Speak for yourself

This week 2 events exposed Australians as a bunch of thin skinned sooks. Apparently, poor Aussie men have been “vilified and shamed” by an advertisement for premature ejaculation. And then there’s our ridiculous overreaction to Sol Trujillo’s claim that this is a racist backwater trapped in the 1960s. Come on, cobber! The 80s, maybe, but the 60s!

In saying we’ve been vilified and shamed by these ads, the Advertising Standards Bureau has admitted that making love with Aussie blokes takes less time than soft boiling an egg. Trouble is, the ASB didn’t ask if it could admit this. Until the ASB blundered into the bedroom, most people thought the ad only applied to the skinny little bloke who starred in it. The ASB has done more damage to men’s egos than the ad ever could have achieved. But here’s some comfort. If you think about it, it was the complainant and the male members of the ASB who felt shamed and vilified. You can daw your own conclusion as to why. Nice one, fellas.

If Sol’s outburst made for good reading, the reaction was depressing. How easily Ostrayens were goaded into a response. He wanted to get a rise out of us and, oh boy, he did. Were some of us feeling extra sensitive because it came in the week the thickest thug playing any earthly sport called an opponent a black c***? Was it because we were embarrassed that some make-up on a stick babbling about fat and skinny wogs scored a squillion hits? If so, that’s worse.

Who gives a rat’s arseSol what Trujillo thinks of Australia? If a bloke you don’t respect criticises you, you shrug your shoulders and walk on. Mind you, if you’re black and someone calls you a black c***, you’re entitled to do whatever you want.

So, be cool Straya. If you’re a bit quick to the finish, practise, practise, practise. And if you’re easily offended by charges that your country is a racist backwater, you’re a thin skinned wimp. Or are you worried that there’s a grain of truth in the charge?