Posted on 11/14/2009 12:31:48 PM PST by libh8er
Bad enough that Obama bowed down to another head of state yesterday. Even worse that he did not bother to learn how one bows in Japan, and just winged it.
I agree with Scott Johnson, Steve Gilbert, Andrew Malcom, and many others that the President of the United States should not be bowing before any head of state. But unlike these astute observers, I actually know a little something about the art of the bow in Japan, having lived in Japan four different times on a resident visa, taught East Asian Studies at Harvard, and counseled many hundreds of American, European, Middle Eastern, and Australasian executives on how to work negotiate and with the Japanese -- including teaching them the right way to bow.
Obama's bow (below) violates a fundamental precept: NO TOUCHING while bowing.
Here is one of many websites that illustrates how to bow in Japan. The one thing that virtually everyone who teaches bowing etiquette stresses is under no circumstance try to combine a bow with a handshake.
The Emperor appears to smile, which is something polite Japanese are taught to do when embarrassed. Unlike just about everyone who comes into the Emperor's presence, Obama obviously received no instruction on Imperial etiquette. (Note: The Japanese take their monarch and etiquette in general about 100 times more seriously than do the British.)
That's fine with me. I wouldn't like our president to receive such instructions from a foreign entity. But he obviously did not indicate to any of the American embassy staff, nor to any aides familiar with Japan that he intended to bow, and bow deeply. Anyone with about two days' familiarity with Japan knows about bowing. The average person in Japan bows dozens of times a day. You see it everywhere.
Another fundamental precept of the ordinary bow: it must be reciprocated. To do otherwise is a grave insult. Yet, we see in this short video clip that the Emperor did not even nod his head. To be honest, I am not sure the Emperor is ever supposed to bow back to anyone. He is, after all, according to Shinto, a god.
I suspect the poor Emperor was so shocked by the faux pas that he just pretended it didn't happen. That is one way Japanese people deal with breaches of etiquette, especially from the powerful who are also ignorant.
All in all, a disgrace. The only redeeming feature is that at least he did not bow his head and bend his knee, as he did wioth the Saudi monarch.
I would laugh my butt off if he bowed and bumped his pompus head on the ground.
Nah, that wasn’t a bow, Barry just wanted to see eye to eye with the shorter Emperor.
He should of curtsied.
The Emperor and Empress both appear to be embarrassed for the ignorant one. He’s too arrogant to seek or accept guidance, and eager to debase the nation he’s sworn to defend. Where’s the re-set button?
"And after botching his bow, he promptly handed over his 'gift' from America to the Emperor; a finely crafted kite kit."
Kind of like fat a$$ putting her arm around the back of the Queen.
No class, no dignity, no respect for others.
That’s our guy.
yes...a proper bow to hand another a business card is a fine tradition. anything else, would just get in the way of progress.
I heard they overpaid for that thing and sent it back.
I think he did this as an attempt to "cover/excuse" his groveling to the SA king.
See..... I did it to the Jap dude too!....
Well, had BO’s bodacious missus in her boob belt been alongside, she’d have probably given him a whack on his backside, ala American athletic style. So he got off lucky...
Oy, what a clutz...and you know, he probably gave the Emperor some cheap gift, like Pokemon Cards.
| WE'RE #1 |
As an American, I will not bend a knee or bow to anyone but God (including His Son).
Then again, I’m not used to prostrating myself before a moon “god” several times a day, so it’s a big deal to me.
Probably from the White House gift shop.
Close. It says “I’m #1” (or is it a 666?)
Didn’t his wife goof as well and touch the queen of England?? I remember some kind of a royal error on her part.
They are so cocky they do not think they need any preparation for State events..
” He should of curtsied. “
Beat me to it.
S’pose while he was down there he apologized for WWII??
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