by ShiroJuno on November 19th, 2009

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Do you agree with the Japanese regarding Obama's bow?

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Answers. 17 helpful answers below.

by randomness - is now a Maestro on November 19th, 2009
Yep, sure do. In Japan, bowing is a sign of respect. Obama was visiting the Japanese royal family. It's a cultural thing, and Obama behaved appropriately for the situation.
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by Rufus T. Firefly on November 19th, 2009
I absolutely agree. President Obama showed perfect decorum and demonstrated a high degree of diplomacy by doing so. It's nice to finally have a President who is a true diplomat, instead of just being a dip like the last one.
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- You must have missed his and wife's "meeting" with Queen Elizabeth. I would say they both behaved very "dippishly", and I was embarrassed by it.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 19th, 2009
- You must have Obama's visit confused with that of Bush 43. Obama behaved a thousand times more appropriately, and in a more adult fashion than Dubya. And he didn't breach centuries of proper etiquette by winking at the queen like dippy ol' Bush did, either.
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  by Rufus T. Firefly on November 20th, 2009
- Many of us think the "dippyness" is as strong in the White House as it ever was. Just a matter of which kind of dip you prefer on your corn chips, I guess.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 21st, 2009
- Many people mistakenly believe that Obama is a socialist or a Marxist or perhaps even an illegal alien, simply because they're weak-minded, under-educated paranoids and xenophobes who really, really, really wanted the old guy and his vapid Alaskan roguette to win instead. So I guess it all boils down to what kind of dip you want. The old moldy kind that has sat in the back of the fridge and never ends up tasting the way it should... or the new dip that comes to you with a fresh new zesty taste and much healthier contents. I prefer the latter.
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  by Rufus T. Firefly on November 21st, 2009
- We can only hope it is healthier...and not recalled by another salmonella outbreak. I understand the the "youth factor", Rufus, but, I also remember John Kennedy's attraction as "youthful and charismatic". Most of the country was on the "Camelot" bandwagon. I also remember some of his serious blunders. Kennedy's problem was overestimating himself...and not taking the advice of other "old moldies" who were ready and willing to give him advice. I cried when he was killed. I was just a teenager. But, I do know what I am saying about his blunders. And RMN would not have made those blunders.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 21st, 2009
- Breaking away from an abusive guardianship and seeking a new approach to how one proceeds from that point is nearly ALWAYS a healthier bet. Personally, I was never a fan of Nixon. Despite his minor accomplishments in China and his forced ending of the war in Viet Nam, he seemed to want the presidency more for his own personal political gain, than for any benefit he might he might endow upon the nation as a whole. Unfortunately, Nixon proved he was intensely capable of overestimating himself and of making much greater blunders than Kennedy.
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  by Rufus T. Firefly on November 21st, 2009
- His underlings simply got caught doing what everyone else was doing.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 21st, 2009
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by Kingpinn on November 19th, 2009
There must be a conga line of ultra right wing people following the President, waiting for him to screw up. If he doesn't, they make something up. By the way, I'm a Republican.
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- That's comforting to hear from a republican.
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  by Jackstain on November 19th, 2009
- They don't have to make it up, Kingpinn. It is pretty visible when it happens.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 20th, 2009
- I also think they have to make stuff up to justify their views. This isn't another Bush. That was obvious lol.
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  by Jackstain on November 20th, 2009
- +6..
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  by Moongrim on November 20th, 2009
- No, and neither you nor anyone else knows exactly what it is, yet. You had no clue what it was or would be before the election, either,...but you voted for him, anyway. Why? Well, because he was the one the Demo tops told you to vote for. Can you honestly say what there was in anything he said in his campaign that so impressed you? Or can you say what it was in his background or experience that made you feel he was qualified to be President of the United States? I doubt you can. But, please try. I am very patient...and interested.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 21st, 2009
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by Beany on November 20th, 2009
I say well done Obama. It shows he understands the foreign culture and he is respectful of other leaders as he should be.
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- But, not all....And his choices in his his "showing of respect" were strange.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 21st, 2009
- What was strange?
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  by Beany on November 21st, 2009
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by spock's brain on November 19th, 2009
I have dealt with businesses from Japan.
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When I greet them, I bow, I always put the respectful San in from of their names. This is just being considerate, as was Obama.
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Actually, these traditions, all aimed at showing respect for the person, might be something for us to pick up. Just a reminder to be respectful..
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Think of how a reminder to always be respectful would improve the quality of some comments on AB ;-)
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- His "showing of respect" on the tour was very selective. And it was certainly duly noted.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 19th, 2009
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by buxtonite ..back from the brink on November 20th, 2009
Obama did the right thing 100%, the only ones who don't think he did are bloody red necked Yanks who think their shit don't stink and the rest of the world owes them everything ... well news for those fools ... we don't!, so get over it. No wonder the Yanks have a reputation of being arrogant arsehole overseas
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- I met a lot of arrogant arseholes from OZ in Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan, buxtonite. Also many others from many other countries. And Aussies were known as the lowest tippers of all...and the rudest to any service workers,...even after the French.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 21st, 2009
- well see we DON'T have to tip for service... we pay our workers a proper wage and not a few bucks per hour and we don't look down our noses at service workers
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  by buxtonite ..back from the brink on November 21st, 2009
- Touchy, aren't we...(lol)
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 21st, 2009
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by Jackstain on November 19th, 2009
He was showing respect to a foreign emperor. You don't win nobel peace prize by not showing respect to anybody because you are american.
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- I agree completely!
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  by slothmister on November 19th, 2009
- How do you win a Nobel Peace Prize, Jackstain? It seems very confusing....(lol!) Are there any criteria at all?
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 20th, 2009
- It's a very lengthy process. Many people are nominated, and all nominees are examined by a panel of experts in that field. Candidates are selected, and slowly they are narrowed down to the most deserving individual. Obama has already done a lot to repair the U.S. reputation around the world. And it was a pretty bad reputation after Bush got done with it.
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  by Jackstain on November 20th, 2009
