Japanese Mortified By Obama's Bow

mainichi times

"Obama's awkward encounter with Akihito -- bows are not meant to accompany physical contact -- is not even the first time the president, a Democrat in office less than a year, has been criticized for his greeting of a foreign leader: Critics accused him of genuflecting to Saudi King Abdullah at a world economic summit this year."

Originally posted by SLAYER69
In many Asian cultures bowing is very important no doubt. However a mutual bow shows respect, one that is very deep as what Obama has done signifies being submissive, inferior or less than.
[edit on 17-11-2009 by SLAYER69]

No...No it doesn't. Obama shows respect for another culture and all of a sudden ignorant Obama Bashers start pretending to be Cultural Anthropologists.

Obama's bow was not perfect, but it was appropriate. Business leaders the world over know this. It doesn't demonstrate submissiveness in any fashion. A Samurai could give a more prostrated bow before lopping off your head.



[edit on 18-11-2009 by maybereal11]

reply to post by JohnnyElohim

I haven't seen any sources indicating that the Japanese were "mortified." Would someone care to site a (Japanese) source for such? It seems to me the degree to which an English speaker is mortified by this event has a correlation to the frequency with which they partake in Fox News.

There are no sources, as no one here cares. Tonight we were talking about Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Hitachi, but I think everyone forgot Obama was here.

Originally posted by Wormwood Squirm
reply to post by SLAYER69

 

Fox News will beat the crap out of Obama every chance they get. This is blown out of proportion IMO. The article you link has a terrible title and then quickly changes subject to Obama's health plan. I don't buy it.

That was my first thought.... But honestly, as a person, it shows social uncouthness imo..

It's ALMOST as bad as Mrs. Obama trying to hug the Queen of England. Seriously, don't these people understand culture? I'm more worried that it displays the typical "American's are ignorant" than his personal weakness. (Though it does look either weak or purposefully insulting "mocking" if you will)

I always imagined that the White House had a special adviser to cultural relations? If not, maybe we need one.. so we don't have Presidents flipping off South America, declaring they are custard filled donuts, messaging the female German Chancellor or hugging the Queen of England.

OR .. maybe American's really are just morons. At least, that's what this bow tells me.

With all the injustice and corruption there is in the world I wonder why it is that we on this site are currently allowing ourselves to be pulled into this crap.
Of course the more enlightened white America can never overlook the blatant cultural ignorance of the man THEY put into power. Well, I guess the wannabe japanese in me would be offended too if I were one of the sheep but in all seriousness, my ten year, fourteen year old, and eight year old should be ripping this all to pieces since they are Japanophiles. But they know better. They were taught better.
And before anyone starts I'm not white, I'm a conservative and I don't particularly care for liberals but I can't pretend not to recall Bush's vomitting episode and how THAT wasn't all that big of a deal. For Godsake! There are more pressing concerns than this. If Obama destroyed the world by not being familiar with the finer points of subserviant bowing than I wonder what happens if he farts.
I have been bowed to in Japanese airports and I never bowed back nor will I ever bow before another man but this episode just doesn't seem to be of any significance. I thought we were a smarter breed here on ATS.

"Critics accused him [Obama] of genuflecting to Saudi King Abdullah at a world economic summit this year"

I don't believe this is completely accurate...IMO he was trying to kiss the King's ring (like the King was the Pope or something).

Ok 10 pages of it but yet NO-ONE has showen even 1 article from Japan saying they were "mortified"..."appalled" by the bow. Not even 1 article, if the Japenese are soo much aghast they are doing a awesome job hiding it.

Secondly, to those of you who feel he insulted USA in anyway, what are you going to do about it? Go sue him in court for defamation or something. So who is going first? Anyone? Or are you just gonna sit there and post icons of fuming?

C'mon gun loving citizens, go sue him and we will see how court plays it from there.....(take advise from O'rlly Taita...heck she might even become your lawyer on a discount). See, so who is offended and ready to sue? Is anyone (among who are offended) brave enough to do this?

reply to post by December_Rain


Look on page 4 of this thread. I posted some things from the English version of the Mainichi times. That is about the extent of the attention the bow received. They basically laughed at how those in the U.S. are making such a big deal out of it.

reply to post by tamusan


I'm really happy to read all you have said about the reaction over there. Americans are always so egocentric.
But it does show how much of our goverment is being run by true idiots.

reply to post by SLAYER69


Stop helping the powers that be further create distractions that misdirect people from topics that matter. For God's sake, he was being diplomatic.

reply to post by tamusan


I know I already saw that, but as per this thread it seemed to state that Japenese are outraged, I am asking for any Japenese news source saying that which so far noone has provided. 10 pages of this thread on thin air and not o1 Japenese source to confrm it? lol.

