Australia Day
January 25, 2012 7:13 PM Subscribe
It's a day of high jinx, high revelry and high people in Australia; a day when a large and vocal majority come together to "celebrate what's great" about this country. But what is the meaning of all this fanfare? What is the true origin of this passionately marked day of facepaint and binge drinking? Is everyone in Australia so keen on this particular anniversary? To get to bottom of these questions, and more, join your amiable host Robert Foster [previously] as he conducts a high-octane, high-frequency satellite link-up with a representative of the Mainstream Australian media: multi-Logie award-winning broadcaster, entertainer, emu-wrangler and true blue Aussie, Kenneth Oathcarn. Rap News Episode 11: Australia Day
WARNING: contains adult Australian vernacular - viewer discretion is strongly advised.
WARNING: contains adult Australian vernacular - viewer discretion is strongly advised.
Straya Day (Yeah Cunt!) (extended version of the America, Fuck Yeah-based song in the middle)
posted by finite at 7:19 PM on January 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by finite at 7:19 PM on January 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
Since this appears to be the only Australia Day thread going (I guess everybody's off getting pissed at a barbie or heading out to go "oooh!" at the fireworks), I'll just link this here:
Aussie flag flyers more racist: survey
I'm not sure what that means for the car - the one with 3 Aboriginal flags (well, 2 flags and a sticker) - that I saw this morning…
(Although the number of cars with flags seems to have dropped this year. Does this possibly mean we're less racist than before? Personally, though, I suspect it's due to News Ltd. cheaping out and not giving them away for free with the Sunday papers…)
posted by Pinback at 11:19 PM on January 25, 2012
Aussie flag flyers more racist: survey
I'm not sure what that means for the car - the one with 3 Aboriginal flags (well, 2 flags and a sticker) - that I saw this morning…
(Although the number of cars with flags seems to have dropped this year. Does this possibly mean we're less racist than before? Personally, though, I suspect it's due to News Ltd. cheaping out and not giving them away for free with the Sunday papers…)
posted by Pinback at 11:19 PM on January 25, 2012
¡ʇɐoןq ʎʇǝʞɔoɹɔ
posted by Pronoiac at 2:18 AM on January 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Pronoiac at 2:18 AM on January 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Thank you Australia Day, for reminding me why I no longer live there. I hope this phase of flag capes and patriotism passes eventually, after all it's only been the last decade or so that it's really had this extreme tone. Then I'll come home.
posted by wingless_angel at 4:11 AM on January 26, 2012
posted by wingless_angel at 4:11 AM on January 26, 2012
The previous episode of Rap News was also pretty good - featuring the real Noam Chomsky (much edited for brevity but apparently enjoying himself) and Anonymous.
posted by memebake at 4:19 AM on January 26, 2012
posted by memebake at 4:19 AM on January 26, 2012
It's utterly horrible, isn't it angel? I live in a pretty multicultural part of Sydney, so there are very few flags about... many are owned by new Australians. I don't think they quite get the loathing, discomfort and antagonism that many others experience when a bogan drives past with one on their car. And I hope they never do.
I wonder if some people of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds feel about the Australian flag the same way Jewish people did about the swastika before it became evident what the Nazis were up to. It's menacing and divisive and intimidating and yet it's not breaking any law... and your patriotism can be called in to question if you don't LOVE the flag.
America, I love so many things about you. But not inheriting your flag-love. I wish we'd left you that tradition all to yourselves. It damages our country and it's folk.
posted by taff at 4:22 AM on January 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
I wonder if some people of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds feel about the Australian flag the same way Jewish people did about the swastika before it became evident what the Nazis were up to. It's menacing and divisive and intimidating and yet it's not breaking any law... and your patriotism can be called in to question if you don't LOVE the flag.
America, I love so many things about you. But not inheriting your flag-love. I wish we'd left you that tradition all to yourselves. It damages our country and it's folk.
posted by taff at 4:22 AM on January 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
As a patriotic South Australian I call the day New South Wales day. The date signifies the day the First Fleet arrived in New South Wales, not when Australia was formed.
The proper day is January 1st.
Jan 1 would be a much more inclusive day aswell, for First Australians and every other Aussie thereafter.
posted by Bluepenguin05 at 4:34 AM on January 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
The proper day is January 1st.
Jan 1 would be a much more inclusive day aswell, for First Australians and every other Aussie thereafter.
posted by Bluepenguin05 at 4:34 AM on January 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
And I hope they never do.
I'm with you on that.
When I still lived in Sydney I worked at SBS, and naturally Australia Day was not a day off. I really enjoyed going to work that day, that WAS a celebration of all that was good about multiculturalism and diversity - without all the flag waving nonsense.
posted by wingless_angel at 4:50 AM on January 26, 2012
I'm with you on that.
When I still lived in Sydney I worked at SBS, and naturally Australia Day was not a day off. I really enjoyed going to work that day, that WAS a celebration of all that was good about multiculturalism and diversity - without all the flag waving nonsense.
posted by wingless_angel at 4:50 AM on January 26, 2012
<3 Rap News!
posted by Theta States at 6:45 AM on January 26, 2012
posted by Theta States at 6:45 AM on January 26, 2012
Nice idea Bluepenguin05 but we already have a public holiday that day.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 3:43 PM on January 26, 2012
posted by aeschenkarnos at 3:43 PM on January 26, 2012
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I'm gonna call that an Oxymoron. Because I can.
posted by evilmidnightbomberwhatbombsatmidnight at 7:17 PM on January 25, 2012 [1 favorite]