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How low will he go? Obama gives Japan's Emperor Akihito a wow bow

ScottD said:
Because bowing in English culture is a symbol of subservience, but in Arab and Japanese cultures it is a symbol of mutual respect, and not of subservience.

Not all cultures are the same.
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That explanation doesn't work because of the fact that the King and Emperor do not bow in turn. Watch the videos and see them both only nod their heads with the Emperor making only the slightest forward bending motion.

If your point is true then they are not going very far to show mutual respect.

Personally, I think the man-boy President may still be overwhelmed by some facets of his new positiion. A combination of inexperience and progressive idealism are mixing up a big jumbled mess in his head. So it's difficult to say how much is intentional subservience or confusion.
 
Fiddytree said:
They should have beaten whoever advised the Presidents to show that mere amount of respect for the leader of a nation we are supposed to get our way with!
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Except Nixon and Ike are going no further than did the King and Emperor. These men show respect. Obama shows subservience going as far as he does.

Still this is only a sign of all this change we were told would come.
 
Did anyone consider that Obama made such a 'deep bow' because he is over a foot taller than the pipsqueak Japanese leader?
 
Polynikes said:
Sigh, not when you are a head of state.

Pamela Eyring, the president of The Protocol School of Washington, said that while there's no "hard-and-fast" rule, a bow is not appropriate when national leaders meet.

"They're peers. ... Unfortunately, it isn't correct for a chief of state to bow to another chief of state,"

"It's not appropriate. He should not be bowing to other chiefs of state."

She said Obama was clearly trying to show respect, but that the royal couple would not expect such a gesture from a Western leader. Eyring, who reviewed the video of the encounter, said they seemed a "bit uncomfortable" watching Obama bow.

"When you're representing the United States of America, everything speaks ... on behalf of our country," Eyring said. "It's a visual. It shows more of a subservient look."
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It is a courtesy that costs nothing. You win more flies with honey than you do with horse manure. And we have a lot of horse manure to make up for.
 
Polynikes said:
Sigh, not when you are a head of state.

Pamela Eyring, the president of The Protocol School of Washington, said that while there's no "hard-and-fast" rule, a bow is not appropriate when national leaders meet.

"They're peers. ... Unfortunately, it isn't correct for a chief of state to bow to another chief of state,"

"It's not appropriate. He should not be bowing to other chiefs of state."

She said Obama was clearly trying to show respect, but that the royal couple would not expect such a gesture from a Western leader. Eyring, who reviewed the video of the encounter, said they seemed a "bit uncomfortable" watching Obama bow.

"When you're representing the United States of America, everything speaks ... on behalf of our country," Eyring said. "It's a visual. It shows more of a subservient look."
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that's just ridiculous. i believe it shows great confidence AND humility for a man of obama's stature to greet another chief of state with deference.
 
Caine said:
can anyone explain how this is significant in any way?
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The problem I have with PBO bowing to the Japanese emporer, is that the emporer should have gotten on his knees and begged forgiveness for the war crmes Japanese soldiers committed against American during WW2.

To date, no member of the Japanese Emperial Army, nor the Emperial Navy has admitted any wrong doing, during WW2.
 
I think the country is making far too much of this issue. So what, he bowed to the Japanesse Emperor. He showed his respect to a peer leader. What's unfortunate is that the Emperor didn't show the same level of respect.

What Republicans/Conservatives are trying to say here is that Pres. Obama goes around "bowing down" to every foreign dignitary, thereby, displaying weakness. Bull!!!!

It's customary for a visiting dignitary to show respect for another country's customs. Bowing when greeting people of the Orient is one such custom and shows respect. And just because you respect someone doesn't mean you've placed yourself below them. It just means you recognize them for who they are and what they can do.
 
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apdst said:
The problem I have with PBO bowing to the Japanese emporer, is that the emporer should have gotten on his knees and begged forgiveness for the war crmes Japanese soldiers committed against American during WW2.

To date, no member of the Japanese Emperial Army, nor the Emperial Navy has admitted any wrong doing, during WW2.
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Now, that we both agree on.
 
PRUDEN: Obama bows, the nation cringes - Washington Times

My Way News - SPIN METER: Did Obama grovel?

The diplomacy of deference - Mike Allen - POLITICO.com

Symbolism still matters. If you stand, like the OTHER WORLD LEADERS, and shake the Emperors hand, you are showing mutual respect.

Obama however, embarrassed our nation. It's sad people think it's no big deal, do as they do in Japan blah blah freaking blah. Remember when O was in the UK? He wasn't seen bowing to anyone there... hell the man was an unmitigated as to the Brits.


So why Bow before Japan? That church, old Obama went to, there was a specific sermon that inspired him to write a book. And in that sermon, his 20 year friend Rev. Wright railed against America's great sin of Nuking Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I believe Obama was trying to apologize with that bow.
 
Objective Voice said:
I think the country is making far too much of this issue. So what, he bowed to the Japanesse Emperor. He showed his respect to a peer leader. What's unfortunate is that the Emperor didn't show the same level of respect.

What Republicans/Conservatives are trying to say here is that Pres. Obama goes around "bowing down" to every foreign dignitary, thereby, displaying weakness. Bull!!!!

