A Bow
Dec 5th, 2009 by David Anderson
Guest Post by Kevin Wade
We Americans don’t bow. No American is less than any other American. No American is less than any other of the world’s men or women. No American is born into servitude or servility requiring expressions of submission to another mortal man. We are born a free people and remain so all the days of our lives; citizens and not subjects.
We Americans are a stiff necked, independent and stubbornly unbowing people. This is the signature of our national personality, across the generations. We live in a new world not the old world. This new world has no interest and asks no questions about a man’s lineage, bloodline or hereditary titles. We have and serve no aristocracy.
The last attempt to retain an aristocracy ended at Yorktown. Lord Cornwallis and his defeated British army marched at the point of American bayonets toward waiting ships, never to return to these lands. His Lordship’s departure marked the end of an era of privilege by birth for some and a life of deference for the rest. This triumph of the common man assured that the American posture of respect of one toward another is to stand tall and unbowed.
Our immigrant fathers, arriving in wave after wave, came from humble origins drawn to this place where the common man triumphs. Few traveled here in first class staterooms. It was steerage for most; worse for others. The old country held up few comforts and no honors to our families; those most common of common people. The old world had much earlier sorted the few superior from the many inferior and these permanent roles were understood through centuries of practice. So our immigrant fathers took the rough passage over wide oceans seeking a new hope and a new order among people.
On arriving here, this strange place called America; our immigrant fathers saw, amid the clang and the clutter, a new world being built. A world concerned only in a man’s capacity to make, build, create and do. A land concerned about where you are going and not where you have been. This was a land where you were expected to lend a hand not bow at the waist.
This was a land where you could stubbornly build your own life in your own way. If there was a large house to be seen on top of the town’s highest hill, it was no ancestral manor. It was simply another immigrant’s home, who arrived earlier and had a head start.
This new place promised no guarantees but offered endless possibilities. These possibilities, not bound by circumstances of birth, allowed a new people to emerge from the old.
These new people were not noble in blood but were noble in spirit. It is this exceptional spirit that animates our exceptional nation. It is part of us now and part of us at the very beginning.
George Washington was beloved by the citizens of this new nation and first president by acclamation. He understood the importance of the symbols of office and the precedence and protocol established as our first Head of State. He rejected suggestions that he be addressed as Your Highness or Your Excellency. A simple “Mr. President” was suitable and entirely sufficient to the dignity of office. Standing tall in the presence of the President became and remains the honorable expression of respect.
The President of the United States, also, standing tall in the presence of the world became and remains the honorable expression of his respect to the American people.
Our current president, President Obama, seeks the affection of the old world. His bows to the King of Saudi Arabia and the Emperor of Japan do not show humility but rather servility. This brings little affection and less respect. Were he simply citizen Obama, this would be a personal self-inflicted indignity. But he is not citizen Obama; he is President and our nation’s Head of State. A different standard is required.
Our current president’s conduct is measured not only by the moment, but further by the standards of honor and bearing of every past president since Washington. Some presidents were great and others small in the pages of American history. Yet, none disrespected the noble spirit of we the common people by public displays of servitude to any mortal man, King or Emperor.
Mr. President, stand tall in dignity and in respect to your office and duty. Any other conduct or posture is painful to our immigrant memories and foreign to our native born sensibilities.
Never forget Mr. President, we Americans are a stiff necked, independent and stubbornly unbowing people.
A bow of diplomacy is a weak point to hinge the hopes or hearts of this country over. I guess Mr. Wade missed the photos of a century of Presidential bows when this story actually had legs.
The unfortunate policies of a ‘new era’ of American politician have stripped us of our jobs and undermined our sovereignty. This kind of politician, both R and D, shows fealty to the corporate dollar. The global marketplace dominates this kind of politician.
Because of American policies of the last three decades, both R and D, our might and sovereignty has slowly been given over to this ‘new way’ in all but the military. It is simple fact that the global relationships of nations are more underscored by finance and commerce than ever before. It is a new age and I would hope that anyone wishing to help lead it would understand that.
Nope, we don’t bow. We do hold hands, however.
http://www.realclearworld.com/blog/holding_hands_with_evil.jpeg
Geez, have you guys ever traveled abroad? The sentiment in this post illustrates where the term “ugly American” came from.
Bowing shows subservience. Holding hands shows friendship (esp. in Saudi Arabia). Hell, even Mr. Miyagi told Ralph Macchio to “always look eye” when he bowed … and that the other guy did bow.
I made the point that even if it weren’t against American protocol for a President to bow, the depth of our President’s bow wasn’t even consistent with Japanese custom. The depth might have been appropriate if President Obama actually was a servant of the Japanese Emperor, or if he were in the process of trying to plead forgiveness for some great offence. Hence, no matter what cultural perspective you look at it from the bow was a blunder, and showed a lack of care or attention to detail.
Talk about get a life . . . now it’s the depth of the bow that’s got the teal party water boiling.