- Indeed (?) And Obama "repaired" the bad rep in a matter of a few months? Amazing. And exactly what "peace" has he made yet...anywhere in the world? I submit that the Peace Prize has been pretty much political hogwash for many years. Just one opinion, of course.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 20th, 2009
- I agree that he did not deserve to win the NPP, however small things like showing respect to fellow world leaders DO help to raise the dreadful reputation Americans have.
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  by slothmister on November 20th, 2009
- ...Even if they have little reason to be shown "respect", eh? slothmister, I don't know what kind of "disrespect" you are talking about. Do you mean from previous American Presidents...or Americans in general? Do you even know what you mean? I have perhaps travelled in foreign countries more than you have. And in most..save a few,..once I was identified as an American, I was continually bombarded by panhandlers, con-artists, pimps, prostitutes, and also charged more for the simplest conveniences in hotels or restaurants. After all, all Americans are "rich", right? Americans know this procedure well. So, if we may seem rude at times, it is not without reason. Even poor American G.I.'s, fresh from high school and boot camp are targeted, virtually everywhere in the world they have the misfortune to be sent. Don't tell me about prejudices and stereotypes, slothmister. I am an old geezer and I have been around the Horn many times.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 21st, 2009
- And I would compare the treatment of foreign visitors to the U.S. as infinitely better than the treatment of American tourists anywhere else. Do you know anyone who said that Americans treated them "arrogantly" when they visited the U.S.? Well, do you? Inform me, please. I think you will find, if you asked, that most say most Americans were very friendly people, depending on where they went, perhaps.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 21st, 2009
- 1. I see no where where I have referred to disrespect, I refer to America's reputation of being arrogant and rude.
  2. You think you have travelled more than me? Well, maybe you have, who knows/cares? What has that got to do with the price of milk anyway? All I know is that wherever I do travel Americans have a terrible reputation.
  3. The reason for your bad treatment? See point 2.
  4. I agree, I have been to the US twice and both times have been treated warmly, even when I strayed into the "wrong" part of town.
  I visited New York City and Northern California (San Fran, Sac, and up both the I5 to Redding/Shashta and down the coast from Eureka through the red wood forests to San Fran again - 3 month trip). I love the US, it is great there. However, Americans travelling abroad do have a terrible reputation, FACT.
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  by slothmister on November 21st, 2009
- Americans have a reputation of believing they are better than other people. I remember one occasion in London, England (where I am from) where an American started a fight with a couple of English guys in a tube station, he did not want to que to buy a ticket so barged to the front saying "I am American - man" as if that mattered. He got owned by the English guys and then when the police came he threatened the UK with war for arresting him. Does that sound arrogant to you? It sure does to me!! A similar thing, although not as bad, happened in Stockholm, Sweden and Amsterdam, Netherlands. I now live in Oslo, Norway and have experienced similar reactions from a few Americans here too.
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  by slothmister on November 21st, 2009
- Well, what can I say? How old were the punks? Probably pretty young. And maybe soused? And is that what Americans are judged by?. And sloth, have you ever been to Florida during Spring break? There are a large number of very spoiled and rich British adolescents there at that time. They are noted for their rowdy behavior and their threatening of local law enforcement with law suits when they are arrested. Sloth, there are no national borders for arseholes. They are pretty much universal. And the younger they are, the more their arseholes tend to hang out of their pants.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 21st, 2009
- Yes they were young, mid 20's probably. As for the British youth, yes we have a terrible reputation abroad too, no argument there.
  Maybe I should go on and say that a further huge problem with the US and their international reputation is the countries insistence on being the worlds police force yet failing to police anything when they try.
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  by slothmister on November 21st, 2009
- Well, that is an ongoing problem. As I have said, most Americans are very uncomfortable with that role. But, who would you recommend do the policing instead of us? There was a time, not so long ago, that Britain had that role. Would they like to have it back? And I disagree that we have "failed" that much, or are failing now. I only hope the new governments we are trying to shore up don't fail themselves...when we do leave, which we must do eventually. I personally groaned when our last fearless leader involved us in Iraq. I saw a ghost from the past. A ghost I knew very well.
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 21st, 2009
- No, definitely not back to the British. Why do we need a world police force in the first place? Look at Iran, they have done absolutely NOTHING wrong, all of their nuclear research has been done under the nuclear proliferation treaty the UN set up about 50 years ago yet the Americans insisted that Iran should not be allowed the same rights as everyone else. Unfortunately the UN have no balls to stand against the Americans so backed them instead, breaking their own laws!
  A second reason the US is failing is due to their excuses for invading countries, WMD in Iraq? LMAO Ye right! Look at the state of that country! Dare I say they were better off under Saddam? That is pushing the limits of sensibility but unfortunately it is not far from the truth, same goes with Afghanistan.
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  by slothmister on November 22nd, 2009
- Yes, removing Saddam and The Taliban from power was a GOOD thing, its just a pity it was done the way it was and that both countries are now a complete shambles.
  This goes back many years, look at Korea and Vietnam, both are campaigns the Americans fought and failed at.
  In fact the US has only ever won one war on their own and that was about 200 years ago against a tiny Spanish island force in the Caribbean.
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  by slothmister on November 22nd, 2009
- There are young punks in every country, troublemakers, young sh*theads, you know the type.
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  by MRSHINYSHOES on November 22nd, 2009
- And the Japanese are so damn formal. Lol.
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  by MRSHINYSHOES on November 22nd, 2009
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by MrJosh on November 19th, 2009
When in Rome...
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As a martial artist, I bow all the time. Its not "overly-deferential," its the appropriate greeting. In many parts of Asia, bowing is the greeting. To not bow, would be disrespectful.
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President Obama's bow the the Japanese Emperor showed both that he is aware of local customs, and that he is respectful enough to follow them. I praise him for it.
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- I agree completely!
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  by slothmister on November 19th, 2009
- Except in Britain....(smile)
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 20th, 2009
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by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 19th, 2009
It may have been a "cultural form of showing respect", but why did he not bow, nor Michelle curtsy, when they met Queen Elizabeth, who represents a nation (kingdom)that is a friend and very old ally. Evidently, they have no respect for the British royal family, or the British people (?) And wasn't Michelle dressed so cute? She certainly didn't wear that get-up anywhere else on the
"tour". I was peronally embarrassed by their whole behavior. And Obama does not represent Obama when travelling abroad and meeting foreign heads of state or royalty. He is representing the American people. He should remember that. And we certainly are the ones who pay for the trips!
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by Melissa on November 19th, 2009
No way, Jose.