It's customary for a visiting dignitary to show respect for another country's customs. Bowing when greeting people of the Orient is one such custom and shows respect. And just because you respect someone doesn't mean you've placed yourself below them. It just means you recognize them for who they are and what they can do.
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You're thinking like an American leftist. When Obama bowed so low and the emporer didn't, Obama was displaying weakness and submission and the emporer was showing Obama accepted the emporer's dominance.
 
apdst said:
The problem I have with PBO bowing to the Japanese emporer, is that the emporer should have gotten on his knees and begged forgiveness for the war crmes Japanese soldiers committed against American during WW2.

To date, no member of the Japanese Emperial Army, nor the Emperial Navy has admitted any wrong doing, during WW2.
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You know I was thinking about this as I watched the first few installments of WWII in HD on the History Channel.


Did they think we'd just forget Pearl Harbor or Bataan???
 
EpicDude86 said:
Did they think we'd just forget Pearl Harbor or Bataan???
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And do you think they would just forget Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

We both have skeletons in our closet.
 
apdst said:
You're thinking like an American leftist. When Obama bowed so low and the emporer didn't, Obama was displaying weakness and submission and the emporer was showing Obama accepted the emporer's dominance.
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no, he's actually thinking like a sensible person, as you should be. i'll bet the entire world saw that bow and thought

"wow! AMERICA IS WEAK AND WE SHOULD TAKE THEM OVER!"........

LOL.
 
MrVicchio said:
Obama however, embarrassed our nation.
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The only thing that's embarrassing about this non-issue is the retarded over-the-top response from people like you.

:roll:
 
Catawba said:
And do you think they would just forget Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

We both have skeletons in our closet.
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They started it. we Finished it. We saved more lives by dropping those bombs. Especially American lives.
 
EpicDude86 said:
They started it. we Finished it. We saved more lives by dropping those bombs. Especially American lives.
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The ends justify the means (the killing of innocent civilians) huh? Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah from the terrorists. Guess we are not too different after all!
 
Glinda said:
The only thing that's embarrassing about this non-issue is the retarded over-the-top response from people like you.

:roll:
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Isn't that the truth. Thankfully even most conservatives think stuff like this is not worth making a big deal over.
 
MrVicchio said:
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How low will he go? Obama gives Japan's Emperor Akihito a wow bow | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times

Yes, that's right, he bows, to kings and emperors. The man disgraces the office of the President, and our country.
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"Conservative" says it all.
 
Catawba said:
The ends justify the means (the killing of innocent civilians) huh? Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah from the terrorists. Guess we are not too different after all!
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Well if you want to live in Kindergarten where everyone is equal, and we all play nice, I suggest you become a kindergarten teacher. If you want to live in the real World, however, there are prices to be paid, bad things to be done, and ends to be reached. This is REALITY and it looks like no time in the near future will yield the happy, "peace and love" delusion that you seem to want to live in. Either get used to it, or go live in a some hippie community, where everyone loves each other and you sit around a campfire singing about togetherness.
 
Caine said:
can anyone explain how this is significant in any way?
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For the first time in our long history, we finally have a President who is respectful of others.
He sets an example for our nation to follow.., another first, evidently.
 
EpicDude86 said:
Well if you want to live in Kindergarten where everyone is equal, and we all play nice, I suggest you become a kindergarten teacher. If you want to live in the real World, however, there are prices to be paid, bad things to be done, and ends to be reached. This is REALITY and it looks like no time in the near future will yield the happy, "peace and love" delusion that you seem to want to live in. Either get used to it, or go live in a some hippie community, where everyone loves each other and you sit around a campfire singing about togetherness.
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You are the one that used the famous Kindergarten expression, "they started it!"

When you lower yourself to the enemies level what have you gained? This in not hippies setting around a campfire, this what we teach our children.

If we bomb countries that never attacked us and kill innocent civilians, we can only expect the same treatment.

What goes around comes around.
 
Kernel Sanders said:
rage.jpg

Bowing in Japanese culture is the equivalent of a handshake in ours. Chill out and save your e-rage for things that Obama does that are actually negative and that actually matter
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That's true and not true. There are subtle differences in the depth of the bow, whether you avert your eyes or not, etc.

Yeah, from what I know of japanese culture, that bow was highly inappropriate for our president to make. A deep nod while maintaining eye contact was sufficient.

It's just more of Obama's inexperience showing through. More of something to laugh at the buffoon about than get angry over.
 
Catawba said:
You are the one that used the famous Kindergarten expression, "they started it!"

When you lower yourself to the enemies level what have you gained? This in not hippies setting around a campfire, this what we teach our children.

If we bomb countries that never attacked us and kill innocent civilians, we can only expect the same treatment.

What goes around comes around.
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You're arguing that we should have turned the other cheek to the slaughter of our forces in the Pacific and then imply that he's the unrealistic hippy sitting around the campfire?
 
Catawba said:
You are the one that used the famous Kindergarten expression, "they started it!"

When you lower yourself to the enemies level what have you gained? This in not hippies setting around a campfire, this what we teach our children.

If we bomb countries that never attacked us and kill innocent civilians, we can only expect the same treatment.

What goes around comes around.
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but you're not talking about japan here, who did attack us.
 
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