[Nuclear1]

I mean, having a US president bow to a foreign leader, isn't that the next logical step anyway?

Bah, the White House can make any statement it wants saying that President Kenya was just being respectful, but we know the truth!  Thanks, Fox!  Obama, you can return to the traditional, Amurrican way of dealing with foreign leaders:  pissing them off!  We don't bow to them Japs, they done bombed Pearl.




**This post also comes in a sarcasm-free variety.  Now available at all grocery stores!

[watsisname]

I wonder if Obama is good at Limbo.

[High Max]

*_*

[Liberator]

Here's why us "merkins"(sounds like a pickle IMO) get our panties in a wad over his self-effacing is because we don't bow to anyone.

[Thaeris]

*Facepalm.

I'm rather convinced that this thread is fail. The sooner it's locked, the better.

[Flipside]

Not quite yet, I'll wait until something happens that makes it lock-worthy.

That said, it should be noted that the common depiction of bowing as a sign of submission is at fault here, in Japan, it is a sign of respect, and the depth of the bow is very important. In truth, he should have kept eye-contact during the bow, since they are of comparable status, but still the thought is there, and I'm certain that the Japanese appreciated the effort.

[Thaeris]

Not quite yet, I'll wait until something happens that makes it lock-worthy.

That said, it should be noted that the common depiction of bowing as a sign of submission is at fault here, in Japan, it is a sign of respect, and the depth of the bow is very important. In truth, he should have kept eye-contact during the bow, since they are of comparable status, but still the thought is there, and I'm certain that the Japanese appreciated the effort.

^ This.

[BloodEagle]

Not quite yet, I'll wait until something happens that makes it lock-worthy.

That said, it should be noted that the common depiction of bowing as a sign of submission is at fault here, in Japan, it is a sign of respect, and the depth of the bow is very important. In truth, he should have kept eye-contact during the bow, since they are of comparable status, but still the thought is there, and I'm certain that the Japanese appreciated the effort.

QFT, though I think he bowed a little too deeply, myself.

[esarai]

His back could've been straighter, but in essence people be getting their pants in a bunch over him showing just a little too much respect, which never hurt anyone.

[Liberator]

QFT, though I think he bowed a little too deeply, myself.

I am quite aware that bowing is a sign of respect in Japanese as well as other Asian and Arabic cultures.  My only thought was that there is a difference between a respectful slight inclination and a from the waist full bow.

[redsniper]

Regarding the controversy over Obama's nationality:

[General Battuta]

Here's why us "merkins"(sounds like a pickle IMO) get our panties in a wad over his self-effacing is because we don't bow to anyone.

But you weren't worried about Bush kissing Saudi oil magnates?

I thought 'merkins didn't do homo with anybody.

[Scotty]

@Redsniper:  Really?  No need for crap like that.

@GB: he probably was.  Probably also worried about Obama doing nearly the same thing. 

And 'merkins' sound like some kind of pickle.

[Flipside]

That's because it sounds like Gherkins

[Nuclear1]

QFT, though I think he bowed a little too deeply, myself.

I am quite aware that bowing is a sign of respect in Japanese as well as other Asian and Arabic cultures.  My only thought was that there is a difference between a respectful slight inclination and a from the waist full bow.

You do realize my post was sarcasm, right? 

Obama's not doing any harm by bowing in respect. 

[Kosh]

It is about time America shows a more humble side like Obama is doing in that photo. People should stop dwelling on wars that took place long ago. I grow tired of the Roman like arrogance here. Certain other countries have let old wars go that ended decades ago and they stopped dwelling on it with no hard feelings anymore. Maybe this country should learn from that. Time to move on and let it go like Japan and VN have already.

Funny because Japanese arrogance (and rascism) is far above and beyond what it is in the US. People will stop dwelling on ww2 in East Asia when Japan takes responsibility for what it did, period.

[Flipside]

If we all sit around waiting for everyone else to apologise for 'what they did' several decades or centuries ago, then, quite frankly, we are screwed.

And yes, racial stereotypes in Japan are still a problem, but I'd say that isn't so much an inbred mistrust of foreigners anymore, and more a case of those stereotypes making their way into culture and the Japanese not quite understanding,

[WeatherOp]

Nuclear's average post quality has went down the pooper over the past few months.

[Bobboau]

ok, this one is totally overblown, not gonna even try to defend it.

[BloodEagle]

What's with the misquoting?