Obama's rather unique bow/handshake
to Japan's Emperor has many upset.So President Obama bowed to the Emperor of Japan.
I would say, "When in Rome/Toyko..." but President Obama bent knee to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Queen Elizabeth as well, so obviously it is this U.S. President's policy to show subservient respect to royalty.
The State Department says that American leaders "need not bow." If I wanted to engage in a bit of sophistry, I could focus on how "need not" is a far cry from "should not" but again...
The fact really is that Obama is the most powerful man on Earth. Nobody, foreign or domestic, can claim he has less power, less influence, less credibility — or, at least honestly make that claim — because he chooses to respect royalty on their terms instead of his own. The Japanese trade wonks aren't thinking, "Oh, he'll be a total pussy when we start raising tariffs," because he bowed to the emperor. I doubt OPEC decided to get uppity with oil supplies because of Obama's obeisance to Arabian courtly protocol.
The fact is, President Obama is a get-along kind of guy. He's willing to "humanize" himself on the world stage to score points with other peoples and other cultures. A bow here and there to a country's revered titular head is at worst harmless, and at best endearing to those people for whom bowing is not just required, but a privilege.
Yes: Other national leaders chose not to bow, probably out of respect to their own sense of national pride, and responsibility to their constituencies (and hopefully not out of disrespect for an obsolete style of government, or sins-of-the-father animosity toward the Emperor himself); Obama's act was for the Japanese people alone... an attempt at cultural outreach.
If Americans want to get bent out of shape because of Obama's bending, they can go right ahead; however, they really shouldn't take it so personally. The way I see it, King George III was 220 years ago, and America is now grown up and confident enough to proffer up a leader who can be simultaneously demanding of respect while engaging in a bit of harmless and friendly diplomatic truckling.
(Oh... I just remembered something I had written in Thailand when President Bush met King Bhumibol there. Read it for a comparison.)
2 comments:
Hi Jil this dont have anything to do with you post here. I just wanted to ask you about your internet connection there. I think you said before that you use a wireless router with yours and Eprils pc s. I was just wondering if Eprils laptop is loseing any speed by useing the router and also did you get the router from there or had it shipped from the states... Also i think you said that you have a really fast internet connection there. Fretzie is going to be changeing to Globe soon i think because Smart is just so slow and inconsistant there where she is. From what i understand Globe is just starting up in her area and the few people that have it says its alot faster and costs less, its the 895p plan i think.. Anyway thanx for you help in answering this if you know more about it...
We have good speed with SmartBro wireless internet, which costs 1000 pisos per month. the wireless router we use in our house works well and is surprisingly easy to set up. It is a little weak when it comes to poking a signal through the cement walls and floor... but well enough to just barely get through. We probably don't have to worry about our neighbors logging on... I doubt it reaches that far.
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