DeskPilot, DeskPilot DeskPilot DeskPilot - Where have you been all my life?
Firstly, I do not appreciate personal vulgar references. So less vulgarity, more argument please.
Now - You think I am the one who misjudges people? Was it not you who started with the whole "if ya don't speak strine you aren't strine" thing?
I seem to remember that was you. So I come out fighting against this ridiculous argument - and all of a sudden I am the one who is judgmental. You can see my frustration.
While you may have voted for Mark Latham and not watch A Current Affair, you still put forward a standard under which all Australians will be judged - the way they speak. That, is about as right-wing as you can get. You see - in the Labor party, everyone is accepted for who they are. No person is less or more Australian than anyone else - I know this, I am an ALP member. And in that spirit, I'm either going to form an a.net faction and post against you - or take you point by blessed point. The latter seems so much more genteel.
You criticise me for generalising. I don't like "G'day" = cultural cringe. Oh no, you've never generalised at all! Have you stopped to consider the fact that while I don't find the term (and others like it) embarrasing - I actually see it as being pretty stupid sounding?
You say you aren't going to rule on what is a good and bad Australian image yet the kind of Australian I represent apparently is embarrassed by the nation they choose to associate themselves with?
I was not born in Australia - I was raised from the age of 4 in Australia and educated there - started a family there - and I am proud to call myself an Australian. I could choose to refer to myself as a national of my birth country - but I don't because I am proud of Australia.
I just want to change a few things.
You want to know why Steve is a bad and a false image? Because he is an ambassador for our country and has a responsibility to represent us well. We aren't like the United States. We don't have a myriad of famous people to represent us overseas - people of all different shapes and sizes. No! - We have this crocodile man and a couple of Hollywood stars - that is it!
He projects this image that he is an everyday Australian (yeack, should I say "Aussie"?) - I guarantee if you ask him if he is typical of Australians he will answer in the affirmative. I guarantee it.
He exploits the image of Australians to suit his own needs to the detriment of everyone else. His impact on popular culture world-wide is far reaching and Australia will for a long time be associated with Mr. Irwin. Because I know (and suspect you know too) that Australia is more than insane Queenslanders jumping on crocodiles - it frustrates me that he is perpetuating a false image of Australians. I don't like what he does with his children, I don't like the fact that he is a representative of this country - and I don't like that I am as an Australian - associated with him when I am overseas (especially in North America).
You say that I have assumed too much about you and got it all wrong - What? The ute - the wheat fields - the tele compeeewta machooooine - the cricket??? Don't tell me I was wrong??!! I seriously thought that is how you lived your life!!!!!!!!! Wow - so you mean, you don't live like that?? Wow, I was way off.
I don't care how you live your life - but when you suggest for a split second that I am anything less than unashamedly proud of my nation - I will not sit still and take it.
You say that I have a "standard" for certain parts of the population. Well - standards associated with common decency and law and order aside - I have standards for those who undertake to represent me and my country in any capacity. I expect them to be respectful, to reflect the sophisticated and broad nature of Australia, to do this nation justice in the media, to show Australia for what it is - not what people think it might be, and not to pander to stereotypes. I think that is more than reasonable. When you hire a lawyer to represent you - one expects certain things (lest you be judged unfavourably).
Apparently I lack tolerance - tolerance for morons like Irwin? Yes, I suppose I lack tolerance for him. But if you mean it in a broader sense than that - I expect a very clear definition of what you mean. I'm serious about that point.
Back to you Deskpilot -
QFF