princessgianna Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 [url="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/comments_blog/2009/11/obama-bows-to-japan-emperor-akihito.html"]My link[/url] My problems with Obama bowing is 1) his bow was incorrect for two reasons 1)his hands should be at his side since he is a guy 2)since he is a leader of another nation at the very most his bow should be a [b]returned[/b] bow at a 45 degree angle-MOST. 90 degree bow was out of protocol. That was almost prostrate in Japanese terms. Have a little dignity Mr.Obama you are representing America. President Obama, Next time you go to bow-do your homework! thanks- PG~ The bow that Obama did was not at all fitting and the Emperor did NOT return the bow which meant that it was not proper to bow SINCE the emperor figured they are "equal" (both are leaders of nations). And it was obviously not according to agenda.
elizabeth09 Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 If he is bowing, then he can not forse us to bow to him.
Chestertonian Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 (edited) I voted "no." We're Americans, we never bow down to a head-of-state. Edited November 23, 2009 by Chestertonian
CatherineM Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 He can the minute he leaves office, but as long as he is President of the US, he should not be bowing, just as we never dip our flag at the Olympics.
OraProMe Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 Honestly who cares? I get that a lot of conservatives dislike the guy but surely there are better things to criticize than the way he bows (this reminds me of the Obabma golf thing). How petty. If it was an Australian Prime Minister the Emperor probably would have gotten a handshake and been offered a beer.
Nihil Obstat Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 [quote name='OraProMe' date='22 November 2009 - 06:52 PM' timestamp='1258937538' post='2007597'] Honestly who cares? I get that a lot of conservatives dislike the guy but surely there are better things to criticize than the way he bows (this reminds me of the Obabma golf thing). How petty. If it was an Australian Prime Minister the Emperor probably would have gotten a handshake and been offered a beer. [/quote] This is something non Americans can't understand, I think.
OraProMe Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 (edited) America takes patriotism to a whole new level that others in many countries couldn't even imagine. It's really quite disturbing actually. "as long as he is President of the US, he should not be bowing, just as we never dip our flag at the Olympics." Why? Edited November 23, 2009 by OraProMe
KnightofChrist Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 As was explained in the other thread in Open Mic. It is against American policy and tradition to bow before Kings, Queens, and etc. It is a sign of servitude.
OraProMe Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 Well that's the mentality I'm talking about. It's a sign of respect and America has no reason to think itself superior to Japan.
KnightofChrist Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 [quote name='OraProMe' date='22 November 2009 - 08:42 PM' timestamp='1258940528' post='2007627'] Well that's the mentality I'm talking about. It's a sign of respect and America has no reason to think itself superior to Japan. [/quote] No it is not, its the type of mentality you twist and bend to fit in the prejudged template you've made. The policy of not bowing to Kings is there for a reason, being concerned over the matter, seeing that it was wrong is not over analyzing. 'Conservatives' are being trashed simply because they analyzed the issue.
philothea Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 [quote name='OraProMe' date='22 November 2009 - 08:21 PM' timestamp='1258939297' post='2007615'] America takes patriotism to a whole new level that others in many countries couldn't even imagine. It's really quite disturbing actually. "as long as he is President of the US, he should not be bowing, just as we never dip our flag at the Olympics." Why? [/quote] FWIW, I never understood it either, and I'm American. But I was raised by cats, so what do I know? (As princessgianna pointed out, that [i]is[/i] a wacked-out badly done bow. Whole different issue, though.)
Apotheoun Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 If he had followed American presidential protocol he wouldn't have performed a whacked out bow, because he wouldn't have bowed at all.
OraProMe Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 [quote name='KnightofChrist' date='22 November 2009 - 08:49 PM' timestamp='1258940945' post='2007628'] No it is not, its the type of mentality you twist and bend to fit in the prejudged template you've made. [b]The policy of not bowing to Kings is there for a reason,[/b] being concerned over the matter, seeing that it was wrong is not over analyzing. 'Conservatives' are being trashed simply because they analyzed the issue. [/quote] What would that reason be?
Apotheoun Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 [quote name='OraProMe' date='22 November 2009 - 07:17 PM' timestamp='1258942653' post='2007640'] What would that reason be? [/quote] The American people rebelled against a royal system of government, and established a republic.
princessgianna Posted November 23, 2009 Author Posted November 23, 2009 (edited) [quote name='OraProMe' date='22 November 2009 - 08:42 PM' timestamp='1258940528' post='2007627'] Well that's the mentality I'm talking about. It's a sign of respect and America has no reason to think itself superior to Japan. [/quote] If you read my first post you will see that I am not [b]totally[/b] against Obama doing the bow as much as he did it wrong* and the Emperor did [b]NOT[/b] do it first). *therefore giving the wrong impression of being a subordiate being to the Emperor of Japan. The 90 degree bow was inappropriate. As explained in my first post. Edited November 23, 2009 by princessgianna
Apotheoun Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 [quote name='OraProMe' date='22 November 2009 - 06:21 PM' timestamp='1258939297' post='2007615'] America takes patriotism to a whole new level that others in many countries couldn't even imagine. It's really quite disturbing actually. "as long as he is President of the US, he should not be bowing, just as we never dip our flag at the Olympics." Why? [/quote] Why? Because America gained its sovereign independence through a revolutionary war. Yes, that is right, Americans fought for their right to be free from royal power, while some modern nations gained their freedom through an act of the British parliament (e.g., Australia).
princessgianna Posted November 23, 2009 Author Posted November 23, 2009 [img]http://images.theweek.com/dir_31/the_week_15828_27.jpg[/img]
Nihil Obstat Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 (edited) PG, what does it mean when two people bow at the same time to each other? Also, is eye contact good or bad while bowing? Different people have different ideas on that. Edited November 23, 2009 by Nihil Obstat
princessgianna Posted November 23, 2009 Author Posted November 23, 2009 (edited) It means that both people are bowing. You have to realize that a bow between a Japanese and a Japanese as opposed to a Japanese to a non Japanese is handled different. And a bow between Emperor and the American President should be slight because they both are leaders. If anything the Emperor would do a deeper bow- because the Japanese are very humble people. And most likely the Emperor did not return the bow because they were in a middle of a handshake. And it would not be proper to bow in the middle of that. All eye contact is actaully bad. It makes the Japanese nervous. We make eye contact to show the talker we are listening. They normally don't. Instead they "grunt" . Though they understand we are Americans are used to that so they deal with it. Edited November 23, 2009 by princessgianna
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