About Me

Name: Always To The...
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Biography
Loading...

Create Your Own Blog Find Other Townhall Blogs

Comments

Archives

Search

Blog Roll

 

Tradition

Posted by Always To The Right on Sunday, November 15, 2009 3:48:24 PM

Video: 46 handshakes, one bow

It didn’t take too long for the Left to defend Barack Obama’s bow to Emperor Akihito yesterday by claiming that the President was merely showing cultural sensitivity to the Japanese emperor by deeply bowing.  There’s a couple of problems with that argument.  First, American Presidents do not bow to monarchs, or at least they didn’t through the first 43 Presidents and the 220 years they served as the US head of state. Perhaps a few of them might have done so out of cultural sensitivity when traveling to foreign nations as private citizens, either before or after their terms in office, but not when they represented the United States of America.  Even the New York Times knew better than that in 1994.

 For those arguing that such a policy merely propagates American arrogance and that Obama wants to “change perceptions,” this video by the UConn College Republicans  points out the second problem.  Heads of state do not bow and show obeisance to one another, regardless of whether either one is an American President.  The UConn group reviews 47 different greetings to Emperor Akihito and various heads of state, including a few from fellow Pacific Rim countries with similar cultural sensitivities, and doesn’t find a bow among them
Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (2) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive

Want To Argue Over The Abdullah Bow Now?

Posted by Always To The Right on Saturday, November 14, 2009 1:35:47 PM

Obamateurism of the Day

Seven months ago, the White House insisted that Obama didn’t bow to Saudi King Abdullah, understanding the terrible breach in presidential protocol that it represented.  They tried to tell reporters that Obama was picking something up off the floor, which the video clearly shows was a lie (at the link).  Take a look at the picture of Obama’s bow to the son of Hirohito.  Do you see anything on that immaculate floor that requires retrieval?

American Presidents do not bow to royalty.  In fact, heads of state do not bow or genuflect to each other in the normal course of diplomacy.  At least, they didn’t until this amateur came into office and failed to learn from the first time he did it.  What will the White House say this time?  He got stomach cramps?

Flashback: NYT blasts Clinton for … almost bowing to Akihito


Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (2) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive
« Previous1Next »