Job Discussion Forums

[markle]

If the idiots from Greenpeace stopped using whaling as a major fundraising vehicle there is a very good chance the Japanese would stop harpooning the dumb beasts. � Piers Akerman, Daily Telegraph

I don't get it. Australia gets beaten with the last kick of its World Cup game against Italy � an outrageous penalty � and thousands of Australians roar with joy. Yes, I call them Australians, since most were born right here. Shouldn't that mean something? But these cheerers actually see themselves more as Italians. Or, in the polite camouflage, "Italian-Australians". � Andrew Bolt, Herald Sun

[Le Creature]

Jesus...who the hell is this 'Piers Akerman'?

[Hoser]

They probably had Italy in their pool. I would have cheered for Italy too in that case. You can cheer for them and still know they're a bunch of surrender monkeys.

[callmesim]

Oh God.

Piers Akerman and Andrew Bolt are knobs. Sadly, I think they're now in the majority when it comes to Australian thinking.

I don't know if you heard but rage has dropped its Top 50 each morning and if rumours are to be believed, it's because the conservsative loveys has been disgusted with the 'racey' music videos in the Top 50 and given who has power these days.....

God I hope the election next year brings a result that will change the direction of Australia. Otherwise I won't be in any rush home either.

[may be going]

piers akerman is a knob without peer. andrew bolt i don't know too much about. perhaps right wing? but i have to say i agree to an extent with that particular comment posted.

for those who are born in australia, schooled in australia, and given the life australia has to offer, why are they so intent on cheering for their ancestors' countries instead of australia?

i can understand an affiliation and particular bond, but to go against the country of your birth and the country that has done the most to shape and develop you seems a little odd to me.

i'm not some right wing loony so don't stereotype me. in fact i am in the same boat as the people spoken about. my parents are both from england and bar mum and dad, my family all still live in england. however i was born and raised in oz.

when australia play england in the ashes, i am fervently australian. when australia play england in anything i am ferevently australian. when england play any other tream i strongly support england.

but having been brought up in oz with oz schooling, oz mates, oz way of life and all that is oz, why would someone not go for oz? or any other country where the same applies?

[may be going]

as an addendum to the above, perhaps if people from particular cultures have felt the brunt of cultural intolerance throughout their lives then they may find it hard to support the country they were born in, but it still doesn't explain why you would support a country you weren't born in nor grew up in nor most likely know much about bar what you've heard and seen in your loungeroom via mum and dad.

[Speed]

Maybe people should get off the `nationalist` wagon and just cheer for whomever they want - and not let it get under anyones collar.

[azarashi sushi]

[may be going]

it's no nationalist bandwagon so don't turn it into something it isn't and don't get on your high horse. what does 'get over it' mean? get over what? i simply asked why a person would feel compelled to identify more with a country their ancestors come from rather than the country they come from.

whether it's soccer, rugby, war or tiddlywinks, why would people support something they are related to indirectly rather than something they are related to directly?

there has to be a reason for it, hence my question. there is more to it than 'get over it, let people support who they want'

[markle]

I think it's a phenonena particular to football in Australia, (I mean I don't recall it happening in rugby union). For the past 30 odd years which team do you think the Italian-Australians had to cheer for at an international level? Methinks it was Italy, so suddenly Australia were playing at that level do these people just abandon the team they've supported all this time? Same is true of a lot of other communities.
Add on things like cultural intolerance (How many times were you called a Pommy *beep* because you had a "English sounding name"), the general perception that football is not an 'Australian' sport (not called 'wogball' for nothing) etc and so forth and I think you get a pretty clear idea of why.

[Chris21]

[guest of Japan]

[BradS]

[Chris21]