The Mysterious East

Editor’s note: This is a guest submission from another Philip Lee (my Dad), who writes under the byline Philip J. Lee, otherwise known as the older, wiser and more well spoken Lee.

There has been much negative comment about President Obama bowing from the waist, no less, before the Japanese Emperor. The critics found it unseemly that a President of the United States should actually bow before anyone. After all, Americans are republicans and therefore not in favour of monarchs and emperors; Americans are democrats and therefore of the opinion that government should derive from the will of the people rather than from the tradition of an hereditary monarchy. So, bowing is somehow a betrayal of American values, not to mention degrading when practiced by the American head of state.

Several things come to mind. First there is the simple matter of manners. Didn’t our mothers tell us that when we’re in someone else’s house we respect their customs and lifestyles? If they are accustomed to taking off their shoes as they enter their house, so do we. If they say grace before meals, we bow our heads. If they do not say grace before meals, we do not embarrass them by bowing our heads and waiting for the blessing.

Manners have to do with showing respect for, as in this case, Japanese hosts. In Japan, the Emperor is venerated. By bowing before him, wasn’t the President merely showing his good manners? Can’t Americans and all who wish them well be proud that Mr. Obama’s mother brought him up the way she did?

As for the very low issue, would a half-hearted bow have been better? Perhaps a nod would have been the North American answer. Then the impression might have been that we know we’re to show some respect for the Emperor, but let’s not overdo it. We don’t want to act like an actual oriental and get carried away with this deferential stuff. A cool gesture might be more appropriate, letting the world know that Americans don’t really revere this foreign potentate. Again, can’t Americans and their friends be proud that the President not only showed respect to his hosts, but also was schooled enough to show respect in the proper way?

Then there is in the United States the question of humility. We have all been through eight years in which humility was not considered an admirable trait. The strut was in. In Texas, we were told, that strut is just called walking. The President’s posture embodied the Neo-conservative mindset, that since the United States of America is the one great superpower, there should be no bowing and scraping to anyone anywhere. No discussions, no compromises, “you are either for us or against us.” Never show weakness; never show respect. All the others are weak compared to mighty US! Let the respect come our way.

There is some concern among educators and other social scientists that many young people in North America have come to believe that any form of respect is a sign of weakness. Saying “thank you” and “please” has become difficult. Addressing elders with the words: “Mister” or “madam”, “sir” or “ma’m” would be absolutely degrading. We all have come a long way from the practice of the first President of the United States and other founders of the Great Republic and the Fathers of our Confederation who ended their letters with the a phrase like: “your obedient servant, George Washington.” But when humility has been socially ostracized and politically banned, won’t we miss it?

One other practical note, even if a low bow is a bit old fashioned, even anachronistic, what did the President’s bow cost the American taxpayer? So many gestures these days seem to run into rather big money. Recent bailouts to show one another and the world that the System is really strong and that our way of life is really not going under have cost the taxpayers billions of dollars. Bowing from the waist to show respect for a valued ally and trading partner may have lost a few votes for President Obama, but the American citizens came out light and standing tall.

Philip J. Lee