The Forum › Everything Else FileCabi.net Forum (2007–2008)

Nationalism

1. MontysDoubleSalvaged from archive24 Jan 2010, 17:33
   I ROFLed and cringed: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/25/2800086.htm… Blue singlet patriotism gets a little off-colour Walking down the main street of Tamworth the other morning - gamely dodging yodelling couples in his 'n' hers double denim begging for loose change - I passed a man wearing a rather fetching navy blue singlet. Written on the front were the following words: "THIS IS AUSTRALIA. WE EAT MEAT, DRINK BEER, AND SPEAK F-CKIN' ENGLISH!" My first thought - outside of "I wonder if he's single/looking?" - was that it must mean January 26th was just around the corner. Of course, I realised with a start: Australia Day is upon us. Time for those racist t-shirts to be dusted off and paraded about by small-dicked rednecks. There's a lot to be said for being brave enough to stroll around town with an offensive slogan painted across one's chestal parts. While my singlet-wearing chum was clearly an inferior specimen to the morbidly obese man witnessed at the 2009 Big Day Out wearing a t-shirt that read DEAD GIRLS DON'T SAY NO, it was still a Herculean effort. I took a photo of him to show my grandchildren ("And this was right before Nanna was referred to as a 'muff-diving pinko' and chased out of town with burning pitchforks"), I needn't have bothered - the entire range of "This Is Australia" clothing was for sale on the main drag. I bought four shirts, including one for my best friend's 18-month-old, because while it's obviously wrong for babies to wear sexy slogans about tits and copulation, patriotic racism can start at any age. It's an odd word, that - "patriot" - and these days mostly seems to signal only one thing: that whoever is yelling it into your face and slapping a hand proudly into their breastplate is possibly not very fond of coloured people. When did that happen? When did it become acceptable for these types of citizens to speak on behalf of their fellow countrymen? When did they steal that particular word and hijack it for their own appalling devices? And more importantly, who's dressing them? Long before a handful of excitable Alan Jones fans took a nice day out at Cronulla beach a little too far, the term "patriot" began being less a term of misty-eyed endearment and more like the sort of thing a footsoldier of White Australia might use as a pseudonym on an internet dating site. Chin-jutty bullish types everywhere justified "F-ck Off We're Full" t-shirts by claiming simple adoration of way of life was to blame. "It's alright mate, I love my country. I'm a patriot" they'd smilingly and patiently explain to anyone who dared challenge them. Would it be acceptable to the public if these same people got about in a hat that read "I HATE CHINKS" or "STOP THE IMMIGRATION EXPLOSION: STAB AN INDIAN TODAY?" It really does start to seem increasingly possible, particularly if said clothing items were a) "just a joke", b) worn on Australia Day, and/or c) proudly paraded in the name of patriotism. It's become a dirty word, the sort used to disguise a panoply of offences, including race-related violence, scare campaigns, and the kind of jokes even Mahatma Coat might baulk at for being "a little bit too racist". Southern cross tattoos and "You Grew Here/We Flew Here"-type accessories are not merely a fashion statement, they're a way of saying f-ck you to a society where the term "politically correct" is constantly - and incorrectly - equated with being humourless. It may be frowned upon to burn the Australian flag, but wearing it as a cape whilst off one's face on Bundy and dry is fine, apparently. So is wrapping it around your head as a turban, pinning it around your tits as a boob tube, and writing "If You Don't Love It - Leave" underneath to deter pesky gatecrashers threatening your way of life (said product advertised as follows on a shopping website: "A fantastic way to publically (sic) show your pride in our great country ... with ATTITUDE!"). It's not racism, god forbid we call it that. No, it's patriotism, a thumb in the face of those fussy UnAustralianlt;sup>(TM) types, a way for true-blooded men and women to unite against a common enemy: fear. And overall it's a great pity, as I am very fond of my country. I like the people in it, I like the frank, robust way they speak. I like the inimitable, flat, overcooked air of our childhood summers and the impetuous, heart-on-sleeve way in which neighbours rush to assist others in times of natural disaster. But the last thing I'm going to do on Australia Day is wave a flag or get some sort of idiotic boxing Kangaroo tattooed to my calf. Because the very idea of national pride has been soiled by the t-shirt wearers who disguise hate in the name of allegiance. And I don't know if we'll ever get it back.
2. JooXSalvaged from archive24 Jan 2010, 17:38
   That bitch should go back to her own countr... :omg:
3. HeyBuddySalvaged from archive25 Jan 2010, 14:11
   Interesting read.
4. Supplemental PersonaSalvaged from archive25 Jan 2010, 14:37