I made this point back when he bowed to the Saudi king, and I'll make it again. Bowing is a sign of subservience, not respect. If it was simply a sign of respect, why didn't the emperor bow back?
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- That is pure arrogance. Something Americans are notorious for having.
  He greeted the emporer in the appropriate way. He is your president, GET OVER IT!!!
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  by slothmister on November 19th, 2009
- I will not get over it. Don't be rude.
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  by Melissa on November 19th, 2009
- Bowing is NOT always a sign of subservience. It is quite often a sign of respect. Perhaps you should study some Asian culture
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  If you look at the picure, the emperor IS bowing, just not as low. While I'm not an expert on Japanese culture, I know in both Korean and Vietnamese culture it is expected that the younger of two people greeting each other give greater respect to the older individual. Perhaps this would explain his lower bow. To not bow, or to not show deference to age would be considered disrespectful.
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  by MrJosh on November 19th, 2009
- You are wrong.
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  by Jackstain on November 20th, 2009
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by LarryH54 on November 19th, 2009
Obama shows great arrogance in his own country. It seems strange to me that he would pretend to be so deferential to a former conquered enemy.
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- 1. How does he show "great arrogance in his own country"?
  2. America NEVER "conquered" Japan, their surrender was NOT unconditional.
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  by slothmister on November 19th, 2009
- Do a web search. It's all over the place. Here's a sample:
  http://townhall.com/columnists/BrianBirdnow/2009/02/14/it%E2%80%99s_all_about_the_%E2%80%9Co%E2%80%9D_the_arrogance_of_barack_obama
  
