From today's London's Times
Poms whinging beer ad pulled
Englishmen living in Australia succeed in their campaign to outlaw advertising depicting Englishmen as whingers
Last month British People Against Racial Discrimination, the organisation campaigning for the removal of the advert, said that the word Pom was derogatory. David Thomason, the group’s spokesman, said: “The Oxford Dictionary classes Pom as being derogatory.” Mr Thomason said that he believed that there was a fashionable wave of derogatory insults against the British. He cited the behaviour of Australian cricket fans towards the English on the current Ashes tour.
“The songs the Aussie supporters sing talk about how ‘We can’t get near your body because of your smell, your body odour, your bad breath, your buck teeth, your whingeing — have you got some soap?’, ” he said.
8 commentaires:
David Thomason and his organization are right on one score, wrong on another. They are right about the chanting being blatantly racist. There is nothing good-humoured in suggesting that visitors from another country are smelly and unhygienic.
But they are curiously wrong in attacking the beer ad. "Poms" is not a racial slur, being I believe naval in origin (a reference to Portsmouth). Neither is there anything offensive about the adjective "whingeing". It would appear that Poms do indeed have plenty to whinge about, if the behaviour of Australian cricket fans is anything to go by. So "whingeing Pom" in the present context is simply the equivalent of "constantly complaining Briton".
What I would find somewhat worrying is if this post had appeared on another blog, given there's no comment from the blogger, leaving us to guess where the blogger stands in this controversy. But this is Richard of Orléans' blog, so we can guess where his sympathies lie. But he should at least speak his mind, just in case he's had a (welcome) change of heart on the serious matter of racial stereotyping. His recent post on Les Justes helped to dispel doubts created many months ago in his references to the Atlantic Wall, to say nothing of recent ones to the effect that the French and Germans are natural allies, in spite of everything that happened in the 20th century and before.
So what is your position, Richard, re racial taunts at cricket ? Is it the tip of the iceberg of a deeper malaise in Australian society ?
You know how you can tell when a British plane has landed? They switch off the jets but the whining noise continues.
I am of course against the lampooning of any nationality. It is a particularly disagreeable part of the British culture, to which I seek to draw attention. From there to say if I would come precipitately to the help of Brits in danger of receiving the treatment they so willingly dole out to others, requires reflection.
While I accept that ‘race’ is a very imprecise term I still think that it is best to restrict the term ‘racist’ to the mistreatment of those whose skin is of a different colour. So I do not believe the actions of white Australians toward white Brits are racism.
Is it condemnable? That depends. I am not one who condemns the retaliator more severely than those who provoke, providing the retaliation is in proportion and clearly related to the provocation. Over the years the Brits have gone in for a lot of provocation. So the question is whether these taunts are merited or not? They probably are.
Bill, I like that one. You made my weekend.
The comment after mine will be ignored, being the work of someone whose aim in life is simply to score points. Score on, BT, if that's how you get your kicks ( but where's the credit in using Colin Randall's Comments section effectively as your own blog ?)
I did not post to Richard's blog simply to wage war on another front.
It was to ask him to explain himself more fully. Because when he did that on the issue of the German occupation of France in WW2, many of us were relieved by what he had to say.
But his present comments re Australian cricket fans have a touch of "two (perceived) wrongs make a right". Where does he stand on the basic morality ?
Colinb like most of your fellow countrymen you do not want to go to root causes.
The early population of Australia was composed of 1) poor English peasants banished to the other side of the world for, in the main, small misdemeanours against property. These convicts were brutalised during their long sentences to make sure the wretched living conditions in Australia were worse than the wretched living conditions of the poor in Britain. 2) Starving Irish peasants who escaped the Irish famine in which 1 million of their compatriots died.
This brutalised early population, with the collusion of the British authorities, murdered and otherwise mistreated the pre existing aboriginal population.
The English seem to resent some still extant ill feeling towards their country. If they are serious about recovering respect and dignity might I suggest that 1) they make a whole hearted apology in front of the UN 2) they construct a large monument in London and all the despoiled countries in memory of those hurt by the empire. 3) they offer scholarships to 1000 children each year in each country in absolution of the sinister acts of the empire.
The list of countries would include: Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, China, Burma, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Egypt, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda,Zambia, Zimbabwe, France, Jamaica, Virgin Isles, Bermuda, West Indies, Guyana, Argentina and many others. It would cover probably 80% of the world population.
OK, so next time there's an outbreak of racist chanting at a France-Algeria football match, I'll respond by reminding you of the iniquity of France's colonial history. I will then pile on the rhetoric by listing every single French colonial possession.
Quite what purpose would be served by doing so is unclear .....
Certainly France has problems in their relationship with Algeria. They need to look into ways of overcoming the hurt that their colonialism has imposed on the Algerians without dividing their own society.
That la Marseillaise is booed at in France in the presence of the president is not to be condoned. On the other hand to think that this reaction does not have a cause which needs treating is irresponsible.
Voting a law that colonialism had good aspects was a tactless way of treating old sores.
Of course the UK has nothing equivalent to the Algerian situation. Complications arise from the high number of pieds noirs living in France who have understandable recriminations over the way they were evicted from their country of birth.
I like France because it is open to understanding the faults of its past and to seeking remedies. As you point out England arrogantly admits to nothing whatsoever and is totally insensitive to the feelings of its fellow human beings.While strangely whining endlessly about the minor infringements of good taste that others apply to them.
Enregistrer un commentaire