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talkpoliticsI heard that some people had gotten their knickers in a twist over Obama bowing to the Japanese Emperor, so I took a peek at the photo and at some comments. The photo does not reflect well on Obama. Although I made my share of faux pas during my stay in Japan, I hope I didn't do anything so pathetic.
Here is an ABC article on the event.
Here are some quotes from the LA Times bloggers. Take a peek at the photo and comment at will.
Here is an ABC article on the event.
Here are some quotes from the LA Times bloggers. Take a peek at the photo and comment at will.
The LA Times went through the 1000+ comments left on its blog post about Obama bowing before Emperor Akihito to pick its favorite ten one-liners:
We mostly enjoyed what readers had to say about the president’s greeting — a mixture of outrage and patriotism, snarky one-liners and more serious diatribes.
Here are the top 10 best comments so far (leave your own below):
Mitch wrote: Obama to Emperor of Japan: “May I shine your shoes, Sir?”
Plain Jane wrote: Obama WASN’T bowing – He SAW a Japanese Yen on the floor and went to pick it up because it might be Worth More Than Our Dollar!
Veteran wrote: Was that before or after he appologized for World War 2?
bmcc wrote: Palin would have winked at him. You betcha!
Maripo wrote: I’m surprised he didn’t curtsy.
MP wrote: Whatever happened to the good old days when we could count on a Republican in the White House to puke on foreign dignitaries?
marty1234 wrote: I wish are first black president had been a rapper at least he’d have some attitude…
Wax on wax off wrote: Look eye! Always look eye! -Mr. Miyagi
helen roach wrote: I wonder why they didn’t run the dust mop over the floor. It would have looked much nicer in the picture.
Xavier wrote: See, Obama is not a Muslim. He’s a shintoist.
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Date: 18/11/09 00:48 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 01:33 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 09:49 (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 18/11/09 01:17 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 12:16 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 01:27 (UTC)Aside from that, protocol should go like this: When our officials are on their soil we should adhere to their protocol. When foreign dignitaries are here they should respect ours. Seems reasonable and fair, imho.
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Date: 18/11/09 01:32 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 01:35 (UTC)(no subject)
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From:Read the ABC report...
From:Re: Read the ABC report...
From:Re: Read the ABC report...
From:(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 09:51 (UTC)(no subject)
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From:I heartily concur!
From:(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 02:23 (UTC)If Obama was a walking, talking, gaff-prone stutterbox it might be an issue, but fortunately that guy is already gone. The odd example of what might be perceived as a slight gaff is hardly worth getting your knickers in a twist.
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Date: 18/11/09 05:18 (UTC)Huh, I guess Biden did kind of mysteriously disappear, didn't he?
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From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 02:26 (UTC)Is that boolean...
Date: 19/11/09 00:16 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 02:36 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 03:21 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 05:56 (UTC)http://gojapan.about.com/cs/etiquetteinjapan/a/bowing.htm
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From:By the photo...
From:(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 17:54 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 03:41 (UTC)Oooooh!
Date: 19/11/09 00:22 (UTC)(BTW, Joe Kennedy was a bit taken aback that when the pope used familiar language rather than the royal "we.")
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Date: 18/11/09 04:11 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 18:33 (UTC)Some people...
From:(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 05:11 (UTC)*feels like being a douche today*
Best response...
Date: 19/11/09 00:24 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 08:36 (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 18/11/09 09:53 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 12:05 (UTC)(no subject)
From:Dumb subjects...
From:(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 12:05 (UTC)Besides...
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Date: 18/11/09 12:19 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 18/11/09 18:35 (UTC)The local paper...
From:Ethnocentric fail all over again!
Date: 19/11/09 01:12 (UTC)Not to mention the fact that Japanese make distinctions in worthiness, capabilities based on race, both better and worse. It's just a basic facet of their language & culture that things, people, places, races, etc get a certain place in the world & power structures. Japan got owned by America in WWII, but the perception of Japan's place in the world has been visibly changing in the past few decades. So, how has this changed America's place in the Japanese world view? Has it?
To sum up: I really don't care what Americans are thinking about this. We don't like it (*duh*). Ok. What are the Japanese saying? Do they think it has political repercussions for American/Japanese relations? How is it reverberating in the Asian arena?
Re: Ethnocentric fail all over again!
Date: 19/11/09 03:10 (UTC)Japanese protocol experts reportedly said the bow was appropriate and otherwise unremarkable.
Re: Ethnocentric fail all over again!
From:Re: Ethnocentric fail all over again!
From:Re: Ethnocentric fail all over again!
From:(no subject)
Date: 19/11/09 13:41 (UTC)