The guy President Bush was holding hands with happened to be the ruler of Saudi Arabia where Bin Laden and the 9/11 terrorists came from. That hand holding and the kissing and hugging that went on with Bush and the Prince in Texas came only three years after the Saudis attacked us.
http://www.realclearworld.com/blog/holding_hands_with_evil.jpeg
Can you imagine if that was President Obama? At the time I didn’t think much of it. I don’t think we accused Bush of being untrue to the great principals of blah blah blah barf. The rabid dogs circling this new President bite into anything that resembles red meat. What’s more damaging to our national credibility – a bow in Japan or all the hateful anti-US President garbage coming from the right wing here in the Homeland?
Stop being so anti-President of the United States.
Think123, I am being Pro-President of the United States of America. I just wish the current President was too.
This is what I simply do not understand. It’s a simple concept and to all the idiots above who insist on defending a stupid bow I ask…
What in the hell is wrong with our President standing up straight and tall while looking the other guy even in the eye? With a sincere smile the President firmly clasps the hand of the recipient of the greeting and shakes his or her hand, all the while remaining tall and proud and self-assured, the handshake should be strong, positive and sincere.
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH DOING THIS?
I mean the numchuck looks like a dimwit quit defending him cause for God’s sake a firm, sincere handshake is just a fine way to greet people. No need to go bowing all over the planet like some dope wit.
Further, if all this stupid, silly bowing is so damn wonderful, why did The Family Guy Gibbs deny a bow the first time it happened with the Saudi Son of a Camel? Of course he couldn’t deny it when Obama bowed before the midget ersatz emperor Japanese fellow so to those so bent on defending Obama, damn, his own spokesperson threw Obama under the bus.
And how about this…HOW COME OBAMA DIDN’T BOW TO THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND?
Sheesh.
No I think Bush holding hands with that Saudi guy was dumb too but I read somewhere it was a custom of that country. And don’t tell me bowing is a custom. Everything I read about Erkel’s silly bows was that he did them all wrong.
Stand tall and proud, look the other guy in the eye, shake his hand firm and sincere.
But no, Obama just loves to make a fool of himself. And you count on other fools defending him.
“And don’t tell me bowing is a custom.”
http://gojapan.about.com/cs/etiquetteinjapan/a/bowing.htm
We Americans are a stiff necked, independent and stubbornly unbowing people…
Unless you’re a Socialist-Democrat. The are the antithesis of independent; they bow to the authority of the state. They willingly submit to the collectivist orthodoxy, the unbridled power of groupthink. Unlike cattle, they cheerfully acquiesce to that nose-ring being slipped through their noses. And they want to drag the rest of us down with them.
Washington would have sent ‘em to hell.
Funny thing is Rick is good part socialist but just don’t know it. If he has a house and a family he’s going to be calling the socialist police and fire department if case of an emergency. Maybe his children will be fortunate enough to go to the socialist State university. Get his mail from the socialist post office. Comment on this blog using the socialist FCC managed internet on his government grant inspired computer system. Then when Rick drives to work he will be forced onto the socialist highways, drive the government speed, get his car inspected at the socialist DMV, forced to get on and off only at exits set up by the socialist transportation department. He might even visit the socialist library, consume the government inspected water and food and send his sewage to the socialist sewage treatment plant.
After that, he can sit back and ponder how he is not part of any collective orthodoxy.
Funny thing is Rick is good part socialist but just don’t know it. If he has a house and a family he’s going to be calling the socialist police and fire department if case of an emergency.
And maybe I use the term ‘socialist’ as it is generally used; to describe a national form of government. Obviously, states and local governments can provide police protection; and the original U.S. Constitution (Art. I., Sec. 8.) authorizes the Post Office. Funny thing is, your lame attempt to ‘catch’ Rick only shows you to be an idiot.
Maybe his children will be fortunate enough to go to the socialist State university.
Maybe my son is a freshman at The George Washington University, in Washington.
So much for your fatuous conjecture.
You know what I mean Rick. We use all the socialist stuff, then complain. We have a private sector and a public sector. The public sector is by definition socialist. And you can’t have one without the other.
You’re the one who said “socialist democrats . . . willingly submit to the collectivist orthodoxy, the unbridled power of groupthink. Unlike cattle, they cheerfully acquiesce to that nose-ring being slipped through their noses. And they want to drag the rest of us down with them.”
When you start comparing loyal American political opposition, your neighbors and friends, brainwashed collectivist cattle with nose rings, you gotta expect a little push back.
I understand George Washington University was created through an Act Of Congress in 1821. Already the Government was messing with us.
When you start comparing loyal American political opposition, your neighbors and friends, brainwashed collectivist cattle with nose rings, you gotta expect a little push back..
There’s nothing ‘loyal’ or ‘American’ about socialism.
,i>I understand George Washington University was created through an Act Of Congress in 1821…
And I understand that it’s not a ‘State university.’
Rick, I guess you know you that you’re are not the last word on who is loyal or what is American. This is not the old Soviet Union. There really is no litmus test on what good comrade American is. Gotta be a way to express your fear without badmouthing good honest people.
They call Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont a socialist. He’s still a real good loyal American.