Bogans and their Flags
sally.rose | January 28, 2010
“In Australia we eat meat, drink beer and speak ****EN ENGLISH”.
What to do when you find yourself standing in a long line for an ATM at the Big Day Out beside a teenage boy wearing an Australian flag T-Shirt with that caption emblazoned across it?
Well, if you’re a bloody idiot like me you try to start a dialogue with “Just exactly what’s all that about mate?”
The kid made a valiant attempt to convince me it was about “being proud to be an Australian” and not more about fitting in with his three idiot mates standing a few metres away wearing matching outfits with little super-yobbo capes.
I’m proud to say I didn’t resort to the classic Aussie Mum peer pressure lecture of “if they jumped off the Harbour Bridge…” mind you it was on the tip of my tongue.
Nevertheless, the conversation quickly turned to “what my problem was?”
Well, I had a couple of problems with it actually.
That said, amongst all the other people wearing stupid offensive T-Shirts, and there were a few at the concert, this kid was the only one that I chose to start a conversation with.
Why him? Maybe because he was a captive audience whilst he waited to withdraw his cash? Maybe because he was much smaller than me and I wasn’t worried he’d hit me? But in truth, probably because he was a young Aboriginal man and so I found it particularly depressing that he wanted to be associated with that sort of rubbish for Australia Day.
We talked about that, he didn’t see the conflict. Reckoned it was his country, his flag, he could wear and say what he wanted. It’s hard to argue with that sort of rhetoric. He’s not alone.
But it’s my country and my flag too, and I’m sick of lame Bra’ boy wannabes tarnishing the national symbols to the point where they’re off limits for me.
As a pasty white chick who’ll never shake the last remnants of a westie accent I’d never feel comfortable walking around in public in wearing an Australian flag logo. I’d be too worried strangers might presume I held the sort xenophobic sentiments expressed by his T-Shirt. National symbols and nationalism go hand-in-hand too often for it to be reasonable to assume otherwise.
Even though it seemed to achieve nothing, I’m glad we talked. Bogans are people too and I remain hopeful we can make some progress by studying and interacting with them in their natural environments. If anyone reading knows someone who owns that T-Shirt please forward this blog to them.
Maybe, as my new friend suggested, I am a leftie snot that lacks a sense of humour? If you have a Southern Cross tattoo, a Eureka flag bedspread, a POWF T-shirt or even a cute little Australian flag bikini, and you’re not a racist then I’d love to hear from you. Please explain the sort of community bonding that you encounter when you display these, I want to understand.
Meanwhile I want a t-shirt for next year that says “In Australia we eat meat, drink beer and more than 15% of us speak a language other than English at home so get used to it”.
Sally Rose is Open Forum’s Blogger-in-Chief. If you would like to publish on Open Fourm please contact her via srose@openforum.com.au or 02 8303 2430
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olgabodrova
February 3, 2010 at 3:33 am
National symbols are immune to silliness
I am convinced that it is impossible to taint a national symbol, no matter how hard one tries. And I have nothing against waiving the flag on certain occasions, including celebrations of national significance such as Australia Day.
As for the provocative T-shirt, I’ve seen much worse than that – but then, one of the unspoken privileges of youth is to be silly and rebellious. They will grow out of it eventually. Everybody does.
sally.rose
February 10, 2010 at 5:27 am
But will they grow out of it?
Being silly may be one of the priviliges of youth, but being a thug isn’t. That t-shirt was an act of aggression. It is associated with a facebook group and the slogan has been associated with bashings – (I realise that I didn’t mention that in my blog and it is nice to see someone give kids the benefit of the doubt I suppose! ). I wish I could believe that poeple always grow out of these things, sadly my personal experience leads me to believe that more often than not they grow into them.
Charlie-
February 10, 2010 at 3:11 am
Earth people……
Patriotism is a real problem. Personally I don’t want to limit myself to being just a human being, much less just Australian, whatever Australian means? There’s just too much of the world from whom we borrow and who borrow from us, who all live on this planet. It gives me heart knowing that most people celebrate Australia day and such by having a good time to go to the beach or have a barby. In Australia we help pollute the world and all the world helps to pollute us. The world has problems, so there is little point in individual countries doing anything on their own. It requires world cooperation and the sooner we forget about patriotism the sooner we’ll see ourselves as not better or worse inhabitants of the planet rather than of a small plot of earth. All one, the same but individual.
sally.rose
February 10, 2010 at 5:22 am
Patrotism doesn’t have to nasty
It’s not patriotism I object to, it’s taking xenophobia and wrapping it up in a pretty flag and calling it patriotism I have a problem with. I recently returned from an overseas trip and, as happens everytime I return to Australia, I have a renewed appreciation for my home country. It should be possible to be patriotic without seeing ourselves as better (or worse as you say) than anyone else; although perhaps, if we are gracious, a little luckier.
Charlie-
February 10, 2010 at 6:41 am
The thing is………
The thing is, that remove the word Australian on the tee shirt and replace with “people” and the slogan would mean nothing at all. Would only engender questions like, “so what?”