Also, so who is up for the sue? C'mon outraged, humiliated Americans...who is going to court to sue Obama that he disrespected USA by bowing? I even suggested you guys an option of O'rlly Taitz as a lawyer

[edit on 18-11-2009 by December_Rain]

Originally posted by vox2442
The coverage of the American coverage of this has been getting more air time than the actual bow - and THAT is making America look like a bunch of idiots, because no one here seems to be able to understand what the fuss is all about.

Thank you for a knowledgeable point of reference. I don't read Japanese but my gut feeling was same -- thing being blown out of any reasonable proportion. Even the title thread is a pitiful exercise at exaggeration.

reply to post by December_Rain


That's been my point. There is no outrage. This is not an issue for the Japanese people.

Originally posted by jibeho
reply to post by buddhasystem

 

Comparing a yarmulke to a bow doesn't really jive. Imagine the shock if the Emperor gave Obama the traditional urban handshake or bumped his knuckles.

Haha, that would be hilarious..
Second line.

Those that asks for an article from Japan again shows your typical naive ignorance. The Japanese are too polite to tell you when you goofed up, they just smiles and later shakes their head and just come to conclusion that you are uneducated.

They won't say anything, but they know Obaka is a fool. Here's is a hint:

blogs.abcnews.com... ight-are-wrong.html

"The bow as he performed did not just display weakness in Red State terms, but evoked weakness in Japanese terms....The last thing the Japanese want or need is a weak looking American president and, again, in all ways, he unintentionally played that part."

Is this blown out of proportion? Err, no. Because this has been a pattern of his incompetence, this just proofs further that he is a nincompoop with flailing arms and minds trying to run a country.

Glad his "look-at-my-toned-arm" wife Michelle-the-angry wasn't there, shudder at the tought of what she would do to the emperor and empress.

LOL, Obaka.

Originally posted by SLAYER69
mainichi times

"Obama's awkward encounter with Akihito -- bows are not meant to accompany physical contact -- is not even the first time the president, a Democrat in office less than a year, has been criticized for his greeting of a foreign leader: Critics accused him of genuflecting to Saudi King Abdullah at a world economic summit this year."

Why this story is irrelevant:

1) the dateline is Washington, and the story is credited to Associated Press, indicating that it was written by and for Americans.
2) the story is not about the incident, but the US reaction to it.
3) story contains no Japanese sources, quotations or references.

reply to post by Wormwood Squirm


There are many topics interfering with more important topics these days. However, you can't have the important topics without the insignificant topics, or else what would be important?

Everyone always claiming something is a distraction... well, you're a distraction from the importance of this insignificant topic.

Of course the Japanese are mortified. I'm surprised myself that it took waiting for the Japanese to make a statement about it before people realized it! How many people here are familiar with Japanese culture and japanese people?

The japanese used to hold a VERY high respect for Americans, especially since the late 70's. Japanese have spent decades representing the American culture in their arts and entertainment. Everything from movies, music, video games, to manga (comics) have all but deified the blend of American races, cultures, and values. Of course, some hornier japanese people have glorified other aspects of Americanness, but aside from the obvious negative attention, we've usually gotten a lot of positive attention.

I think we've received way too much glorification from the japanese as they have a very beautiful culture and a way of thinking historically speaking. I've often considered japanese people to be among the smartest and most creative, as I refer to them, "heart-people", in the world. But, then again, here I am on this side of the fence.

That being said, we should not be showing any weakness or perverted humility. Obama's weakness IS a reflection on all of us in the eyes of the japanese.

obama a closet case muslem how love commies internal strife when he dies..................

reply to post by vox2442


In all fairness to Slayer, I originally posted that article on page 4 of this thread. It was an attempt to show (in English) that the U.S. media coverage was more of a spectacle than the incident itself.

reply to post by Simplified


OH good lord, a martial arts instructor doesn't make you understand the Japanese culture anymore then eating at Taco Bell makes you understand Mexico.