Barack Obama’s Latest Kowtow: An Affront to Liberty
November 17, 2009 · By Jonathan McLeod
So, Barack Obama is bowing to royalty again. Not learning from his embarrassing genuflection to the Saudi King, Mr. Obama can be seen to be bowing to the Japanese emperor, Akihito. What’s the old saying? Once is political stupidity; twice is political idiocy?
I know my comment will bring many Obama fans to their feet in feigned rage. As with the Saudi incident, apologists will argue against the facts, partisans deny the significance. However, make no mistake about it; Mr. Obama’s behaviour was inappropriate. It is unbecoming of the leader of, arguably, the greatest democracy on earth. It is an insult to those who worked to make the United States a leader in the fight for freedom and liberty.
The leader of the free world is to be a subject to no one. He must be humble before the people, but strong and commanding before foreign royalty. Respect for the culture of another must not come at the denigration of the office the presidency. In this situation, we are not witnessing two equals partaking in a respectful ritual of bowing to one another – the equivalent of shaking hands in the west. No, we are witnessing one person implicitly glorifying the majesty of a supposed superior.
Mr. Obama’s actions demonstrate that he is the lesser in his meeting with the emperor. He is demonstrating that the quintessential American ideal, “that all men are created equal”, is not universally true. His motives are moot. His mentallity is moot. He has, again, violated the essence of liberal democracy. It should be concerning that he has crossed this line and that he continues to cross this line.
In many ways, this is not a particularly big issue. If Mr. Obama ends the war in Afghanistan, if he turns around the economy, if he fixes the U.S. health care system, he will be, rightfully, remembered as a great president, no matter how shameful some of his behaviour was on the international stage. Nonetheless, if he – a former constitutional law professor – hasn’t taken one of the basic pillars of liberty to heart, how can we be confident that he will be an adequate leader in the continuing struggle against world wide oppression? How can we expect him to be the valiant defender of liberty that the president ought to be?
The shining city on the hill is becoming tarnished.
(H/T: @GregFarries.)
That’s just silly. There’s plenty to criticize in Obama’s actual politics – please don’t demean your blog by this childish sniping about a non-issue.
The power and prestige of the USA is in no way diminished by a President who respects protocol. Ronald Reagan bowed to Queen Elizabeth; George Bush bowed to the Saudi King; Richard Nixon bowed to the emperor of Japan.
Oh, and Reagan used a teleprompter.
Please provide proof that Ronald Reagan bowed to Queen Elizabeth. A Google turned up nothing.
Please provide proof that George Bush bowed to the Saudi King. And don’t show me the video of him lowering himself in order to have a medal put around his neck, because that isn’t bowing. That’s what everyone does when someone goes to put a medal on your neck.
Please provide proof that Nixon bowed to the emperor of Japan. Again, a Google turned up nothing.
It was a cringe moment and I was embarrassed for him and the American people.
His acknowledgement of the Empress was a perfectly appropriate gesture but the 90 degree bow and eyes obviously lowered for the Emperor, I would agree was degrading and implied subservience.
Wow. You’re not very good at Google, are you, Justin? What search terms did you use? Would you like some help?
I guess that explains why you were unable to find any evidence, anywhere, to substantiate your claim that the IPCC “…have to throw out every single last IPCC study because a mathematician found a major problem with their calculations that through them all ridiculously off.”
Thanks for the comments, everyone.
@balbulican and @Justin
I don’t know the history of all previous leaders when it comes to bowing (and I’m not going to bother searching), but I will say, without getting too sidetracked, that all of balbulican’s examples are embarrassments (assuming they’re true, and balbulican is usually pretty good with his research). And, as I alluded to in the post, just like Obama, I’ll judge them by their records, not merely one or two embarrassments.
@Bec
“Cringe moment” seems like an apt description. My post may have been a little too purple (sometimes it happens). I stand by what I wrote, but your comment seems a little more measured.
Where you see denigration and subservience, I see a simple traditional sign of respect for the position. A vestigial cultural tradition, nothing more.