There is nothing to wrap up in a flag if all people are not only tolerant but also see ourselves as part of the whole. Flags and tee shirt slogans about country and certain people being superior or others being lesser will find no footing if patriotism doesn’t exist.
Patriotism Pa"tri*ot*ism, n. [Cf. F. patriotisme.] Love of country; devotion to the welfare of one’s country; the virtues and actions of a patriot; the passion which inspires one to serve one’s country. –Berkley. [1913 Webster]
Remove patriotism and insert world, planet or universe for country, better still, insert species or something like that.
I like Ambrose Bierce’s comment on patriotism from his Devils Dictionary: PATRIOTISM, n. Combustible rubbish read to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name. In Dr. Johnson’s famous dictionary patriotism is defined as the last resort of a scoundrel. With all due respect to an enlightened but inferior lexicographer I beg to submit that it is the first.
Some might consider this said in jest, but many a true word has been said in jest. [laughing]
sally.rose
February 10, 2010 at 10:57 pm
Patriotism not the problem in this instance
Thanks Charlie – I will check out the Devil’s Dictionary đ
You are I suspect, more of an idealist than I; in that you assume if only we could get over one prejudice all human relations would be better, whereas I am sure another prejudice would quickly fill the void.
Erasing patriotism would not magically make us, as you assume, "not only tolerant but also see ourselves as part of the whole."
But what of a patriotism which doesn’t regard others as inferior? I still maintain that can be very positive.
If that kid had really been patriotic in the traditional (respectful) sense, he never would have dreamt of accompanying his countries flag with a swear word.
shadowchaser
May 11, 2010 at 9:17 am
What really is your problem but?
Sally,
I couldnt agree more with you, I think these people that run around claiming Aussie pride and sticking it in everyones face is way over the top, but then again so are many things we have to put up with can also be the same, if its not Aussie pride, its gay pride do you have a problem with flag waving and nude simulated fornication at Mardi gras? Im sure some gay people do, Leb pride, do you have a problem with young men wearing Tee-shirts and caps with the Leb flag on them throwing the bird and spitting at cameramen when any of their friends are in court on criminal charges ? Im sure many people from Lebanese background do, Serb/ Croation pride, do you have a problem with their flags and banners being waved about at sporting games while they are attacking each other both verbally and physical, Im sure many people from those backgrounds have a problem with that, what about Italian pride ? rember a few years ago and Italy was in the world cup and the whole of Lichhardt and much of the inner west of Sydney was blocked off and masses of people had a party for the better part of two days just because of a soccer game, how were you with that one ? Im sure many people were not happy with that also, I could go on and on but it serves no use to point the finger at any one race or ethnic background to accuse them of being any more racist than anyone else, and why did you have a problem with the Aboriginal boy wearing an Australian flag? are you racial profiling him ? do you belive that because he is Aboriginal that he straight away have to be draped in the Aboriginal flag and reject Australia day? I thought people had free choices in this country, and I thought we stopped telling Aboriginal people what they can and cant do many years ago, at least in this country he has the free choice to drape himself in two different flags and still call them his, and although I agree with you that its a bad look to be a radical flag waver, I say more power to him rather than being brainwashed into having a hateful attitude and to reject all things that are somehow linked to Australias white past,this country will only move forward when all people on all sides of the fence try to learn from the past and not perpetuate past wrong doings, this only makes people angry and hate, thats one of the reasons I dont like flag waving, but in your case I get the feeling that you have a problem with Australia or anything they maybe related to the demonised word ‘white’ Australia, the white Australia that has been responsible for many past mistakes, unlike any other country in the world that have all had such great track records, the white Australia that has also made way for many great things as well, democracy, freedoms, welfare, education to name a few, oh and allowing a population of 30% of people to be from non English speaking backgrounds to enjoy these things, so that boy that you felt so brave enough to confrount and point out to him that you are so much more educated than him and question him about his right to dress how he wishes, had a good point as well, what really is your problem? Have you ever considered moving to somewhere like….maybe Saudi Arabia, Iran, North Africa or somewhere like that? at least you wont have to put up with ‘bogan white guys’ naively dressed in Aussie flags trying to show they love their country.
sally.rose
May 11, 2010 at 9:36 am
Hello Shadowchaser
What’s
Hello Shadowchaser
What’s really my Problem? Well not that he was wearing a t-shirt with the flag on it, but rather the slogan that accompanied the flag which I found offensive. My problem is that such offensive slogans and sentiments accompany Aussie flag wearing and waving recently that I feel it has shifted the common perception of what displaying the icon represents in a really negative way.
As for gay oride flags, football flags or other countries’ flags – same deal. I’m cool with the flag wearing/waving just so long as it’s not accompanied by aggro or an inducement to aggro. As a general rule mobs + alcohol are pretty gross no matter who they are or what social uniform they are wearing.
I didn’t hassle the kid, I had a chat with him in an ATM queue. As for your insinuation I believe in telling Aboriginal people what to do well that’s plainly ridiculous and I suspect you are stirring the pot for the sake of it đ
Your leap to assume that I am somehow anti Australian because I talk about having a problem with this is in fact a great example of what I have a problem with. Yeah I have travelled and am glad I was born and live in Australia. What’s your point?
Cheers, Sal