The connections between England and Australia are still close. A significant fraction of Australians were actually born in England. Nonetheless, Australians are a very independent lot and they regard themselves as very different from (and better than) the English. And they have a derisive term for English people -- "Pommies". Australian are also much prone to using the word "Bas***d" -- and it as as often used in a bantering way as it is used to abuse someone. Among friends it can even be an affectionate term -- perhaps a bit like the way American blacks use the n-word.
And among the great sporting events of the year are the occasions when the England and Australian teams play cricket against one another. And, as in most big sporting events, passions do get aroused and bad language against the opposing team gets used. And Australian crowds can get pretty abusive:
"Cricket Australia's chief executive, James Sutherland, arrived home yesterday from Dubai, where an International Cricket Council board meeting heard a damning report on racial abuse directed at South African players by Australian crowds this summer. As Mr Sutherland fielded questions, he was asked whether spectators might be ejected from grounds for shouting "Pommy bas***d" at an English player. "I would have thought so, yeah. I would have thought if it is regarded as a racist comment, then yes," said Mr Sutherland, later adding: "We need to be very sensitive to it." Perhaps, in retrospect, he felt he was being too sensitive, for when contacted later, Cricket Australia backpedalled."
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So in the end it was decided that you must not call South Africans "Kaffirs" (the South African equivalent of the n-word) but you may call the English "Pommy Bas***ds" -- even though the term "bas***d" is more obviously offensive. Perhaps that is a reasonable judgment but how much better it would be if all groups were as little prone to being offended as the English.
