Racism towards Australians online

[banthesun]

Frankly, I think this is more a matter of high pings. I have never experienced any anti-aussie sentiment online, however, our damn timezone and shoddy internet can cause all kinds of problems.

Wait... are you serious? That has to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Why in the world would anyone be racist towards Australians? What have you ever done to anyone else, ESPECIALLY any black people, that would deserve this kind of treatment??

Geek, I'd like to apologize for such an ignorant experience. We don't all think that way, believe me.

Err, the Australians did have that one time when they took Aboriginal babies from their mothers and had that ol' White Australia Policy which was abolished in the Whitlam government years, but apart from that I can't think of anything else which would make people angry about Australia. Most jibes at Australia are linked to jokes about our crappy internet, or in anime fandom our lolicon ban. Australia isn't stereotyped as a racist country, but a crippled internet backwater country whose government is kinda lame.

StarPhoe's point still stands, despite their ignorance of this situation, as it is unlikely the person in question had any relation to Australian Aboriginies.

 

[FROGGEman2]

Yep, I doubt it had anything to do with the fact that your ping is going to be really shitty from Australia.

Oh yeah I hadn't thought about that...

 

[FROGGEman2]

I'm sorry, but very few black people are African-American, they're American, just like me. And it seems people have taken the name African-American to be the political correct term of black people. People living in Britain are not African-American

Actually, all black Americans are LEGALLY known as African-Americans, and all white American are LEGALLY known as Anglo-Americans. Yeah, its weird.

 

[Glerken]

I'm sorry, but very few black people are African-American, they're American, just like me. And it seems people have taken the name African-American to be the political correct term of black people. People living in Britain are not African-American

Actually, all black Americans are LEGALLY known as African-Americans, and all white American are LEGALLY known as Anglo-Americans. Yeah, its weird.

What if I'm black and not from Africa...
I shall go to court with this.

If I were black...

 

[hebdomad]

For a nation with some of the most diverse culture on earth, it's kind of hard to be 'racist' against Australians.

The fact is, race is about as solid as genre. Nothing is as clear cut as black and white.
To think that some one is any different from your self, to hate some one just because where they live or where they come from or look like is just plain dumb.

 

[FROGGEman2]

I'm a white American, and I have to say, I am not privy to any anger or malice towards Ausieland beyond the aformentioned ping issue. To be fair, though, you have an odd government. Also, am I the only one who thinks it's insultive to refer to an American as African-American, or Asian-American? I'm not called a British-American. Seems racist. Sure, if you were born in an African nation and were naturalized, it's accurate, but otherwise, rude. Anyways... Not sure what to say to ya on this, as I don't care who I play in a game with. Just be glad you are not a Canadian! Flithy polar-bear lovers... Poor souls.

Actually, you are! (we learnt about it in English) Technically, you are an Anglo-American.

 

[FROGGEman2]

Actually, all black Americans are LEGALLY known as African-Americans, and all white American are LEGALLY known as Anglo-Americans. Yeah, its weird.

Do you have a source on that? I usually see: "white (non-Hispanic)" on official forms and such.

Uhh... English Class? (though I can't really use that as a source...)

 

[FROGGEman2]

I never get that bullshit, but I'm on the PSN soo...

 

[dbltrouble89]

There is a reason for discriminating against Australians, but it isn't a rational reason and has nothing to do with anything Australians did. Some people just enjoy the act of hating and can get away with it from a distance.

Back when I played Runescape, I would play on an Australian server because I wanted to interact with the international community. My first friend there was Australian. We talked about our respective home lives and Australia sounds very much like the US in many ways. They even have McDonald's, which I'm not sure is a good thing or not. So unfortunately, you ran into what is known here in the US as an "asshole." We try to spray for them, but they just keep coming back. Your best bet is to find another server or don't mention your location if possible.

 

[Lazarus Long]

I, too, am completely baffled. Call it some kind of reverse racism if you will, but this American's first reaction upon learning he is speaking to an Australian is something along the lines of "NEAT!" I just want to hug every last one of you guys.

 

[Squarewave]

Chances are the guy (and guys like him) also insult/ban people from the states he doesn't like ( like oklahoma, texas, new york etc) as its probably 'cool' in his social circles to hate anyone he can't relate too

to play devils advocate for a moment

It is extremely common in online games, and the internet in general, for people in other english speaking countries to flame and insult americans for no other reason then being from the united states. For one person that enjoys playing with people all over the world there's 7 that think it's their mission in life to to point out how stupid americans are.

I'm not defending the guy, just pointing out bigotry goes both ways.

 

[NewGeekPhilosopher]

I, too, am completely baffled. Call it some kind of reverse racism if you will, but this American's first reaction upon learning he is speaking to an Australian is something along the lines of "NEAT!" I just want to hug every last one of you guys.

*E-hugs Lazarus Long*

At last, somebody who gets the idea that we're not out to get you guys, we are just tired of being kicked from servers both in online games and online in general. I mean when I meet Americans in person they seem nice enough (Disneyland for example, the tour guide said she doesn't meet many Australians). It is just on the internet that you meet most of the angriest ones.

Usually it is the case that Americans are nice people, it is just that online whether gaming or not it seems the rules of manners go out the window.

 

[Dele]

I guess Australians are to Commonwealth what Russians are to Europeans. People using woodem modems that ought to be kicked out of any sensible game.

 

[0thello]

It was probably to do with your PING.

I play Tekken 5 DR: ONLINE and I've had to kick every single guy or gal from New Zealand and Australia out because if I have even given them a chance their terrible lag completely screws me up while they are very used to it. The guy wasn't being a racist, he didn't do anything that indicates anything "racist". Recognizing your "location" (or what he thought was your location) and made a judgement call that sucked for you. Australians aren't a race of people (not that it exists anyway), come on, if you have felt genuine rcism you wouldn't take being thrown off of a VIDEO GAME because of your lcation so seriously. Seems like people throw that word up a little too much now-a-days - surprise, surprise...

 

[FROGGEman2]

There is a reason for discriminating against Australians, but it isn't a rational reason and has nothing to do with anything Australians did. Some people just enjoy the act of hating and can get away with it from a distance.

Back when I played Runescape, I would play on an Australian server because I wanted to interact with the international community. My first friend there was Australian. We talked about our respective home lives and Australia sounds very much like the US in many ways. They even have McDonald's, which I'm not sure is a good thing or not. So unfortunately, you ran into what is known here in the US as an "asshole." We try to spray for them, but they just keep coming back. Your best bet is to find another server or don't mention your location if possible.

I love the "They even have McDonald's". We also have Woolworths and EBgames