BUCHAREST, Romania - At first, fans politely applauded the Roma performers sharing a stage with Madonna. Then the pop star condemned widespread discrimination against Roma, or Gypsies — and the cheers gave way to jeers.

The sharp mood change that swept the crowd of 60,000, who had packed a park for Wednesday night's concert, underscores how prejudice against Gypsies remains deeply entrenched across Eastern Europe.

Despite long-standing efforts to stamp out rampant bias, human rights advocates say Roma probably suffer more humiliation and endure more discrimination than any other people group on the continent.

Sometimes, it can be deadly: In neighboring Hungary, six Roma have been killed and several wounded in a recent series of apparently racially motivated attacks targeting small countryside villages predominantly settled by Gypsies.

"There is generally widespread resentment against Gypsies in Eastern Europe. They have historically been the underdog," Radu Motoc, an official with the Soros Foundation Romania, said Thursday.

Roma, or Gypsies, are a nomadic ethnic group believed to have their roots in the Indian subcontinent. They live mostly in southern and eastern Europe, but hundreds of thousands have migrated west over the past few decades in search of jobs and better living conditions.

Romania has the largest number of Roma in the region. Some say the population could be as high as 2 million, although official data put it at 500,000.

Until the 19th century, Romanian Gypsies were slaves, and they've gotten a mixed response ever since: While discrimination is widespread, many East Europeans are enthusiastic about Gypsy music and dance, which they embrace as part of the region's cultural heritage.

That explains why the Roma musicians and a dancer who had briefly joined Madonna onstage got enthusiastic applause. And it also may explain why some in the crowd turned on Madonna when she paused during the two-hour show — a stop on her worldwide "Sticky and Sweet" tour — to touch on their plight.

"It has been brought to my attention ... that there is a lot of discrimination against Romanies and Gypsies in general in Eastern Europe," she said. "It made me feel very sad."

Thousands booed and jeered her.

A few cheered when she added: "We don't believe in discrimination ... we believe in freedom and equal rights for everyone." But she got more boos when she mentioned discrimination against homosexuals and others.

"I jeered her because it seemed false what she was telling us. What business does she have telling us these things?" said Ionut Dinu, 23.

Madonna did not react and carried on with her concert, held near the hulking palace of the late communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

Her publicist, Liz Rosenberg, said Madonna and other had told her there were cheers as well as jeers.

"Madonna has been touring with a phenomenal troupe of Roma musicians who made her aware of the discrimination toward them in several countries so she felt compelled to make a brief statement," Rosenberg said in an e-mail. "She will not be issuing a further statement."

One Roma musician said the attitude toward Gypsies is contradictory.

"Romanians watch Gypsy soap operas, they like Gypsy music and go to Gypsy concerts," said Damian Draghici, a Grammy Award-winner who has performed with James Brown and Joe Cocker.

"But there has been a wave of aggression against Roma people in Italy, Hungary and Romania, which shows me something is not OK," he told the AP in an interview. "The politicians have to do something about it. People have to be educated not to be prejudiced. All people are equal, and that is the message politicians must give."

Nearly one in two of Europe's estimated 12 million Roma claimed to have suffered an act of discrimination over the past 12 months, according to a recent report by the Vienna-based EU Fundamental Rights Agency. The group says Roma face "overt discrimination" in housing, health care and education.

Many do not have official identification, which means they cannot get social benefits, are undereducated and struggle to find decent jobs.

Roma children are more likely to drop out of school than their peers from other ethnic groups. Many Romanians label Gypsies as thieves, and many are outraged by those who beg or commit petty crimes in Western Europe, believing they spoil Romania's image abroad.

In May 2007, Romanian President Traian Basescu was heard to call a Romanian journalist a "stinky Gypsy" during a conversation with his wife. Romania's anti-discrimination board criticized Basescu, who later apologized.

Human rights activists say the attacks in Hungary, which began in July 2008, may be tied to that country's economic crisis and the rising popularity of far-right vigilantes angered by a rash of petty thefts and other so-called "Gypsy crime." Last week, police arrested four suspects in a nightclub in the eastern city of Debrecen.

Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia also have been criticized for widespread bias against Roma.

Madonna's outrage touched a nerve in Romania, but it seems doubtful it will change anything, said the Soros Foundation's Motoc.

"Madonna is a pop star. She is not an expert on interethnic relations," he said.

___

AP Writers Alison Mutler in Bucharest, William J. Kole in Vienna and Nekesa Mumbi Moody in New York contributed to this report.

I finally reached my dream. Me and my fiance just bought a 1955 GMC PD-4104 Greyhound bus. It was a conversion bus, but the last owner decided to strip it and rebuild it and never got around to the rebuilding part. Runs strong as a bull. Strong engine and body. Lots of conversion work plans for the inside. Was converted but the guy gutted it to rebuild. Everything is still in place though. Water and septic tanks, propane setup, most plumbing setup and has toilet installed. Has hot water heater/tank. Still has full size fridge, double sided stainless steel sink, stove/oven & washer/dryer. Have to rewire and so forth. Will set up a blog journal to track our progress with it for folks later.

