sharplittleteeth: (Default)
[personal profile] sharplittleteeth
I never feel less Australian than when I see someone with a Southern Cross tattoo.

Don't get me wrong. I love our country. I love its astonishing scenery, its peculiar wildlife. I'm grateful that we have peace and prosperity.

But you have to take the bad with the good. What ever Tony Abbot may say*, Australia has a long history of racism, from the treatment of the indigenous population, to the White Australia policy, to the attitudes towards of post-war migrants. And I've yet to see any Asian Australians with the Southern Cross etched into their neck.

I blame John Howard. He mainstreamed the sort of flag-waving jingosim Australians normally reserved for cricket matches. Now it's trendy to look like you've just come back from the Cronulla riots.

That's why I'm ambivalent about  Australia Day: any display of patriotism seems like tacit support for the thugs and bigots.

Fuck that. This is our country too. There's a lot that needs fixing, but there's a lot to celebrate. And love and pride are strong motivators.

So. Happy Australia Day. Sorry about the bad bits. We're working on them.

And in conclusion, a quote from the national anthem:

For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.


But I guess most people just mumble their way through that second verse. ;)



* "For all the misguided and sometimes cruel treatment of Aborigines, the ethnic typecasting and occasional snobbery which still exists, Australia has rarely seen domestic discrimination based on race or culture. "
Tony Abbot,
Address to the Australia Day Council (Victoria) Australia Day Dinner.

Date: 2010-01-26 02:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] greylock.livejournal.com
Don't most people mumble their way through the first verse too?

Date: 2010-01-26 04:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kits-the-dm.livejournal.com
I thought that one was the third verse?

Date: 2010-01-26 10:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sharplittlteeth.livejournal.com
The official national anthem only has two verses.

http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/nat_anthem.html

As H and B point out, there have been several earlier versions.

Date: 2010-01-26 04:52 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] a-carnal-mink.livejournal.com

And I've yet to see any Asian Australians with the Southern Cross etched into their neck.

Kits_the_dm was thinking of incorporating it into a design at one point (along with bits of the Philippines flag), but then, this is a household with a lot of love for the Eureka flag. ;)

Fuck that. This is our country too. There's a lot that needs fixing, but there's a lot to celebrate. And love and pride are strong motivators.

Hear Hear!

But I guess most people just mumble their way through that second verse.

Well, it hardly ever gets played anywhere either, so folk don't really get a chance to learn it. There's soomit like 17 verses of the bloody thing! You have to track down a Freemason to find out what they all are. (and no, that's not some crap freemason-conspiracy joke - I'm serious! they sing the whole thing! *grin*)

Date: 2010-01-26 05:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] greylock.livejournal.com
B's not wrong ... if she's right about the mega mix, and if it's not created by the masons.

The most I could find was five verses:
http://advanceaustraliafair.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_Australia_Fair
http://www.genesis.net.au/~anthems/aaf.html

All seem to agree, but the second link is included for the "missing verse": http://www.genesis.net.au/~anthems/aafm.html

Date: 2010-01-26 05:39 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] a-carnal-mink.livejournal.com

I plucked a number outta the air, mate. ;) I just knew it was "many".

Date: 2010-01-26 12:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] silverblue.livejournal.com
Today while cycling, some twits decided to yell at me because I was 'only' wearing red, and not blue and white as well. This was cause for complaint. It was a bit stupid, really :/ There was quite a lot of aggro out on the streets, but at least the day was very nice.

Date: 2010-01-28 11:56 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] scoia.livejournal.com
I saw two young men with that tattoo this evening while walking down swanston St. It made me feel very uncomfortable. I can't see much of a positive emphasis that can be salvaged from it :/

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