More Obama Bowing

Video at the bottom of the page.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/11/obama-emperor-akihito-japan.html

Thoughts...??

Low bow, eyes off of the other person, back bent - looks like subservience to me (according to some Japanese people I've known, there are two key elements to the Japanese bow:

1) Keep your back straight! Doing so shows individual strength, and 'respect' vice 'subservience.'
2) The depth of your bow indicates the respect involved. If you bow more deeply than the person to whom you are bowing, you are acknowledging him as your superior. For heads of state, an exchange of 'Prussian bows' would be apropos.)

Looking at the picture of Obama there, it looks to me like he's ready to get clouted on the back of his head - which is exactly what would have happened in my Aikido classes 'way back when, had you done something like that.

I'm not going to watch the video (I'm awfully tired of them assuming that I want to see a video - and this little netbook isn't resource-heavy, so I've got them disabled...) but if the pic is indicative, I think we're going to be losing our status as a world power before too much longer...

I have no issues with Obama showing respect to the leader of other countries, if bowing is customary, so be it.

I do however, have issues with Obama's Socialist agenda to systematically dismantle our Constitution and bankrupt our Nation....for this, he is a tool. All hail the Tool........:worship:

XJEEPER said:

I have no issues with Obama showing respect to the leader of other countries, if bowing is customary, so be it.

I do however, have issues with Obama's Socialist agenda to systematically dismantle our Constitution and bankrupt our Nation....for this, he is a tool. All hail the Tool........:worship:

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If the other sovereign does not bow, then it is not necessary for other heads of state to bow to him. As I said, a handclasp and a slight Prussian bow should suffice.

I would have no trouble with him having done something like that. However, what he's picture doing is wrong two ways around - probably more.

Obama is just a bumbling idiot who has no concept of what is appropriate in situations like this. I think he just needs some "ettiquitte" lessons.

.....which also shows how much he's surrounded himself with idiots. Remember Sec. Clinton's gaffe with Russia and the "reset" button?

I for one think it's a sign of respect when world leaders bow to each other,... Oh, wait. They weren't bowing to each other. Our president was almost genuflecting, and he got a head nod in return.

ryguy32789 said:

...,I think he just needs some "etiquette" lessons.

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Quick, somebody call the White House and have them slap together an etiquette office. Something no president in history has needed until now,...


EDIT: The last sentence is sarcasm, for those who can't spot it. I know there's an etiquette office in the white house

I find it interesting how much things have changed in just 2 administrations. Clinton almost bowed to the Emperor and was railed by the NY Times for it. Here's an excerpt:

But the "thou need not bow" commandment from the State Department's protocol office maintained a constancy of more than 200 years. Administration officials scurried to insist that the eager-to-please President had not really done the unthinkable.

And the whole article:

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/19/w...ent-s-inclination-no-it-wasn-t-a-bow-bow.html

It was a big deal back then, but apparently not now. I'm curious as to why?

"It was a big deal back then, but apparently not now. I'm curious as to why?

Because 90% of the media worship Obama.

When I was on Okinawa, I would bow to people when first intro'd. But it was always a very short bow, no super low bows like Obama. Enough to show respect to the other person, but not so much as to change my standing to below theirs. Obama's bowing the way a commoner would bow to the Emperor, not as an equal.

tbburg said:

EDIT: The last sentence is sarcasm, for those who can't spot it. I know there's an etiquette office in the white house

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*ahem* I think you mean etiquette CZAR. Get it right

This is why you always bow second, or simultaneously... if the other guy doesn't go that far, neither do you.

kastein said:

*ahem* I think you mean etiquette CZAR. Get it right

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Nope! The Czars are to tell US what WE'RE supposed to do, they don't tell hem what to do.

I'm pretty sure the Czars are advisors to Obama too - so he doesn't have to go learn about everything or stay up on all the current events - he just gets the Cliff Notes version from the Czar....lol

Obama was not bowing to the japanese, he was demonstrating the posture of the american people and the proper application of liberal democracy.

Darky said:

When I was on Okinawa, I would bow to people when first intro'd. But it was always a very short bow, no super low bows like Obama. Enough to show respect to the other person, but not so much as to change my standing to below theirs. Obama's bowing the way a commoner would bow to the Emperor, not as an equal.

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Precisely the point I was making. Getting the head about belt-buckle high and the bent back says bloody everything about what he's thinking - subservience.