My whole thought process is changing.

[TheBigotBasher]

I'm becoming increasingly socialist. I said the scary word.

Today the UK spent £millions to evict travellers from a site that they paid for.

The cost of evicting Dale Farm residents will exceed £20 million. £500k for each family. Something at the back of my mind tells me that if they were offered £500k each they would have moved.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-15376116

I am screaming at the idea that few see anything wrong about this.

[Earth_First]

1. Please excuse my ignorance for a moment

What is a 'travellers site'?

I think contextually I understand, perhaps someone can explain it to me.

Thanks.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Rome people.

And it is wrong at some levels

[ChandlerJr]

7. Roma. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. I hate the iPad spell checker at times.

[TheBigotBasher]

4. Travellers are also known as gypsies or tinkers.

A Traveller will travel the country looking for work or sales, selling everything from handywork to trinkets. All of which of no predictable value. (US equivalent watch the original Rambo, the nasty American term for them is hobo).

This has been their way of life for centuries. As a result, they need places to set up camp. Local residents however hate them and associate them with theft and crime.

[toddwv]

5. Here this may help...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2011/jun/29/gypsy-sites-england-local-authority

At first, I just thought that they were the equivalent of RV parks but they appear to be places set aside for gypsies and other nomads.

[kestrel91316]

8. Gypsies, Roma, Irish Travellers

[Nuclear Unicorn]

2. Um, not to draw too fine a point but

How would socialism make this situation better?

It was the government that evicted them using government regulations despite the fact these people may have had private property rights violated.

That's not to diss you're feelings. I've had strong socialist sentiments in the past. Unfortunately I just don't trust the people who supposedly would be running the show.

[TheBigotBasher]

6. ONLY in America does government equal socialism.

Especially when the force and weight of government is used to crush the poorest of the people.

The "socialsim" was insteadof paying £20 million to already rich lawyers, paying the travellers £500k each.

[Old and In the Way]

9. Well, it's either being a socialist or an anti-socialist.

When I was growing up, being an anti-socialist was a label that painted you as a social problem. Still is true today. So, I've happily accepted the label because I certainly don't want to be associated with the people who, by defining us as socialists, are also defining themselves as anti-socialists.