The Ugly Australians

[andrew_nixon]

just read that article and i got no idea what there whingin about?
kaffir??
Kaffir boetas?????

Please refrain from using racist language on the forums.

 

[kodos]

just read that article and i got no idea what there whingin about?
kaffir??
Kaffir boetas?????

Obviously you know absolte nothing about the history of south africa.

 

[m_vaughan]

As much as I hate racism, I do not fully agree with the article. Taunts and chants than can be considered as racist take place in a number of places around the world. Its just that they might not be understood or considered as racist by the players.

In the test series of 2001 between Australia and India in Mumbai, I remember the crowd shouting severe racist/abusive comments at Glen McGrath in Hindi. If McGrath only knew what that meant he could have also lodged a complain.

 

[sohum]

Racism isn't really a problem if it doesn't affect you. I don't think Glenn McGrath was the least bit concerned of what the crowd was shouting at him, and he didn't really want to know. The problem would have arisen if the crowd got in his face and abused him with English. That is the point when he understands the emotions of the crowd, and feels abused by them. And that is when you have to take action. It's pointless to take action when no one whatsoever has been affected, and the crowd is just building some atmosphere.

 

[m_vaughan]

Well I dont think the Aussies speak anything other than English.

 

[sohum]

That's something they have to deal with.

 

[Sman-21]

So youre saying as long as they dont understand whats being said theres no problem.

 

[sohum]

Yes, especially since it doesn't affect them in anyway. The Sri Lankans and South Africans are obviously affected by what is being said to them. For the Australians in India, we might as well be screaming gibberish at them.

 

[tsyrmas]

thats a pretty sad look in it. if i abuse you in greek on this forum (it's my second language) would i get in trouble? say someone wlse spoke greek and you didn't? would i get in trouble then? im very dissapointed that some people share that view

 

[sohum]

I think if you abuse me, no one else has the right to feel bad for me. If it doesn't affect me in anyway, and I don't feel the need to react, what is the point for someone else reacting for me? You want a global example--look into the bigger wars in the history of the earth. Take, for example, either of the world wars. A petty conflict turned into a global problem because a third-party believed that they knew what to do best.

Personally, if you abuse me in Greek, I don't give a rat's ass about what you said. And I feel I am intelligent enough to ignore those immature remarks, anyway. It is not anyone else's right, however, to 'stand up' for me. That is an insult in itself--it's as if they are saying that I'm too stupid to understand that I should be offended by what is being said.

 

[tsyrmas]

yes, but if i say something like "you suck, beacuse are indian," (i don;t actually think that, i love indians, they rule!) in greek, and another indian who speaks greek understands, then what?

 

[Sman-21]

So if us aussie cricket fans make up some jibberish words to racially abuse other players all day long.
All the fans know what it means and can have a laugh etc.

That is perfectly fine and not being racist coz they dont know what where saying. :

 

[tsyrmas]

has anyone actaully heard any rascist comments directed at the proteas or lankans? (am i even allowed to say that these days?) this summer?

 

[sohum]

yes, but if i say something like "you suck, beacuse are indian," (i don;t actually think that, i love indians, they rule!) in greek, and another indian who speaks greek understands, then what?

I wouldn't be offended, but the person who does speak may be. It wouldn't affect me if I didn't understand it. If any Australians understand Hindi and were affected by the crowds reactions to them, they are more than welcome to react by saying that they were being abused by the Indian crowds.

So if us aussie cricket fans make up some jibberish words to racially abuse other players all day long.
All the fans know what it means and can have a laugh etc.

One surely hopes that Aussie fans have better things to do than this. The problem is obviously that the Aussie fans were abusing hte South Africans in English. If the Aussie cricket fans abused touring nations with words like Diddleclump or Frutislop (two words that do not exist, if I'm not mistaken) I don't see any touring side getting affected by it. Except that their respect for the sophistication of Aussie fans would certainly go down.