   The problem I have with nationalism is that it's always the most doltish mother fuckers on the planet, that take it on themselves to make nationalism/immigration/language their issue. Then the educated of the homeland have to make a decision, knowing certain truths, whether we want to be associated with said group of idiots. The answer with me is to usually steer clear of the uneducated "patriot" and their emotional but often factually incorrect argument/pleas. If I want to get behind a cause I'm going to think carefully about whom delivers the message. A flag waving patriot, more often than not, will lack the historic knowledge of the country and will have formed their position based on emotional responses to what the see is as threat. The tee shirt I'm with stupid isn't very becoming, imo.
5. mousewallratSalvaged from archive25 Jan 2010, 15:18
   Well, all I can say is that poor misguided bitch jumped to a conclusion when she said that these poor morons with their shirts are 'speaking on behalf of their fellow countrymen'. More likely they're speaking out in spite of them. If she had her way, I'm sure this offensive sort of speech would be banned. Fucking little Nazi, she is. I get the curious feeling she thinks Patriotism, not boorish behavior, is low class.
6. MontysDoubleSalvaged from archive25 Jan 2010, 16:31
   You know... you're on to something there MWR. On consideration, after re-reading the blog I see the logical flaw in Ms Hardy's argument against patriotic display of flags etc, and I must admit it's a view I have shared for years. She doesn't like the boorish, racism-masquerading-as-patriotism shown by "fuck off, we're full" shirts or flag caped yobs chanting "Lebs go home." She considers it a pity that the word patriot itself has been hijacked along with the flag by a "redneck" minority. As a result, the last thing she will be doing today (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Day) will be waving a flag. If everyone stopped waving the flag for fear of being branded a xenophobe, that leaves the field clear: All flags would then be in the hands of rednecks. Therefore, wave the flag- don't allow it to fall solely into the laps of the rednecks. Fly it, wear it on a shirt, get a tattoo if you wish. Fly it with pride yes, but pride dimmed by the shadow of past tragedies. Jump up and down and make lots of noise whenever our govt, a fellow citizen, visitor or permanent resident does or says something that goes against the grain of what it is to be Australian. In this way, the future will be better. Epiphany! I've just changed my mind about flag waving in general. I get it now. :D
7. mousewallratSalvaged from archive25 Jan 2010, 18:15
   You know... you're on to something there MWR. On consideration, after re-reading the blog I see the logical flaw in Ms Hardy's argument against patriotic display of flags etc, and I must admit it's a view I have shared for years. She doesn't like the boorish, racism-masquerading-as-patriotism shown by "fuck off, we're full" shirts or flag caped yobs chanting "Lebs go home." She considers it a pity that the word patriot itself has been hijacked along with the flag by a "redneck" minority. As a result, the last thing she will be doing today (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Day) will be waving a flag. If everyone stopped waving the flag for fear of being branded a xenophobe, that leaves the field clear: All flags would then be in the hands of rednecks. Therefore, wave the flag- don't allow it to fall solely into the laps of the rednecks. Fly it, wear it on a shirt, get a tattoo if you wish. Fly it with pride yes, but pride dimmed by the shadow of past tragedies. Jump up and down and make lots of noise whenever our govt, a fellow citizen, visitor or permanent resident does or says something that goes against the grain of what it is to be Australian. In this way, the future will be better. Epiphany! I've just changed my mind about flag waving in general. I get it now. :DDo you think I can now gracefully retire my tin hat?
8. MontysDoubleSalvaged from archive25 Jan 2010, 20:35
   ^^^ Sure. Just stop treating Prison Planet like a credible, primary source. :thumb:
9. mousewallratSalvaged from archive25 Jan 2010, 21:30
   ^^^ Sure. Just stop treating Prison Planet like a credible, primary source. :thumb: Monty, sometimes I just have to grab a big stick and vigorously stir the fucking pot.
10. NanabungaSalvaged from archive25 Jan 2010, 21:35
    You've come to the right place then.
11. Josh85Salvaged from archive26 Jan 2010, 06:16
    eh. I'm proud to be Australian.
12. MontysDoubleSalvaged from archive29 Jan 2010, 17:09