Can't believe we manifested this gem. This is my long time dream come true.

Anyway, money is tight and we have a online store if people want to help us convert it at www.shady-grove-designs.com

I worked long and hard to get this site up. But it is finally up and my girl has been busy filling it up with designs. Right now I'm working on the Shady Grove Bookstore. Then I'll be working on the Shady Grove Woodshop. I'm building portable altars, chests and my new project is small faery houses for gardens.

Anyway check out my store site and tell me what you think at: www.shady-grove-designs.com

So yah! I found my Earth Mama and am homesteading with the love of my life in Waldport, OR. We are fixing up the 1+ acres we are on but dream of a 10 acre spread.

I have started a Handyman business and soon will have a new chainsaw with different size blade. What for you ask? Well I live in the woods next to the ocean. I have miles of beautiful Oregon coast to collect driftwood for my woodcraft. I'm a carpenter by trade. I figure I'll take a chainsaw out in the woods and find old big tree stumps and take slices off of them to create beautiful altars with them and driftwood and sell them on me and Rachel's new online store (which I'm working on) called Shady Grove Designs. I like to point out I designed and created our logo.

I put a copy of my different Adobe photo shop & graphic art programs on Rachels laptop and one day I was complaining that I could not find any decent Awen or Druidic stuff and she started creating some. I turned her on to Cafepress and Shady Grove Designs was born. Below are a few links to some of her designs if you are interested. I am still working on all the descriptions on Cafepress as well as a website to tie all the pages in together as well as a place to showcase my woodworks.

So anything you buy from our store helps support us and improve our land and save towards our bigger plot. We plan to build a hobbit style house like this: www.simondale.net/house

As soon as I get the site up I'll post it here.




www.cafepress.com/ShadyGroveArt

www.cafepress.com/ShadyGroveArt1

www.cafepress.com/ShadyGroveArt2

www.cafepress.com/ShadyGroveArt3

www.cafepress.com/ShadyGroveArt4

www.cafepress.com/ShadyGroveArt5

www.cafepress.com/ShadyGroveArt6

www.cafepress.com/ShadyGroveArt7

www.cafepress.com/ShadyGroveArt8

www.cafepress.com/ShadyGroveArt9

P.S.
We also plan to open a bohemian style coffee shop called "Brighid by the Sea" next to a Pagan shop in Seal Rock called "Ancient Light".

About Me:
I would love to meet someone who could be a lifetime companion, to thrive together. I love learning and engaging with people and am a bit of an idealist/dreamer.

Living life fully rooted in a state of joy, love and abundance rocks.
I dont feel like I am looking, but I am open. I am just so busy enjoying a full life that I have been in a state of contentment. Loving myself well helps of course.
I am open for a goddess to come and sweep me off my feet and lead me off on various adventures.

I am obsessively creative and led by intuition. I am a craftsman and a performer.

I am led by spirit and a desire to propagate love in the world. I believe in magic. Not just the, wow, that was neat! kind, but the lets change the weather so It is safe to drive kind. I'm sure you know what I mean. I live in a sanctuary surrounded by a cathedral created by nature. I worship here daily. I am a Druid.

I enjoy the fullness of life in all its flavors and am comfortable with my place in it. I love the experience of being human. I live for blackberry splinters, sore backs and orgasms, the moments of hedonism and self-sacrifice, the awkward moments as much as the shining ones. Life is for living and I am hands on. I am deeply committed to the people that I love. I am far from perfect and have a strong desire to continue to grow.

What I'm Looking For:
This time 'round I am manifesting a spectacular relationship experience. I am looking for a nice clear sign of immediate connection. I am amused anticipating how you are reading this and that you know that I am writing just for you. Its amazing that we haven't met before considering our geographical proximity.
I am eagerly anticipating being impressed by your strength and presence. Creativity oozes from you like some delicious intoxicating perfume. You are a woman who devours life in huge mouth watering hunks. You are wise enough to know that problems are opportunities. You are fluent in the language of humor and silliness. You are competent, self confident and healthy. You already know how beautiful and strong you are. You expect the adoration that a goddess of your stature deserves.
I see that I am calling you out. yes you. You are ready for an unconventionally wonderful relationship. This is not a cop-out for monogamy, but a realization that we are both powerful people with much to do in the world. We can love our lives, together sometimes, apart others. Our relationship does not require close proximity to feel secure. We know that if our beloved is out in the world, then the world is benefiting from their light.

I'm drawn to women who are intellectually curious and engaged, kind and caring about others and the world, wanting to enjoy all of what life has to offer, open-minded; someone who respects herself and others deeply. It would be cool if we could connect spiritually also (I am a practicing Druid within ADF).

P.S.
Looking to manifest a School bus and settle some land and do the Festies & Rainbow gatherings during the the summer.
You willing to rough it Rainbow style?

You can message me here or email me at gypsyvillalobos@yahoo.com

One of the things that disturbs me much in the modern Pagan community is how much they have surrendered to urban life. In the early days, paganism was very much part of the counter-culture. The back to landers, the activist, the community builders, the environmentalist, etc....

