Lord_Farquar

I was thinking more a long the lines of 'convicts' or 'colonials'.

'Pom' isn't the equivalent of 'Aussie', which is just Australia shortened.

lapin_windstar

Witness the reaction when Robin Williams called Australians "English rednecks" - half of them shit the bed. Huh - I guess it isn't funny after all, then.

(And "Pom" isn't in the same league as "Paki" or "Wog").

JackTheLad

It all depends on the context it is said in. I've been called everything from Taig to Pom to Prod, none of which are accurate, but if its said in a jokey way then you can just laugh it off.

Its all in the context darling

JTL

SDDep

Sorry I can't allay your fears...there is one significant threat to your safety that no one has yet mentioned about Australia...Its full of Australians!!!

Other than that, i think your fine...seriously...

Lord_Farquar

I dare you to call someone a 'convict' in a jokey way and see what happens.

Zambia

I fail to see the connection there?

However having suffered similar titles I agree with you totally. Being over sensitive is just the wrong way to go. If the aussies take offence at anything you call them a good "harden the f**k up" calms them right down. Then again that could be just my lot.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Give me a break. There have been plenty of times when I called people in work 'convict', when they were handing out the 'Pom' jibes. Nobody batted an eyelid.

Lord_Farquar

Fair enough. Hasn't been my experience though.

cresta57

So you refer to Australians as Australians & never as Aussies you never call a New Zealander A kiwi?
Blow your casual racist trumpet 'till your blue in the face. Most Aussies just don't intend offense when calling a Pakistani a Paki. Truth is if your from Kazakhstan your a Kazakh, Uzbekistan your an Usbeki. The -stan suffix simply translates from the Persian language to "place of" or "habitat"
The only people offended would appear to be those who want to appear to be completely politically correct rather than grammatically correct. I'm sure as head of BE's Grammar Police you'll realise it's grammatically correct to call a citizen of Pakistan a Paki
Most sensible people are aware that there's a world of difference between an Aussie cricket commentator informing viewers that the "Paki's are 314 for 8" & some BNP thug screaming "**** off home you Paki"
I did say sensible though..................

moneypenny20

Anyway, I believe the OP was asking if he/she would be safe living in Australia not for a discussion on what words anglo saxons believe to be racist.

OP, providing you are sensible, use common sense, treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself I don't believe you will have a problem. Many of the issues that have been reported in the media, and discussed in detail on here, are down to people not taking care with where they walk, how they behave themselves or it's down to non racist attacks (taxi drivers). Crap happens everywhere at some point though, it's definitely not utopia, just a normal first world country with the usual problems.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Yes mate. It's bloody hilarious. Which is probably why every single racial grouping on the globe cracks jokes about other racial groups. Only anally retentive, PC obsessed people, would think otherwise.

LouiseR

My experience too I also remind them that they were "sent" here, I chose to come .

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Exactly the way to go. Give out as much as you get and you will fit right in. Start with the "I'm offended by that" bullshit and you will be shunned.

I think the guys on here who obsess about stuff like this, don't see it in the workplace, because they give off vibes about it that scare the ordinary people off. You're not going to start cracking the everyday banter that goes on if you think the guy stood next to you is about to shout "racist" and run off to the nearest HR person.

...and what about the Fat Waiter getting the push? I reckon you got rid of him cheap.

LouiseR

Very true. I certainly haven't come across any nasty Pom comments, no more than me having the crack with them about being Aussies and it's probably because I'm the first one to bring out the odd joke about being English.

And yay he's gone! Although according to my Man Utd hubby he reckons Gerrard and Torres are off too, though he must know more than me because according to Torres' facebook fanpage (yes I am sad!) he's staying .

Oh and if you want to see how fat the waiter has become check out the slideshow of his time at L'pool on The Sun's website... it's hilarious! You can practically watch his face grow inch by inch!

Pomster

I told my H that there is racism out there, so it keeps him at home, tied to the dishes and housework......

.....and then I woke up.


(H is Asian- gets more flak for having a posh British accent than anything else)