting. There was never any real danger, just some dirty looks and rude comments, which were unpleasant enough to deal with.

The idea of children actually being removed from their homes over this kind of crap really should give everyone pause to think about the precarious situations and levels of bigotry these families are living in. (But it probably won’t, because racism and privilege. :-|)