Is the word Abo racist? (also about other racist words)

[Forster Keys]

That's quite rude. I was trying to explain that your comment made little sense to me as politely as possible.

And they're not comparable at all, it's a fairly lightweight slur as far as they go, in line with limey AFAIK. I'm a skip, and not offended by the word.

Well I'm sorry I offended you! I'm really sorry and I did not intend to. And the reason why you are not offended by skip is because us Aussies have a great sence of humor. Take that away and you would be. Btw, I'm sorry I offended you!

No worries mate. It's all cool.

[Dazchan]

Belive it or not, there is actually a huge debate about this. Is the word "abo" racist? For those of you who don't know, an abo is a slang term for Aborigional, just like Yank is American and Pom is British etc. I personally think Abo is just as racist as Pom, Kiwi, Aussie and Yank, which is not racist at all. Hell, the leaders of NATO, the USA put Yankee in their spelling alphabet, despite the fact that it refers to them, so therefore it can't be racist! But on the other hand, it might be racist (please note, I am not trying to offend anyone, I am being completely in context) as Skip or Nigger, but personally I don't think so. Anyway, discuss!

How do Aborigines themselves feel about it?

In general, the Aboriginals find it offensive and racist. Thus, it is offensive and racist.

[Michael VII]

Aborigine. Aborigine takes 5 syllables to say, Abo takes two. Its just the shortening of the word. Like Michael is called Mike almost always.

Its not a word that defines racism, its the person who uses it. In my opinion at least.

[Lackadaisical2]

Yes, thats why its funny.

[Michael VII]

How do Aborigines themselves feel about it?

In general, the Aboriginals find it offensive and racist. Thus, it is offensive and racist.

No, they view it as racist just because of the people who use it. I can say "hey look, there's an Abo" and not be racist, but if I say "get back on the all you dirty Abo" I would be. There's a big difference. Its like Nigger, if people find that so offensive and racist, they wouldn't use it in their everyday speech, whether Abos use Abo in their everyday talk, I have no idea. But I like Coach Carter's opinion on it, "if you don't like the word, don't use it."

I personally call Aborigines : Abos. Its a lot quicker and easier, plus Abos almost always refers to the Australian Aborigines, whereas Aborigines can mean any, even to the Native Americans or Maoris. A fair man can use a racist man and still be fair, but a racist man can say a fair word and still be racist.

[Dazchan]

Aborigine. Aborigine takes 5 syllables to say, Abo takes two. Its just the shortening of the word. Like Michael is called Mike almost always.

Its not a word that defines racism, its the person who uses it. In my opinion at least.

Pakistani has four syllables. Paki has two.

Japanese has three syllables. Jap or Nip has one.

Just because something is an abbreviation doesn't mean it's not offensive.

[Trixiestan]

Aborigine. Aborigine takes 5 syllables to say, Abo takes two. Its just the shortening of the word. Like Michael is called Mike almost always.

Its not a word that defines racism, its the person who uses it. In my opinion at least.

Pakistani. Pakistani takes Pakistani takes 4 syllables to say, "Paki" takes two. It's just the shortening of the word. Like Michael is called Mike almost always.

Yeaaah, Abo is racist mate.

EDIT: Gah beaten. :v

[Neo Arcad]

I just noticed how diverse and well-mannered a crowd of internationals we have here. There's British Australians, a Greek-Australian, a Pakistani-American, a whatever-the-fuck-Lacky-is, a Texan, a German-American, and a slew of others. And nobody's yelling or cursing.

I have hope for humanity- or at least, those of us who speak English.

[Forster Keys]

I just noticed how diverse and well-mannered a crowd of internationals we have here. There's British Australians, a Greek-Australian, a Pakistani-American, a whatever-the-fuck-Lacky-is, a Texan, a German-American, and a slew of others. And nobody's yelling or cursing.

I have hope for humanity- or at least, those of us who speak English.

Naw. What about me?

[Michael VII]

Aborigine. Aborigine takes 5 syllables to say, Abo takes two. Its just the shortening of the word. Like Michael is called Mike almost always.

Its not a word that defines racism, its the person who uses it. In my opinion at least.

Pakistani has four syllables. Paki has two.

Japanese has three syllables. Jap or Nip has one.

Just because something is an abbreviation doesn't mean it's not offensive.

Yeah, I say Paki, there's nothing wrong with it. I grew up watching cricket, half of the time the commentators say Paki. Its not racist, only the racist people that use it as well as be racist are racist. I have never used Jap or Nip though, but its only offensive if you take offense, and if you take offense to a name then you have absolutely no emotional strength.

[Lackadaisical2]

whatever-the-fuck-Lacky-is

My nationality is "Drunk".

I have hope for humanity- or at least, those of us who speak English.

And thus we must teach everyone to speak English.

