Brony,
I tried to explain the furor over the stand in Toowoomba I was in trouble simply trying to explain the case which in the law files it is referred to by the 'N'word.
But on reflection the number of times that its use is valid , the connotations of Forrest's usage, the propensity of some on OLO for the extreme. I wonder if it isn't time to simply let the word die in the appalling history it represents. It's removal is hardly a major impediment to Forrest's or anyone on OLO's ability to express themselves adequately. Neither do I accept the tired argument about PC gone mad times have changed and so have our attitudes to some words and what they represent.

Umm… descendants of the Negro tribe like it a lot and use it a lot with no offense intended, my spell checker says it is an acceptable term in historically established phrases.

Users should have all words available to them. For humour, for enhanced expression etc?

If one wants to use it in an offensive fashion then all power to them, like being offensive in a wordier and multi-syllable way is better? Graham can still deal with it either way.

I’m a bit immune to it having hung out with teen Maori’s and Sar’s – they all use it like the American black youth; often and in a friendly way. My daughter still hasn’t dropped the habit. It does sound stupid when a blue eyed blonde walks in and goes “‘sup Niggar home dogz”.

Gawd, am I missing something cultural? Oz culture I mean.

Scots/Irish with a Spanish great-something grandfather on Mum's side, although that side's now 7 generations in Oz thanks to my Uncle Alan's progeny's fecundity. On Dad's side it's northern English and Danish, now 5th-generation Oz, all of which may explain why I have a bad temper...
Oh yeah, grew up in PNG - Moresby then Lae. 'twas a funny place; a sort of time-warp in some ways, especially technologically. No TV, which meant lots of reading. Boarding school was a shock to the system.

I've looked at Lae on google earth recently and I'm stunned. It must be at least the size of Mackay or Rocky. I can't quite grasp the extent of agricultural land that's been cleared to the West, in the Markham and Butibum Valleys.

It helps to explain where a lot of the kwila and surian cedar and other premium PNG timbers are coming from. I imagine the land owners are driving trucks or chainsaws...

It's notable that the celtic tribes prevail in this little survey. The White Australia Policy has left its mark.

I've been reading all of the posts thus far,
and feeling very frustrated because I couldn't
respond to any of them as I'd used up all of my
mine. Finally - here I am.

What an interesting mix we have.

Dear Piper,

Don't ever stop daydreaming. We need to dream;
souring imagination is the glue that keeps our
souls from shattering under the impact of a
stuffy, dull, and unimaginative world.

You're so lucky with your mother's interest in
genealogy. Getting any information out of my
mum is very difficult. (Like pulling teeth).
She's simply not interested in remembering the past.
Whereas I think it's important.

Dear OUG,

I always knew you were an original!

Dear Forrest G,

4 tribes no less. Now I am impressed!
As for having certain words banned - I've gone
through that experience as well on OLO when I called
Houellebecq a "w'nker." Personally, I don't mind
being alerted to certain words - and besides there
are ways to get around things so it's of no real loss.

Dear RobP,

I always suspected we were kindred spirits. And now
I find that we've got very similar backgrounds.
My family is Lithuanian - with Russian on my mother's
side. A shame about not speaking Latvian at home though,
but I can understand. Those were painful times.

Dear Whistler,

What an interesting background you have.

So glad that you kept your "eagle eye."

Dear Hasbeen,

British gentry mixed with Irish and Scots - you
can't get better than that!

Dear Examinator,

I may not be the 'Goddess," you thought I was - but
what about a big-footed pixie? I may never be able to
dance on a dewdrop - being far too tall, but my pixie
ears pair beautifully with my small gossamer wings -
and my smile brightens up even the gloomiest of
sunless days. :-)

Again, your heritage is also a very interesting one -
and by the sound of things - you're in a very
happy place - between several cultures.
Lucky you!

Antiseptic,
When were you in Moresby? I was there from 1954-59. Boroko Coronation 'A'(Australian) public school (segregated of course).
Then went to Rabaul which doesn't really exist now thanks to the volcanoes that surround 'Simpson Harbour' which is a flooded caldera.
The town of Keravat was surrounded by jungle and plantations of teak and camare now it's like a like a bomb hit it just miles of stumps in any direction even the jungle cant come back. With 2 meters of rain or there about per year the hills are eroded moonscapes. the shallow river has almost silted up. I almost cried when I saw it on TV in a expose of Indonesian/Malaysian corruption in logging practices and illegal logging. As for the animals and bird life they're being chased into the Bianings (mountains). So sad.

Dear Sancho,

Blue eyes and a red beard?
What a handsome Viking!

Dear Anti,

You bad-tempered? Never!
Just strong-minded, is all!

I'm really enjoying this thread - and learning about
everyone's different heritages. What an interesting
mix they are!