Creative Minority Report: Compare & Contrast

Compare & Contrast

Discuss.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...: Oh you don't want me to discuss, Matt. These pictures say it all. So sad.; November 14, 2009 11:28 AM
Dirtdartwife said...: That this man is obviously no true blue American at heart because he has NO idea as to customs and courtesies of the country of which he's supposed to represent. How is it that he suddenly knows all the customs of foreign countries and nearly trips over himself to show submission to the other countries, but he can't even remember his own country's "sign of respect"??? Ah, that's right... his advisers are idiots.; November 14, 2009 11:56 AM
Anonymous said...: These pictures are worth a 1,000 words. No matter what he or any of his handlers say, these pictures say it all. He is beyond hope the most worthless excuse of a man ever to occupy the white house since carter.; November 14, 2009 12:07 PM
Shaun Kenney said...: I love this blog. Heh!; November 14, 2009 12:43 PM
Anonymous said...: The problem with Obama is that he is not an American; he is an internationalist, who prefers to see America humbled instead of free and leading (and I'm not referring to his birthplace, wherever that may have been--I'm referring to his heart).

So everytime he, as leader of America, gets a chance to humble himself before, say, the King of Saudi Arabia or the Emperor of Japan (is that who that is, above?), he does it.

Funny that he makes an exception for the Queen of England, though. He could barely bring himself to be civil to her.

Wonder why? You don't suppose he's a racist, do you? ...Nah. Impossible. Right...?; November 14, 2009 1:30 PM
Sarah - Kala said...: I just learned from my kids last night that they never say the Pledge of Allegiance at school. When I was growing up, even through high school, every morning, before anything else was done, we all stood and recited it. I can still say it in French (I had French class two trimesters first thing in the AM). What gives? I'm actually going to inquire at the schools this week.

Anyhow, I find nothing wrong with him honoring heads of state elsewhere, but A LOT wrong with his lack of decorum concerning America. If he's "standing at attention" he's not even doing that correctly. He should salute/hand over heart. He's not even bowing to the Japanese properly. I learned how to do that when I worked for a Japanese company in Seattle.

He's rude!; November 14, 2009 1:57 PM
Anonymous said...: I've run out of adjectives.; November 14, 2009 2:03 PM
Subvet said...: Worth a thousand words, but they all fail me right now.; November 14, 2009 2:38 PM
Anonymous said...: I'm not too quick on the uptake, but these seem to be photographs of a native species of Hawaiian weasel in both photos. In the first, it appears to be protecting its privates from the other dominant males around it. In the second, it appears to be trying to eat from the hand of some Asian person. It is a rather large weasel, clothed and perhaps being trained for amusement in a traveling circus of some type. It seems very well behaved.; November 14, 2009 3:31 PM
saintos said...: Y'all need to relax. Obviously the bigO just had a touch of gas.; November 14, 2009 5:31 PM
saintos said...: However, best I recall he didn't get this same gas attack when meeting the Holy Father though...; November 14, 2009 5:40 PM
LarryD said...: Anonymous 3:31 - that was too funny!; November 14, 2009 7:00 PM
RC2 said...: No protocol officer?

I was taught that civilians weren't to salute, so he might actually be correct in the first pic. I would want to check before criticizing.

But the bow.... sigh. Heads of state don't bow to each other. That's well-established diplomatic practice, so this is not a respecting of customs, but a breech of them, whatever the intent.; November 14, 2009 8:28 PM
Andrew Cusack said...: I would say "Finally we have an American president who knows he is lowlier than an Emperor" but then the Japanese emperor is a respectful man who acts as a figure of consensus, whereas the American president acts like, well, an emperor.; November 14, 2009 11:54 PM
Anonymous said...: He's like "Dug" from the movie "UP" whenever around foreigners: http://williamperrylive.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/dug.jpg

Completely servile and obsequious.

Shameless.

President Dug...Ugh.; November 15, 2009 8:28 AM
David said...: RC2,
Note the other civilian: he has his hand on his heart, which is proper. Obama, holding his hands the way he is, suggests a respectful distance, as if he were an observer at a ceremony foreign to him.; November 15, 2009 10:07 AM
Anonymous said...: Say, isn't that a flak jacket under his suit coat???; November 15, 2009 11:29 AM
Anonymous said...: I support your argument, but actually in Japanese culture you never shake hands, you only bow. Only in Korean culture do you both bow and shake hands. So his advisors weren't any good in either scenario.; November 15, 2009 2:43 PM
Anonymous said...: It looks like a personification of a humbled America - contrite for its sins of torture in Gitmo and stupid mistakes in Irag. Now, there is self-loathing as the Star Spangled banner sounds like a funeral dirge and not a song of victory for the commander-in-chief of a once proud nation.

The second shows a slave if front of his owners. As America has mortgaged its future, its heritage and honor for trillions of debt to stimulate the economy and finance political allies. As the president abnegates himself, so does a once proud nation.

Wait until he visits China.

Col. Freedom-Is-Not-Free.; November 15, 2009 8:55 PM
Brian said...: Bowing is a long-standing form of greeting in Japan.

Discuss.; November 16, 2009 10:06 AM
Rick said...: Politics, protocol and diplomacy are not my line. I heard that when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Then again, there are ways of bowing that does not humiliate the people back home - specially the WWII vets. For me though, my reflection about this is that if he can respect earthly rulers, why not the Ruler of the heavens?; November 16, 2009 11:06 AM
Brian said...: Also...

http://mediamatters.org/research/200911160014; November 16, 2009 11:37 AM
lifevictorious said...: I only have one comment... YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!; November 16, 2009 12:36 PM
lifevictorious said...: Oh, and one more comment. I think the first photo would have been more palatable if the teleprompter were blocking the face of the person refusing to salute, to spare him and other true Americans from embarrassment. As for the second photo, if one interprets it from behind the gentleman bowing, this could actually be the solute 'he' is giving to America. ;); November 16, 2009 12:43 PM
Anonymous said...: POTUS can actually render a salute while not in uniform, so he had two choices in that first picture. Yet, he chose the disrespectful third. Ugh.... It's galling to know that he is my Commander in Chief.; November 17, 2009 12:28 PM
Anonymous said...: The first picture where he's not saluting the flag, or placing his hand over his heart...Was that during his campaign? What were they doing in the picture? Saying the Pledge of Allegiance? Or singing the National Anthem?
I just would like a little more info...; November 17, 2009 4:43 PM
Anonymous said...: The first picture, according to the AP video of the event, was taken during the playing of "Hail to the Chief." I can just imagine the accusations of arrogance if he had saluted himself during "Hail to the Chief."; November 17, 2009 8:34 PM