[Michael VII]

I just noticed how diverse and well-mannered a crowd of internationals we have here. There's British Australians, a Greek-Australian, a Pakistani-American, a whatever-the-fuck-Lacky-is, a Texan, a German-American, and a slew of others. And nobody's yelling or cursing.

I have hope for humanity- or at least, those of us who speak English.

Don't forget the New Zealander!

[Trixiestan]

Pakistani has four syllables. Paki has two.

Japanese has three syllables. Jap or Nip has one.

Just because something is an abbreviation doesn't mean it's not offensive.

Yeah, I say Paki, there's nothing wrong with it. I grew up watching cricket, half of the time the commentators say Paki. Its not racist, only the racist people that use it as well as be racist are racist. I have never used Jap or Nip though, but its only offensive if you take offense, and if you take offense to a name then you have absolutely no emotional strength.

No mate, "Paki" is a racist word. A commentator says it? The commentator is saying something racist.

[Kari-Kazzir]

And, NATURALLY the words guido or goomba are NEVER ONCE MENTIONED.

[Katganistan]

They can call us all sorts of terms relating to our pigmentation, one that can sometimes be heard heard certain communities of aboriginals is 'white fella' I don't think they're in much of a position to protest the shortening of aboriginal yet not the full word itself.

It should be noted that in those same communities they refer to themselves as blackfella.

[Michael VII]

Yeah, I say Paki, there's nothing wrong with it. I grew up watching cricket, half of the time the commentators say Paki. Its not racist, only the racist people that use it as well as be racist are racist. I have never used Jap or Nip though, but its only offensive if you take offense, and if you take offense to a name then you have absolutely no emotional strength.

No mate, "Paki" is a racist word. A commentator says it? The commentator is saying something racist.

Paki is not racist. Its just a word. That's it then, I'll launch a huge thing about how Aussie or Kiwi is racist and offensive then. If you say, "smelly Paki" then its racist, if you say "Paki" its not racist. What next, calling someone from Afghanistan an Afghan is racist?

[Katganistan]

I consider it non-racist.
Actually, I consider practically anything verbal non-racist.
Why? It cant be racist if only idiots say it is.
And your an idiot if you say it is, because you have to get out of your way to feel offended from a word.
And to clear anything up before people call me hypocrite, Ive had my share of racial shots at me, and I actually feel superior to the people who say it to me.
Proud Texan.
'pperantly some Northern people are still living in the civil war times, and are thus racist by thinking Im racist. Also think Im stupid and ignorant.
Gotta love irony, eh?

*** Warned for flamebaiting. *** You just called a bunch of people in this discussion idiots.
You're also trolling Northerners for no particular reason, as no one is talking about the civil war or Texas.

[Saint Jade IV]

In general, the Aboriginals find it offensive and racist. Thus, it is offensive and racist.

No, they view it as racist just because of the people who use it. I can say "hey look, there's an Abo" and not be racist, but if I say "get back on the all you dirty Abo" I would be. There's a big difference. Its like Nigger, if people find that so offensive and racist, they wouldn't use it in their everyday speech, whether Abos use Abo in their everyday talk, I have no idea. But I like Coach Carter's opinion on it, "if you don't like the word, don't use it."

I personally call Aborigines : Abos. Its a lot quicker and easier, plus Abos almost always refers to the Australian Aborigines, whereas Aborigines can mean any, even to the Native Americans or Maoris. A fair man can use a racist man and still be fair, but a racist man can say a fair word and still be racist.

I dare you to go to Cunnamulla and call the indigenous Australians there Abos. I highly doubt they will give you time to justify why YOU aren't being racist, just everyone else who uses the term.

Like many other shortened nouns used to refer to people, the word has traditionally been used as an ethnic slur. No matter how you personally view it, Australian society, and indigenous Australians in particular, will base their assumptions off the recognised cultural use of the word.

[Kazomal]

Hey, you know that song "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Mate" where the dieing Australian stockman is relating his last requests to his friends, and one of them is "Let me Abos go loose, Lew," does that refer to Aboriginals? Is this a reference to slavery, or just to his Abo farm hands? Either way, casts a whole new view on the song.

[Saint Jade IV]

They can call us all sorts of terms relating to our pigmentation, one that can sometimes be heard heard certain communities of aboriginals is 'white fella' I don't think they're in much of a position to protest the shortening of aboriginal yet not the full word itself.

It should be noted that in those same communities they refer to themselves as blackfella.

It amazes me that there are several of us Aussies in this discussion who have pointed this out, yet some people don't seem to have picked up on it.

[Lackadaisical2]

And, NATURALLY the words guido or goomba are NEVER ONCE MENTIONED.

...why should it be?

They're all basically the same thing, I'm sorry no one was racist enough against Italians to think of it?

