So someone in a British polo club has the nick name “Sooty,” likes the nickname “Sooty,” and everyone addresses him as “Sooty,” so the Prince of Wales calls him Sooty.
And while the Gaza intervention continues, thousands die of cholera because of the Mugabe government, Europeans are freezing because Russia has turned off the gas, the intentional media is excited about this beat-up du jour.
Meanwhile in Australia it was only a matter of time before some republican saw the beat-up purchased by those models of propriety, Your News of the World journalists, as ample reason to change our constitution.
Published as the lead in the Sydney Morning Herald on 14 January, 2009, and from a freelance writer who sees himself as a victim, this letter no doubt provoked a flood of responses.
So on the next day, under the headline, “Lighten up, whingers,” the Herald published two of these.
“Sunil Badami (Letters, January 14) asks for epithets used for white, middle-aged males. I am only too happy to extend his vocabulary, “wrote Philip Dowling of Turramurra.
“ Of course, skip and convict are often used. Red-haired people have to put up with bluey or ranga. Most blond boys finish up being called baldy in middle age. They may also find themselves called a wowser or a Bible-basher if they do not drink to excess. Otherwise they will find they are called an ocker or a ratbag.
"If they complain about anything, they are called whingers. Inevitably they will regularly be called bastards.
"Mate is another term that can be concerning, especially when it is long and drawn out and comes from an ALP heavy. Cockroach and banana-bender are used during the rugby league season. Their wives call them mean and insensitive. Their kids call them embarrassing and totally uncool, and boycott any public appearances with them, except when they are performing a chauffeur's role,” he said.
“Personally, I dislike being called white, as it is inherently divisive.”
And Mark Ansiewicz of Newport wrote:
“ As a white middle-aged male I can think of plenty of epithets that apply to my so-called majority. During World War II my grandad (Kazimerz) was known as Kaiser Bill, Dad was a reffo or a wop, and I have been called everything from Polish Jewboy to a white wog.
"So bloody what? Like my Dago, Pom, Kiwi, Frog and Seppo mates we can take a jibe, and love it. That's what makes us true blue Aussies.
“ It's time whinging self-proclaimed victims such as Sunil Badami lightened up.”
