Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Bow to the emperor
The president was recently/still is in china trying to strengthen our relationship. But as I was looking at yahoo news I saw an article showing the president bowing to the Japanese emperor. I didn’t think anything of it for a couple minutes until I realized that his gesture is suggesting that Japan is better than the United States of America. To there was no reason to bow to him a simple handshake would be suitable. I can see why Obama bowed since he was trying to strengthen the relationship between the two counties and showing respect. But he had no right to make the united state seem weaker. When I kept reading I saw that this wasn’t the first time a president had done a gesture to make United State seem weaker, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon both bowed to different people. I could be completely wrong but there is no reason to make USA weaker. There are other ways to make two countries equal, which to me is just as strong as saying one country is better than the other without the disrespect.
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I don't believe the President's intention was to say that the USA was weaker, but rather he was showing respect for a different nation's culture. Like you said, his purpose of this tour is to strengthen US relations with foreign countries, and barging in and forcing US customs on them wouldnt really help that. In fact, I think the bow makes the US look stronger. My guess is countries all across the world saw this or have at least heard about it. To me, this sends a powerful message saying the US is willing to work with and accept customs from all around the world.
ReplyDeleteI think Obama's bow was an act of respect. I think he was acknowledging the customs of the country. (Just like sipping soup loudly is a compliment in Japan...try it!)
ReplyDeleteDo you think the U.S. needs to have a wider perspective of other cultures in order to understand the significance of such gestures? Do you think it's an issue of respect?
Good blog topic.
I agree with Jack above. I don't see it as an intentional act of weakness. Of course it can be taken that way, but you've also got to understand, when someone from another country such as a foreign ambassador travels to the US they show their respect in our ways just as we do. Too bad there isn't a neutral location in which our executives can meet.
ReplyDeleteOf course it is weakness, where number one if anything he should be bowing to us, and kissing obama's feet and such, and such, i agree with dominic that not alot of other countries like us, but on the other hand what country is liked by the majority, china who still has child labor laws, the cowardy french, britain the signers of the balfour doctrine, Iran, irag afganistan, north korea, isreal, mexico, cuba, russia, sudan, somilia, brazil, argentina, columbia, which is common knowledge about thoughs countries that make them still bad, idk what is wrong with japan yet but we should keep our eyes open, there sneaky or mayde not idk. ah i got it there tv shows are rediculas(but then again ours are to),hm maybe it was ok he bowed to the japanesse but no one else i can't think of anyone who deserved it more than the japanesse,
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