Posted on 11/14/2009 7:36:57 AM PST by chessplayer
Heres a rare Saturday OOTD for Hot Air readers, but this one cant wait for Monday. Andrew Malcolm reports on Barack Obamas latest breach of protocol, this time with Emperor Akihito of Japan
"This photo will get Democrat President Obama a lot of approving nods in Japan this weekend, especially among the older generation of Japanese who still pay attention to the royal family living in its downtown castle. Very low bows like this are a sign of great respect and deference for a superior."
‘No American citizen should be bowing to a foreigner of any rank, and to nobody but G-d. Our President has been expressing an inferiority complex by bowing to foreign sovereigns. Foreign sovereigns should all be bowing to any American citizen they greet, especially because many of them owe their position to American military might, just as many ancient sovereigns owed their positions to Roman military might.’
Sorry, but thats just nonsense. Americans shouldnt bow but we should all bow to you?. Rather contradictory, no?.
So the Queen should bow to Elmer J Fuddensack Jr, Springfield, Mid-Westernia, USA?.
Swallower-in-Chief or Spitter-in-Chief?
OK, now I’m bad.
And the First Linebacker saw fit to manhandle Her Majesty.
Communicating exactly what their opinion of Great Britain is.
What good does he think he is accomplishing?
All this Obama deep-bowing reminds me of a bitch we used to have many years ago. She would crouch low, wagging the tip of her tail, submissively urinate, and then expose her tummy every time anyone walked into the house. Very sweet girl, but definitely omega.
To: Poundstone
You must be an English teacher.
Anyone who has spent a considerable amount of time living in Japanese neighborhoods and working in Japanese companies, and adopting the Japanese lifestyle as our own because we owe our respect to Japan for having us here as guests and members of society in the first place, must know that no one never prostrates in that way, especially as a head of state, to any other person in Japan unless you’ve killed their child in car accident, stolen money from them, libeled their family, or some-such situation.
Heads of state of Japan in the old days would never expect any foreign visitor to acquiesce them self to Japanese culture as Obama did here. He is a showing the Japanese that he is a laughable neophyte of foreign policy. The Emperor and Empress are obviously embarrassed and uncomfortable at his arrogance in thinking that he knows international protocol and showing his bow to them. This simply does not exist in Japanese culture.
The bow is a sign of respect. We bow to our neighbors with a slight head bob as we head to the train station in the morning. We bow to our co-workers as we ask for a favor with a slight head bob and a “sumimasen” (”thanks”, “its cool”, “OK-got it”, “sorry for interrupting...but”) when we ask for a favor. We even bow as we enter the elevator with a nod of the head or a tip of the hand as an “excuse me” gesture when we bump into or interrupt a stranger in a crowded public area, but we NEVER bow, especially with a lame stance like that to anyone. Anyone!
To show a sign of respect to a fellow head of state (which Emperor Akihito is most definitely not, as one a figurehead of the nation of Japan) simply shows that Obama is a self-righteous, pompous ass that thinks he knows more than other people INCLUDING the emperor.
He has just presented himself as the dork at the Dungeons and Dragons party with all the 6, 8, 12, and 24-sided dice, the cast iron figurines, and al the dungeon master manuals, to the CEO that created the game and just wants to earn some cash expecting some respect for his love of the game.
Many of my fellow FReepers that have been here longer than my own 12 years and have more experience than myself in working daily with, conducting business meetings with, attending social events with, and enjoying personal friendships with the Japanese, whom I am a neighbor of more than 13 million of here in Tokyo, would never suggest what you just have.
You would know by now that Japanese NEVER expect a foreigner to bow to them under any circumstance unless it involves a close personal relationship between family or business, evolves from a long-established submersion in Japanese culture where YOU, as a foreigner are respected as a Japanese member of society, and are expected to adhere to Japanese customs in the situation, and that what he did is simply sophomoric narcissism.
Heads of State do not, never have, and are never expected to show crass disregard for Japanese customs, as Obama showed here. He has, once again, made himself look the fool, and the Japanese are laughing at him too.
I have expect him to roll over on his back and wet himself. Sheesh, this is REALLY embarrassing.
He either is believing his own press and thinks he can do no wrong or his advisers are having some fun with him because he doesn't know any better. Neither of which bodes any good for our Republic.
Can you point me to it? I have been offline almost a week trying to de-trojanize my computer, and I found this thread. I would love to see the original.
Interesting image that. In World of Warcraft it would be like the Hunter in a raid wearing quest greens and putting his pet on Aggressive/Growl. Or maybe the Hunter who uses Distracting Shot to put aggro on the healer. Or a DPS Death Knight using Death Grip to grab the boss away from the tank.
I doubt that his advisors would be having some fun with him.
That doesn’t fit his style.
I just don’t think they would go that far in this situation. It would not look good for him.
Unlikely as it may be, I do not discount the possibility that Obama's handlers might be having a bit of fun with him. Who has bothered to notice so far?
No Obama doesn’t like to be embarrased even if he does the wrong thing.
I am curious to understand why you would say no one has noticed?
It isn't going to get much if any coverage in US media. Even if the video is shown on US TV, most Americans are not going to get it even with an explanation. The other gaffes this man-child has made have been quietly swept under the rug.
This animated GIF created by Potlatch from pictures that AmericanInTokyo assembled is more striking.
Edit: Hmmm. That link doesn't work quite right. Go to post #430.
I can’t believe you’ve lived in Japan for 12 days, much less 12 years, and actually believe the idiocy you’re spewing. You clearly know very little about Japan. Perhaps you’re working on a US military base and thus have little actual knowledge of Japan and its customs (I’ve seen so much of that phenomenon that it no longer surprises me).
Suffice it to say that we will have to simply disagree on this issue!
That is exactly what I think of you after reading your post. Yeah, let’s disagree because I’m still scratching my head at where you’re impressions of Japan are coming from.
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