Aussies Must not Call Aussies Aussies?

"Aussie" (pronounced "ozzie") is an abbreviation for "Australian" and is a common way for Australians to refer to one-another. It is however most used as shorthand for "Australians of Anglo-Celtic background" -- as the latter expression is a tad cumbersome. It DOES tend to imply that a person has all the traditions and attitudes that are typically Australian.

So when an Aussie participant -- Andrew Temmett -- in the Australian version of the "Big Brother" show used the term "Aussie" to refer to "Australians of Anglo-Celtic background", various "sensitive" souls accused him of being "racist". The show has on it a number of Australians who are not of Anglo-Celtic background and Temmett implied that they were not "Aussies". He was just using ordinary Aussie speech in doing so and was not being in any way malicious.

So he was accused of being racist. I suppose he COULD have said "Australians of Anglo-Celtic background" but on Big Brother?? It probably would not have helped anyway as the sensitive souls seem to believe that there should NEVER be any reference to ANY racial origins -- except if you are praising a racial minority, of course.

Perhaps I should note that most "Australians of non-Anglo-Celtic background" are Asian and are in general very successful members of Australian society. Being an "Aussie" is not a reference to any real-life superiority in any respect. Marriages and other relationships between Aussie males and women of Asian descent are also quite common. My own son is in such a relationship -- with my emphatic approval.

Details here.