Punjab Place: Idiots move in, then demand name change
Apart from sounding like the title of a British Comedy show, Punjab Place doesn’t appear to have anything inherently wrong with it.
It’s not offensive, isn’t derogatory, is easily pronounceable and seems to conform to our standards in naming streets. I mean it’s not like we’re talking about Ngoc Thuy Xaio Scerkzcewsky Street or something here.
Punjab Place, a cul de sac in ‘Oak Tree Lifestyle Village’ in Queensland was named four years ago by one of the developers of the estate, who still lives on the street. Now, the residents are petitioning for a name change to ‘Oak Tree Place’.
I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt to the residents and not cave into putting this one down to stereotypical Queensland racism. Although it is tempting, I couldn’t find one non-white person on Oak Tree’s website.
Oak Tree Lifestyle Village is a fancy name for retirement homes and I’m pretty sure it’s full of middle aged (white) retirees. I imagine living at Punjab Place doesn’t go down too well at the local country club.
‘Oh there’s Edna again.’
‘Who?’
‘You know, she lives down in blackie street. Such a terrible shame.’
‘Ah yes, dreadful. More tea?’
‘Delighted.’
Yes it’s easy to imagine and I’d love to just assume the residents were all Hanson voting rednecks. Instead I’m putting this particular case in the same basket as morons moving in next door to an airport and then demanding it be closed down.
Four years ago one of the developers put in a suggestion to name the street and the local council approved. I imagine shortly after that the houses went up for lease (you can’t actually buy a house there) and white middle aged couples began to move in.
After years of ‘talking about it’ over the fence they’ve obviously got together and had the balls to appeal to the council to get the name change.
Well too bad.
I’m all for the renaming offensive names (Mt Niggerhead anyone?) but we have to draw the line somewhere. Wanting to rename a non-offensively named street to something you think is prettier just doesn’t cut it.
It is not against Indians but this is a beautiful street and Oak Tree is a beautiful name, Punjab isn’t as much.
Not able to just leave it at that the Courier Mail couldn’t help turning the issue into a racist bloodbath. In search of fuel for the non-existant fire they dug up Umesh Chandra from the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin.
Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin?
What do these people do just go around the world campaigning for Indian interests? You guys are like the second most populous country in the world, the hell do you need an organisation for representation for?
It’s not like anyone’s ever gone ‘Yeah and now we should ask some Indians what they think.’
‘..uh has anyone seen any Indians? Anyone? Quick somebody call the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin we need some Indian viewpoints NOW!’
Chandra sadly couldn’t help himself and seemingly wants the issue turned into a giant racial discussion point.
Umesh Chandra said the request to rename the street was devastating.
“Regardless of whether this is just because one name is prettier than another, people in India would see it as a terrible slur; they are already cancelling trips to Australia over the treatment of students.”
“Sorry kids we’ve got to cancel our overseas trip this year because some racist Queensland grandparents changed a street name.”
“but…but…”
“Sorry Sanjeev but that’s that. We can’t risk going to Australia, who knows you might come back with ‘John’ stamped on your passport how would that look?”
Yeah I can see the Indian warships making their way over the ocean to correct this great injustice any time now.
Whilst I think the name-change proposal is stupid, comments from Chandra certainly don’t help. Instead of the council quietly rejecting the proposal and everyone getting on with their lives we’ve now somehow turned it into an attack on Indians everywhere.
You know, because wanting to change the name of a street is the same as curry bashing and assaulting taxi drivers…
image by Owiber
August 13th, 2009 at 9:59 pm pixie anne(Quote)
sometimes our collective stupidity really surprises me… and then I stop and wonder why I was even surprised…