Around Australia Day there were lots of posts about the waving and wearing of the Aussie flag.
It has been suggested in many quarters that the popular southern cross car stickers along with the zealous flagging of homes, cars and people are great indicators of a particular type of redneck racist. The type who may also embrace the "F*#% Off We're Full" bumper sticker and be heard waxing lyrical about the more ethnocentric 'good old days'.
While these people certainly exist in our society (and truly they deserve pity because a person incapable of empathy or understanding is going to lead a pretty angry and disappointing life) I submit to you that a number of the cross loving flag wearers are in fact simply embracing their inner bogan on the best bogan day of the year.
Take our family. We wear our Bogue with pride. My husband has tattoos, wears Bonds singlets and is an interstate truck driver. And we all know without trucks Australia stops. There's a bumper sticker for that too.
I have tan lines on my feet from my thongs. I have a number of tatts too along with some piercings. I have bleached blonde hair. Bogan.
My 8yo son has an earring and is growing his hair long. He rides dirt bikes. I can't think of anything especially bogan for the other three yet but they are young, plenty of time yet.
My point is this. In honour of Australia Day the Supertrucker attached a flag to his old school F series ute. We have Reject Shop wide brimmed Aussie flag hats. My kids have a variety of Aussie flag themed stuff and loved the flags that were being given away at Bunnings.
We love the kitsch of the flag merchandise. We love the country we live in. And we are proud of our bogan ways. This does not make us racist. It makes us hilarious and fun to have at a barbecue. We think so anyway.
So before you judge, think about what that judgement says about YOU as well. By all means fight the good fight when it comes to equality and compassion for our fellow human beings, but try to spare a thought for the regular everyday bogan who may in their joy look a little like the more feral variety.
You'll know a feral bogan by the bullshit s/he espouses. A regular bogan can use words like 'espouse' while drinking a Johnnie and coke and smoking a Winnie Blue. And a regular bogan will know in their heart that we are all people and we all deserve to be respected and cared for.
Pass the scotch?
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