I call a pikey a pikey, many have tried to "bang me out" none were successful.
I know some settled travellers that are alright, still have a built in victim complex and are a drain on every society they are a part of, and usually proud of it.
It'd be a big time stretch to call them "very decent" but I don't know these legends in your gym.
You seem like a sound enough head, as far as I am concerned you're alright, you obviously didn't find my joke funny and neither did our resident "new age" traveller.
Protecting them by calling them a race is horse shit though, they are an ethnic minority, based on a law that was only recently passed.
They choose to live thier lives outside of society and choose to rob, abuse the system, rape and even kill people in that society all the while playing the victim card as if they are owed something for existing.