tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post4812493973845515710..comments2009-01-12T16:32:40.176-08:00Matthew Stavroshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00742226999004112408noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-63745914258168831102009-01-12T16:32:00.000-08:002009-01-12T16:32:00.000-08:00Even if that was said in jest, it brings to mind the ridiculous hubbub in the UK when a national hissey fit was thrown when Keating briefly touched the Queen's back.<BR/><BR/>But more than that I've never been happy about the convict comments, something one hears a lot of online. In Australian schools the convict origins are just treated as interesting neutral facts, but always used pejoratively by people from other countries (most irritatingly when done by Americans ignorant of their own history). The same sort of people who have no other knowledge or interest in Australian history, and certainly no idea about the massive waves of immigration.<BR/><BR/>Similarly, in other countries Australians seem to have a reputation for racism. This completely baffles me, it seems to have sprung from absolutely nowhere, and tends to be intoned by the most hypocritical of people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724124815715040118.post-86687024192579966852009-01-10T16:29:00.000-08:002009-01-10T16:29:00.000-08:00Leave Howard be - he is the best PM we have ever had.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com