@Abattoir
Fair enough. I think, as we’ve done before, we’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Though, to be clear, I see an implication of subservience (to use your word); I am not arguing that he is subservient to Japan.
I have to agree with Abattoir. Obama was simply showing what used to be called “good manners”. (Now THERE’S an archaic concept for you.) He is not in the least diminished by a gesture of respect for his hosts.
@balbulican
Thanks for continuing the conversation. I thought I’d just present here what I wrote over at your blog:
And for those interested, you can check out balbulican’s post here, and you probably should.
Meh, I find the symbolic gesture pathetic, because I would never bow to anyone – whether it was a cultural tradition or not. Whether previous presidents bowed isn’t the issue – I would find their deference equally pathetic and unbecoming of the office of the presidency.
But it fits Obama’s presidency to a tee – Obama’s is about the show, and this “symbolic” gesture fits with Obama’s recent attempts to apologize and kowtow to anyone and everyone in the world. Whether he’s shaking hands with dictators or bowing to royalty, he’s clearly trying to undermine American superiority in exchange for the acceptance of subordinate America.
Shrug. I’m an atheist. When I go to church for a wedding or funeral, I stand sit when they do. It’s politeness.
I don’t believe in aristocracy of any sort. But when I met the Queen (with several zillion other people), I listened to the briefing, and followed the protocol. It’s politeness.
I remove my hat when American friends sing their national anthem at a public event. I refrain from speaking while others pray. It’s politeness.
I find it odd that conservatives, who once upon a time were defined by their respect for tradition, and for (at least according to them) civility, are taking such extraordinary umbrage at a simple act of politeness.
There is respect and then there is deference – there is clearly a difference.
Yup. And what you see when you view Obama bowing is clearly your personal perception of his intent, based on your contempt for Obama. No problem. But you see, I am not contemptuous of Obama (although I’m not too impressed with his presidency to date), and I don’t see that at all.
Left wing, social activist types have no problem with bowing to Royalty. Noted.
Shrug. Some do, no doubt. I was raised to show respect for leaders.
Either you are the leader of the greatest democracy on earth or you are not. It does not matter how low you bow or whether you curtsy.
This is just protocol and etiquette.
As I wrote, I don’t think this incident should be the defining moment of Mr. Obama’s presidency. I think it should be a concern, and I think he’s begun an unfortunate pattern of deference to monarchs.
My motivation for writing this post was to delve into my own political philosophy. I find that it is often these issues that lie at the margin of political life, and are of marginal importance, that can really help one define one’s political philosophy. This issue may not do that for others, but it does for me.
I love liberal democracy (and I’m not claiming others don’t). I feel that liberty, responsibility and political sovereignty are some of the greatest gifts that we in the west have received. I think freedom and liberty must be vigorously defended, and routinely deferred to. The point of freedom is not merely to lead to a good result, but to give us the opportunity to reach the best result, even if we will, at times, fail.
I believe the leader of the free world should have a similar mindset. I believe that western democracy, often through its leaders, should demonstrate pride and strength in democracy. I think this excessive bowing transgresses this imperative for liberty – though I don’t think Mr. Obama’s bow to the emperor has caused any great harm to liberty.
This issue may be somewhat meaningless. No doubt, it should be out of the news pretty quickly. But, if only for me, the underlying issues and concepts strike at my political philosophy. Perhaps, my expounding on what the matter means to me will lead some to think about what it means to them (though, perhaps it won’t).
Even though others will examine the situation and come to a different conclusion than I will, it does not mean that this exercise has been a waste.
Thanks again for the comments, everyone.
“I believe the leader of the free world should have a similar mindset.”
Interesting phrase.
Mr. Obama is the President of the most prosperous and militarily powerful country on earth at the moment. He is not, however, my leader, or Canada’s leader, or Great Britain’s leader, or Germany’s leader, or Japan’s leader – and I imagine the great majority of citizens in the free world would take exception to your anointing him as our “leader”.