  Not unconditional? Got anything to back up that claim? The Atom Bomb MADE their surrender unconditional. We were just nice about it is all.
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  by LarryH54 on November 19th, 2009
- I disagree with your first sentence, and I find it strange that you would refer to Japan as a "former conquered enemy," when they are currently our allies.
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  by MrJosh on November 19th, 2009
- Actually there were conditions to the Japanese surrender. For one, Emperor Hirohito was not to be tried as a war criminal. Thats just what pops into my head, I'd be surprised if there wern't more.
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  by MrJosh on November 19th, 2009
- It was not a "condition of surrender". The US government just thought it was the best "policy". He was guilty as sin, however....
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  by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT on November 20th, 2009
- Agreed he was guilty as sin. However it WAS a condition of surrender. The Japanese surrender (with that single condition (were there more? I do not know)) ended the worst war in human history and saved countless American lives (not to mention many more Japanese lives).
  But the end of the day, it was NOT an unconditional surrender.
  Also, I read the article you linked and its a joke. Complaining that he had the ambition to become president at an early age or that he done what is increasingly common these days (write his autobiography and then re-write it again at a relatively young age). Pathetic arguments!
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  by slothmister on November 20th, 2009
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by Aksafari on November 19th, 2009
He just didn't follow proper decorum. I don't believe that you are supposed to 'shake' and 'bow deeply' simultaneously, as these are distinct artifacts of eastern vs. western cultures.
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by Sharona Life is a Tale Told by an Idiot on November 20th, 2009
Don't the Japanese have bigger fish to fry? God who cares about it.
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by Moongrim on November 20th, 2009
Yes.

If obama walked on water, the Republicans would say he couldn't swim.
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by AnnieB on November 20th, 2009
Yes, I agree our President did the right thing...

Did you see the size of the Empress's feet? Do they still bind their feet in Japan?
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by Lowerthetone on November 20th, 2009
I didn't know he had one. Is it tied round his willy?
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by druebeall on November 20th, 2009
HOw he does or doesn't bow is the least of my concerns. At least that doesn't cost our POOR country any more money.
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