Now Paganism has gone much mainstream. I remember some years ago when a small group of us try to get a Pagan runned social service going in Portland. We met resistance. Folks didn't like what we was doing cause our example was reminding them that they were not practicing the Green community ideaology that is at the root of of Pagan spirituality.

In the early days when I first entered the Pagan community when someone asked us what was a Pagan. We defined ourselves by what we were first. We are the Green People, we are earthy, we are tribal, we are community orientated, we are a Earth Centered Spirituality. In them days people were looking at homesteading, communal living, community farming, environmental activism as well as honoring the gods.

Today when you ask someone what a pagan is, the mass majority defines us by what we aren't first. We are not monotheist, we are not Satanist etc.... People are more interested in organizing a fetish ball than helping the less fortunate in their community or saving a National Forest or visiting and honoring our elders in the old folks homes.

The problem is most of todays Pagans grew up spoilt in the cheap energy of the 80's. The things that screamed for help from Pagans did not reach them so the Green part of their heart died. The Green Mother & Father became just archetypes to them. Nothing more than symbols and metaphors. Cheap little statues on their altars that they payed nothing more than lip service to on their way out the door dressed in their gaudy earth destroying fetish outfits seeking only to gratify their own hedonist pleasures & pretend that they are the gods that sit alone upon their altars. They come home, go to bed and get up and put their Paganism away in the closet and go to their earth unfriendly boring 9 to 5 jobs. They don't go to support their spirituality. They go to support their selfish pleasure.

There are elders in our community who gave their selves to us unselfishly for years. Elders you all know well cause they were the who's who in the Pagan community of the 60's 70s & early 80. These same elders are struggling today. Forgotten by those who they nurtured in the early days of our community. One Patriarch & Matriarch, a couple who are still hard at work in the community even though they both have major medical problems are struggling to make ends meet. But they carry on with a caring smile on their face. Yet one of their close friends has to go out and guilt the community into helping them with food and things. They are on the verge of homelessness. Yet they continue to give of themselves unselfishly. Where are all the priestesses that this powerful and loving Matriarch initiated over the years. Why are they not at her side taking care of her & honoring her in her Crone years. Why has this Queen of witches been forgotten? These young spoilt witches are to busy having some guy kiss their leather boots at some fetish ball to care less about the woman who taught them to be strong powerful women.

Where are all the young mages, wizards & druids that this charismatic & powerful Patriarch trained over the years. These young spoilt mages are busy at the witches balls or Burning Man events seeing how many young women their Pagan wiles can get into the sack to care less about the man who taught them to reclaim their pre-christian sensitive masculinity.

It is sad to see these Elders forgotten even though these young Pagans will bragged that they know them & have studied their work. But then I don't see these deviant christian in Pagan clothing as true Pagans. I don't see hedonism as a heathen way. Hedonism to me equals selfish pleasure.

2007 I only saw 1 Pagan sister at the Earth Day Festival held in NE Portland. Where were they all? I know the young Pagans here are shaking their fist at me right now for judging them. Saying I am violating the "Wiccan Rede". I have news for you. That's a Wiccan Rede not a Druid Rede. Druids were judges & counselors & the health of their community was their duty. The older Pagans here are trying not to be confrontational. But they are still nodding their heads silently agreeing with me as they go back to tending their gardens forgotten by the young. You young ones have violated the Wiccan Rede already with your pursuit of selfish pleasure. Your selfish hedonism is harming the Pagan community as a whole. There is nothing community based about fetish balls and pleasure gatherings. It doesn't better the community. Gathering together to seek pleasure from one another is not what community building is. And your recycling & driving a little car is not enough to stamp out the carbon footprint that your hedonist ways create. Your lifestyle is hurting the Mother. So you can't use the Wiccan Rede as a excuse to me. Most of you have twisted the Wiccan Rede to justify your selfish ways.

Most of you are out of shape and have lazy urban bodies. Most of you could not last a week in the woods or even a rural community for that matter without your city pleasures. Some of you are like "but the goddess is fat!" No! The Venus (properly should be called Danu) of Willendorf is not fat! She is pregnant with creation. Stop using these goddess images as excuses to justify your gluttony and laziness. The Lady & Lord are powerful and if you ever really came face to face with them you shit your pants. And for the record, one can be a big person and can still be healthy. But Urban people are too lazy to develop the muscles to properly & healthly carry their extra weight. Some folks can't help their genes. But you can help how you carry it and not just surrender to it and let it become obesed & unhealthy.

Urban Pagans can hear the gods but barely. The Old Gods voices are being muffled by the steel & concrete that you surround yourself with. The Old Gods struggle to reach their green fingers through the cracks in the sidewalks and you all just lay more concrete over it. The Old Gods reach out to touch your skin with loving hands and you withdraw and cover it with leather & latex. You are ill and rather than heal yourselves you revel in your sickness. You are part of the environment but your bodies & minds are environmental disasters.

Ok I'm done ranting.

Paganism is a spirituality not a lifestyle. But young urban Pagan treat it as a lifestyle.

IT'S NOT A LIFESTYLE LIKE PUNK, GOTHIC OR EMO!