Alfresco

Please abide by the forum rules and refrain from name calling.

Thank you.

Zen10

Pom is a tough one for sure... I think it's one of those "depends how it's meant" one to be honest and can be used as a racist insult or friendly way. You're right about it singling out a particular group though - like Taff or Jock etc.

Pollyana

I think the same about "pom" - I've always been called pom or pommy at work by mates and colleagues, and only on one occasion has it been used offensively. On that occasion I objected politely and was backed up by other staff who also pointed out to the "offender" the difference in the way it was used.

RedDragon2008

And Sittnee is still the capital

bra_boy

If somebody addresses me as a pom [happens all the time when dealing with schoolkids], or tells me to go back to my own country [still waiting for this one], he is probably just being rude/simple/asinine etc., possibly to further some personal agenda.

Pom_Chch

No it is not racist, it is xenophobic. To single someone out because they are foreign is not racism, it is xenophobia. There is a difference.

I have no problem at all with being called a Pom and I think that goes for a lot of people. In its friendly form I view as a term of endearment and just a bit of banter. When I say friendly form I mean comments like "Hey Pommy, how ya going today?" So when you say it's usually followed by an insult is inaccurate as I've only witnessed it in the opposite capacity.

However like Pollyanna mentioned if it is used as a derogatory slur then it bothers me a little more like "oh, you stupid f***** Pom". Even then it wouldn't bother me that much, I would laugh it off and declare the person throwing the insult as pathetic seeing as they can't come up with anything better...

Pollyana

In my case it wasn't pathetic as such - it was used by a senior manager in a professional situation and this was highly inappropriate. I was even encouraged to make a formal complaint, and if it had been used in that way to someone of maybe Indian or Pakistani background I would have encouraged them to complain as well.

chochobnob

I could talk about this all day but the reality is that Australia is a racist country. Deeply embarrassingly so. Made all the worse by their ignorant and steadfast denial of the situation.

This might be because they are genuinely ignorant but either way it's a grim stat of affairs.

I use the cricket example. Every year a new touring party comes to Australia for a series and the same story is run every year about how the Aussies are going to target a certain player for sledging.

They always choose the player that's strikes the Aussies as 'different' Monty Panesar, Hashim Amla. Individuality is a virtual crime in Australia and they find it incredibly confrontational.

This is why they are so obsessed with assimilation of immigrants without realising that the national least about to assimilate anywhere are Australians.
See West London for further details. See the kids in my office who proudly talk about spending two years in London without meeting and "Pommies"

I'm a senior professional in my industry and I have to put up with my some of my staff members actually saying to me "You aren't like other black people."

What? Really? How many have you met?

This is the Australian attitude to race summed up in one sentence. They get their ideas from the media and that Sir is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but.

I love Australia the place but I seriously worry about the people. Pride in ignorance is a horrible thing to watch.

I'll never say a negative word about the UK ever again. I don't care what anyone says, the Brits have a decency and tolerance about them unmatched anywhere in the world and for that they should be very, very proud.

I've seen the other side, it's called the Australian mentality.

paddyo

That'll be right. They use deflection, denial and derision to avoid their own confrontation. Usually ends up with their standard response, 'Well if its that bad then go back to where you came from!"!

Petals

We should be happy with who we are and then we would not worry about what others think.

Racism is talked about a lot, a lot would like Aus to become like other PC countries.

Personally I would like to think people liked me for me not for what I looked like, fat, thin, disabled, white, pink, green or whatever colour and I do believe that in Aus people do.

If people make a song and dance about everything someone says to them then they are going to face discrimination, Aussies hate people who use things to get advantage, or people who they have to watch what they say. So of course if people are like that happen to be white or some other colour then they are going to get stick.

Australia is so multicultural that most people do not even notice, notice I said most, that leaves a very very small minority who do.

Grayling

Is this supposed to be ironic?

Kim67

Go and live in a county where your race determines where you can live, the job you can do, the amount you're paid, the school your children can attend - if you try and cross a border illegally, you're shot. Then tell me Australia is a racist country. Basing the views of a nation on the acts of a few rednecks and imbecilic cricket commentators is crazy.

paddyo

Your kidding right?

paddyo

I think a few indigenous people may take issue with your lack of understanding of their problems over the years.

Kim67

Really? I have indigenous family members and I understand the problems involved from both sides of the fence. Many decades have been spent trying to fix the problem and not one person has come up with an answer to it - there is no easy answer to the problem but fortunately changes are beginning to have effect.