    http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2804509.htm Weekly wrap: pride and a touch of prejudice By Ben Pobjie http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Zippozeppo/KKKstunt… What a week this has been. This week we once again celebrated all that is good about being Australian, and also reflected sadly on all that is bad about being Australian, which is mainly that we have to share a country with a bunch of moaners who refuse to celebrate all that is good about being Australian. Moaners like Ray Martin, who, in the absence of an actual job, has taken on the self-appointed role of Tradition-Rapist In Chief, calling for an end to the flag we've borne above us for countless centuries, that the diggers fought for, that represents our history and heritage, and which is invaluable for everyday patriotic tasks like public urination and punching people; you know, those times when it's absolutely essential that everyone knows what country you're from. Martin's provocative words sparked a furious and wide-ranging debate, expanding from the simple matter of whether we should keep our present flag, or just go around kicking war veterans in the groin; to the continuing question of whether we should risk the violent Zimbabwe-esque anarchy that would result from having an Australian head of state; to the fierce debate over whether we should replace our current national anthem with something like "We Are Australian"; a debate somewhat akin to deciding whether one wants "Achy Breaky Heart" or Crazy Frog played at your grandma's funeral. It was all about what it means to be Australian, a question which is pondered every year around Australia Day by all intelligent citizens who have no parties to go to, and a question on which Tony Abbott, a man as patriotic as he is unnerving, weighed in with his usual masculine forthrightness. Abbott opined that immigrants, of course, are all very well, but many of them do not appreciate "the great prize of Australian citizenship", ironic really, given they all seem so eager to get it, what with the boats and the people smugglers and the getting beaten up in taxis and everything. Why would they not appreciate it, having worked so hard? They're like the Sale of the Century champion who never drives his new car - wasted effort. This is in stark contrast to the average native-born Australian, who never lets a day go by without putting in 110 per cent in service of his country - for example, by pointing out how unpatriotic immigrants are. Abbott wasn't finished, of course, following up his views on national identity with his views on virginity in the course of a magazine interview which was designed to humanise him in the eyes of voters, but inadvertently had the added bonus of winning him an official endorsement from the Fathers For Creepy Sexual Metaphors (FFCSM: join today). In many ways, Abbott's answer to a question about sex before marriage could have been filed under "Shock Revelation as Well-known Catholic Reveals Preference for Monogamy". But by describing his daughters' virginity as a "gift" he added a twist that captured the public's attention with its combination of lovingly poetic evocation of parenthood, and disturbingly poetic evocation of the kind of drooling daddy who gives his little girl a special ring and takes her out dancing when she turns sixteen. Whatever else it showed, it demonstrated that Abbott has trouble remembering his own youth: in my experience, virginity is far from a gift to be given to someone special; it's more a useless keepsake that you eventually have to pay someone to haul away. But what IS both a great prize and a precious gift is the Australian of the Year Award, this year given to Professor Patrick McGorry for his outstanding work fighting mental illness in young people, outraging millions of Australians who pointed out that all they need is a good thrashing. Professor McGorry immediately triggered controversy by declaring immigration detention centres to be "factories for producing mental illness", demonstrating, in the first place, a certain level of ingratitude in getting so bitchy right after receiving a lovely award, and secondly, a silly naiveté, inasmuch as that's the entire point of detention centres. It's all about deterrence, people: "Come to Australia, lose your freaking mind" - can you think of a better message to send to the refugees? Of course Kevin Rudd himself was out and about during this most Australian of weeks, sending his own message, which boiled down to a few simple points: a) Australia: excellent, b) I am making a speech, c) something about infrastructure, er, d) no, nodded off during the next bit; and perhaps most importantly, e) I don't even have a nephew. Of course, Van Thanh Rudd's KKK-clad protest added a slightly sour note to an otherwise marvellous Australia Week, but even while doing so, it reminded us of how proud we should be to live in a country where any citizen is free to promote their deeply-held ideals of equality and tolerance through slightly confusing and futile public gestures. Free, that is, up until the moment of arrest, which is the best we could really hope for. We should, indeed, be proud, most especially in this week, a week of pride. Pride in our country, pride in our flag, pride in our democratic institutions, pride in our effective border protection policies, and of course pride in our precious precious virginity. I hope that pride will remain with every Australian, this week and every week, no matter the struggles and obstacles and ungrateful immigrants we may face, as we keep in mind the words of Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who marked Australia Week with the release of his third pop album, "I'm Certain I'll Get There". So am I, Bambang. So am I.
13. Vick3Salvaged from archive1 Feb 2010, 15:49
    i love hearing people call other city slickers rednecks. and the most over analyzed singlet in history.

Reply

Sign in or create an account to reply to this old topic.

Want your old post taken down? Get in touch.