# Aussie in England suing for racial abuse **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 22, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588 "2011-01-22T18:39:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/41 "2011-01-24T15:23:14Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Every nationality has jokes and stereotypes made about it by every other nationality. There are no exceptions. That’s a blatant lie. Swedes, for example, would never tell jokes about Norwegians. Besides, the Norwegians wouldn’t understand them in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/42 "2011-01-24T16:03:41Z")
> [@Incref](#): > > I’m with the sheep shagger. Oh, would you people just fucking well drop it alre… …oh, wait. Never mind. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/43 "2011-01-24T18:20:16Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Racism isn’t defined as purely prejudice based on race and frankly I am fed up of people claiming otherwise in a handy way to wave away racism. > > Seeing as we are talking about the UK, it might be useful to know that the Race Relations Act of 1976 defines “racial grounds”, in the purpose of defining “racial discrimination” as: > > [http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1976/74](http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1976/74) > > Thus, in UK law “race” isn’t used purely as a biological classification. Nationality is very much part of it. Obviously this is a personal thing, though I expect my view is shared by others, but I don’t consider Australians as a seperate race. I consider them as much as Brits who have a different nationality and SLIGHTLY different customs. And they are a hell of a lot more intelligible then Geordies , who are allegedly English. I can’t think of anything a normal Australian could say or do that I would find weird, exotic or unusual. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/44 "2011-01-24T21:24:04Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Not true. There’s no stereotypical jokes about Canadians. > > ETA: 😉 (In case it wasn’t obvious) I was thinking how tired I get of the misconceptions people have about Canada just from running into them occasionally on these boards; I’m torn between having a bit of sympathy for him if he has stupid people saying stupid things to him every single day, and thinking that maybe he should hang out with a better class of people, too (and possibly grow a thicker skin). ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/45 "2011-01-24T22:50:29Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > What this **sisu** sheila said. > > 😃 Fair shake of the sauce bottle, I’m a Bloke mate! ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/46 "2011-01-24T22:51:48Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Not true. There’s no stereotypical jokes about Canadians. > > ETA: 😉 (In case it wasn’t obvious) eh? ---
**Author:** ![mikenboom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@mikenboom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikenboom)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2011, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/47 "2011-01-25T14:39:47Z")
“G’day Sport!” “G’night dickless.” “Is your girlfriend called Sheila?” “My girlfriend’s called yo momma.” “Throw another shrimp on the barbie!” “Have another bugger in the toilet.” “Shagged any kangaroos lately?” “It was either Skippy or your sister, mate.” That’s about how the Aussies I’ve known would finesse these types of community relations. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/48 "2011-01-26T10:35:47Z")
It was interesting to hear some of the “family” jokes from other places in the world, ie ,Aussies versus Kiwis, Swedes versus Norweigans. I remember when I was in Denmark they always accused the Swedes of being tight fisted with their money, though when I went to Sweden they made the same jokes about the Danes. I also remember from a t.v programme (about statistics of all things) the Swedish professor saying that the aim of the Swedish team in the Winter Olympics was not to get medals but to beat Norway. Any other contributions out there ? Russians and Ukrainians maybe, Italians and Greeks ? If anyones got something do post it. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/49 "2011-01-26T10:49:18Z")
He should try being an American in Canada while Bush was in office. That was fun. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/50 "2011-01-26T23:26:46Z")
FYI we do not say shrimp on the barbie. It is a prawn, Hoges said shrimp so the septics could understand it. get a dog up ya! ---
**Author:** ![put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/put_down_the_sabre)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/51 "2011-01-29T21:04:43Z")
I actually sympathise quite a lot with the guy. About the ‘you can’t be racist because Australian isn’t a race!’ thing, I only hear that from Americans. It seems like a dialectical difference to me. To British ears, you most certainly can be racist against (eg) a French person. I don’t know about the details of this guy’s case, but I will say that constant ‘joking’ reference to your nationality can really grind you down, especially if they are used to shut you up or belittle you. In America I can’t tell you how tired I get of “you can’t be british you don’t have bad teeth” or “yes I jolly suppose, olde chap” when someone’s just lost an argument and doesn’t want to admit it. I wonder how many of the people mocking the guy have lived for two years or more in a country that speaks the same language? Walk a mile in his shoes etc. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/52 "2011-01-29T21:29:56Z")
> [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](#): > > About the ‘you can’t be racist because Australian isn’t a race!’ thing, I only hear that from Americans. It seems like a dialectical difference to me. To British ears, you most certainly can be racist against (eg) a French person. What? No. There’s a separate word for that: xenophobia. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/53 "2011-01-29T21:33:16Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > I guess, if you consider Race Relations Act of 1976 to be the arbiter of English language. I don’t. I prefer a dictionary definition: > > [rey-siz-uhm] Show IPA –noun > > 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others. > 2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination. > 3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. Did you bother to look up the dictionary definition of “Race”? I’m guessing not: 1. A local geographic or global human population distinguished as a more or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical characteristics. 2. A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, **nationality** , or geographic distribution: the German race. 3. A genealogical line; a lineage. 4. Humans considered as a group. It’s perfectly correct to refer to a nationality as a “Race.” Race is a subjective concept. ---
**Author:** ![put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/put_down_the_sabre)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/54 "2011-01-29T22:23:21Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What? No. There’s a separate word for that: xenophobia. Are you an American? And to my ears, xenophobia is prejudice against _all_ foreigners. But you can be racist against a specific group: black people, Irish people, french people… ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/55 "2011-01-29T23:09:21Z")
Anyway - back on topic, this guy sounds like a dick. I suggest someone call the waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaambulance and ship him off to that place where no-one ever says anything that upsets anyone. Oh, wait, you can’t - there is no such place. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/56 "2011-01-30T03:43:44Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > Anyway - back on topic, this guy sounds like a dick. I suggest someone call the waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaambulance and ship him off to that place where no-one ever says anything that upsets anyone. > > Oh, wait, you can’t - there is no such place. What? There isn’t? ::throws away my brochures for Canadian vacations:: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/57 "2011-01-30T04:14:45Z")
> [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](#): > > Are you an American? > > And to my ears, xenophobia is prejudice against _all_ foreigners. But you can be racist against a specific group: black people, Irish people, french people… British expat. ---
**Author:** ![put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/put_down_the_sabre)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/58 "2011-01-30T08:23:48Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > British expat. And you don’t think it makes sense to say someone’s racist against Irish people? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/59 "2011-01-30T19:17:14Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > What? There isn’t? ::throws away my brochures for Canadian vacations:: NO! You can still come visit us - we’ll buy you a beer! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588/60 "2011-01-30T19:23:05Z")
> [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](#): > > And you don’t think it makes sense to say someone’s racist against Irish people? Not really, no. I mean, I understand what they’re saying, but I wouldn’t call it correct. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aussie-in-england-suing-for-racial-abuse/568588.md?page=2)