[Schwabenreich]

They can call us all sorts of terms relating to our pigmentation, one that can sometimes be heard heard certain communities of aboriginals is 'white fella' I don't think they're in much of a position to protest the shortening of aboriginal yet not the full word itself. However, in the act of sensitivity, best just to avoid using it. So far I've managed to avoid actually using any language to refer to ethnic identity other then australian with aboriginals. If you want to play it safe and somehow have to draw attention to their race/culture, aboriginal or indigenous australian seems best though oddly I've heard them protest to both (not personally, but on media and the internet), however one of the two should work. I don't understand why abo irks them but I suppose it could be used derogatorily, considering how easy it is to pronounce it would be convenient for people to use it that way. Most encounters with.. uh.. outspoken racists probably involved abo rather then them going to the trouble to draw it out to aboriginal.

The indigenous people that I know actually don't have a problem with the use of the word blackfella, the equivalent of whitefella. Of course, my experience cannot speak for all. But the reason they don't like Abo is because of how it has been used. Much as I don't really understand what all the fuss about Indian in the US and Canada is about, I respect that the cultural context of the word is obviously volatile enough that I'm missing something.

It irks them because traditionally it is used in a derogatory fashion. I have never, ever heard someone use Abo, in the same way that they use Aussie. It's completely different.

No, no, I quite agree, in my experience they're fine with blackfellas as well though i've never used it (only heard them use it). I'm glad that you seem to confirm my suspicions of the reason 'abo' is considered offensive, that is to say how its been used. I'd not support that as a valid reason to label the word racist but I'm apparently a minority with that opinion and I don't feel a need to use it anyway. I also agree that drawing comparisons between it and 'aussie' are inaccurate. I've certainly heard it used derogatorily on Encyclopedia Dramatica, Youtube and television, and I understand that that alone could place a negative stigma on the word.

It should be noted that in those same communities they refer to themselves as blackfella.

It amazes me that there are several of us Aussies in this discussion who have pointed this out, yet some people don't seem to have picked up on it.

I didn't really see a reason to include it in my original post, they both refer to pigmentation which while I'm fine with (just as someone was to say my hair is brown and my eyes are blue), I believe it is a bit of a politically incorrect kind of label whether they use it for themselves or for others. Much in the same way its not politically correct if a person refers to himself as white, and others as black. Its kind of accepted but it does not really give you the moral highground.

[Trixiestan]

Hey, you know that song "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Mate" where the dieing Australian stockman is relating his last requests to his friends, and one of them is "Let me Abos go loose, Lew," does that refer to Aboriginals? Is this a reference to slavery, or just to his Abo farm hands? Either way, casts a whole new view on the song.

Did you not see my quote from the last page? o:

Racism in the arts—a window into the past

In 1957 Rolf Harris, then 27, wrote the song 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport' which became a number one hit in Australia. The song was originally made of seven verses and the chorus. The sixth verse went as follows [20]:

Let me Abos go loose, Lou,
Let me Abos go loose.
They're of no further use, Lou,
So let me Abos go loose.
Altogether now!

'Abo' is a derogatory term for Aboriginal people. In the context of the song the above verse becomes even more racist because almost all other verses are about animals which are to be let lose after the drover's death the song is about.

Because of the racist term used the song was banned in Singapore. In some versions 'Abo' got replaced with 'emu' [19].

No mate, "Paki" is a racist word. A commentator says it? The commentator is saying something racist.

Paki is not racist. Its just a word. That's it then, I'll launch a huge thing about how Aussie or Kiwi is racist and offensive then. If you say, "smelly Paki" then its racist, if you say "Paki" its not racist. What next, calling someone from Afghanistan an Afghan is racist?

Would someone called an "Aussie", "Kiwi" or "Afghan" be offended? No. If I went up and called someone a "Paki", would they be offended? Yes.

Don't you remember when Prince Harry called one of his fellow soldiers a Paki and had to apologise as a result? That's because people were offended by the word "Paki" and not due to any additional words strung along. "Paki" has been a ethnic slur for quite literally decades now and is offensive to to Indians, Pakistanis and Bangledeshis, along with various other ethnic groups and nationalities. Just because a word has been adopted into polite conversation (here in the UK, a Newsagent is often called a "Paki Shop") doesn't mean that the word has suddenly become unoffensive.

[Michael VII]

Personally, I'd prefer to be called Abo than Black fella, but I don't care what I get called because I have a sense of humour and don't get offended easily. I don't see why black fella would be better than abo anyway?

[Lackadaisical2]

Personally, I'd prefer to be called Abo than Black fella, but I don't care what I get called because I have a sense of humour and don't get offended easily. I don't see why black fella would be better than abo anyway?

Maybe because you're not a blackfella?

Note: This is probably the only time I'll acknowledge a difference in the ability to view an issue because of race.