Click here for the full set of images. Click here to donate to the Red Cross’ Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief fund.

Contrary to some claims, the video shows no reciprocal bow by the emperor, who traditionally bows to no one. And we’ve added a file photo from 2007 of Vice President Dick Cheney greeting the Japanese Emperor in the same door way in a different fashion.

And all the Queen got was an ill advised pat on the back. I guess when it comes to Royal respect, it depends on how much control you have over American purse strings. You can play along with me. I counted 6 bows, but in truth I lost track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kyD_e0Y7FQ

Oh and make sure you go to the Time article … it shows there wasn’t any bowing when Dick Cheney visited. This President just cracks me up.

Just for old times sake … here’s that Saudi “non-bow” bow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEUif1–r38

Oh wait, I forgot. Obama doesn’t always bow. Sometimes his serfs bow to him. Ahh, royalty! Bow, you knave!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLYtHHxTTmc

Americans have a long tradition of never bowing to royalty of any nation. By bowing, one is symbolically recognizing that a person of royalty is of a higher station simply by birth.

Americans believe all men are created equal. That all rights are endowed to all by our creator, not the government, and that no one person is greater than any other simply by station or birth. Ironic don’t you think, that the nation’s first African American President is the one to break that tradition.

Memo to the Emperor: The rest of us in America wish you good health and a long and happy life. But bow we will not.

Update: An Instapundit reader e-mails Glenn Reynolds to say:

Obama’s bow to the Saudi king was a breach of etiquette and a horrible symbolic act, but bowing in Japan is like shaking hands in America. Anytime you introduce yourself to someone, you bow, regardless of whether it’s the plumber come to fix your sink, your new assistant in the office, or the emperor.

Nonsense! Having studied Tae Kwon Do for more than 15 years with  a Korean Master, (and former heavyweight champ in Japan no less) I can assure you it is common to bow in Asian countries (although in our case it was probably more akin to a salute). But it is more a sign of mutual respect and certainly a mutual greeting. Businessmen in Asia bow, even old friends indeed bow upon greeting. But here there was no sign of “mutual respect”. No bow was returned, nor would there be. He is the Emporer and the thought never crossed his mind.

In any case, if Obama felt the bow as greeting was appropriate, a slight bend at the waste, instead of a grovel, would have been more than appropriate, and the e-mailer knows this too.

And while we are at it, let me remind Glenn’s reader, this was no introduction of two businessmen, or two old friends on the street. This was the President of the United States, and we have our traditoons too, which I detailed above.

Just thought I would get that off my chest.

]]> http://radioviceonline.com/obama-the-bows-continue/feed/ 7 http://radioviceonline.com/the-death-of-reason/ http://radioviceonline.com/the-death-of-reason/#comments Sat, 02 May 2009 20:58:17 +0000 Dave in EH http://radioviceonline.com/?p=11627 Read more »]]> Ok, so perhaps Jon Stewart and reason aren’t usually two concepts to be held at the same time, but, with so many people treating his comedy program as a source of news and information, it may be time to pay attention.

In the dock is the notion that several of our revered Presidents, in a bit of revisionist history that would make Winston Smith blush, are “war criminals”  (H/T Mark Goldfarb):

It comes at about the 5:50 mark. Cliff May asks Stewart whether Truman’s use of the atomic bomb was a war crime, Stewart ruminates and then responds with an unequivocal “yes.” He’s certainly not the only American who would take that view, but it’s a useful reminder that the most vocal and popular criticism of the Bush administration’s war on terror policies comes from people who, if they were being as honest as Stewart, would also judge Lincoln (suspension of habeas), FDR (internment), and Truman (use of nuclear weapons) as war criminals or tyrants or worse.

Obviously, we have come a long way from the notion that the Constitution isn’t a suicide pact. Click the image to watch.

Update (Jim): Jon Stewart has since retracted his statement. Make sure you watch both. But interestingly Stewart has only retracted the statement regarding Truman … not Bush.

Hot Air has the video and good commentary. Click the image to watch the walk back.