The Whinging Pom

To a certain extent the whinging pom is a self-perpetuating stereotype since it is impossible to argue against it without appearing to whinge. As a result many of the people to whom the term is applied suffer the insult in silence. Until recently I had not had the term hurled at me since I was in high-school. That changed this week when someone with whom I was trying to have a rational discussion decided to use it in an ad hominem attack. I’ll put aside cause of the argument (needless to say I was right – certainty is a gift that only arrogance can provide) for the sake of the apology that followed, but it got me thinking about “poms”

Like  all derogatory nouns the offence that it causes its target is contextual. Although cringingly embarrassing use of the term as a self-reference may be seen as harmless. Similarly within a circle of close friends, particularly if they are of the same cultural background and no insult is implied, the term normally lacks any barbs. At some point, however, it is intended to cause offence and like other slurs based on cultural identity or race it hits home.

In the case of the personal attack on me the term “whinging pom” was used in an attempt to negate my argument by suggesting that since I am English and all English people whinge that my statements were therefore groundless and the result of my countrymen’s tendency to complain about things which are perfectly acceptable to everyone else – those people being Australians. The immediate effect of these words upon was shock that another adult – a professional – could use them, then anger that they were used so glibly. The anger then extended to the term itself.

Unlike other cultural slurs, the use of the word pom is still culturally acceptable in Australia. To me this is appalling. Those who would argue that it is a term of endearment, a bit of fun, or gentle teasing, have obviously not been on the receiving end of the term. Certainly the implications of terms that are derogatory to people on the basis of their ethnicity carry a greater sting and imply a lot more about the person. For people with African heritage the derogatory word frequently used to describe them is without doubt the most hurtful term and carries with it all of the human rights abuses they suffered during the slave era and suffer still today. Terms applied to immigrants to Australia in the post-war years from Europe such as wog, were, like pom, seen as a bit of fun and quite often the target of the expression would laugh along with it for want of any other response. Ask immigrate who went to school during this era how they really felt about it and I am sure they would tell a different story. Like pom if used self-referentially then these terms are possibly harmless, unlike pom they are not culturally acceptable – they are in fact extremely racist.

Another argument used by the pom apologists is the largest proportion of Australians are Anglo-Saxon, then there is no racism. I quite agree, it is not a racial issue. It is a cultural issue. The Northern Irish Catholics and Protestants are of the same race. The Bosnian Serbs and Croatians were of the same race. There are essentially no racial differences between Israelis and Palestinians. I doubt that the terms that these groups use for each other are considered acceptable by anyone.

The irony of pom is, of course, found in the fact that the mouths that the term comes from are often the progeny of English immigrants. Were people who call those with English accents poms to be honest with themselves it is only chance that they too weren’t born in Blighty. The other irony is that when it comes to complaining it is Australians who are the world champions, particularly in the sporting arena. The number of sports officials who make decisions denying Australians victory in the athletic arena is staggering. How can such incompetence thrive? Australians have a history of being happy-go-lucky that is rapidly being eroded by shrill voices of those unhappy with their lot drowning out the rest of their countrymen.

But what would I know? I’m just a whinging pom.