# Should Americans Bow Before Monarchs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 3, 2008, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067 "2008-01-03T01:22:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/101 "2008-01-06T06:38:01Z")
pah! on your knees colonials! I believe that one long gone chinese empress demanded cunnilingus from visiting dignitaries. Now thats my type of monarch!! > **[Eros.Com: Eros Guide Escort directory with escort photo listings and contacts...](https://www.eros.com)** > > Your source for All Things Erotic. Listings of female escorts, transsexuals, bdsm, massage and more in the USA, UK and Canada. Also see listings for bdsm, escort agencies, massage, exotic dancers, adult webcams and more. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/102 "2008-01-06T11:41:51Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] I would never bow before the queen of that fascist regime. She ain’t no human being. [/QUOTE] Well thats a pretty vacant comment. Oh so pretty,oh so pretty VAAyacant! ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/103 "2008-01-06T11:53:37Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] It’s making the sign of the cross. Thus: Spectacles Testicles Wallet Watch 😃 [/QUOTE] I’m with you right up to the watch **chowder** is it a wrist watch?if so which wrist? Or a pocket watch? Mind you I was told as a lad that too much genuflecting gave you bad skin and poor eyesight(No wonder i’m having difficulty seeing the keyboard) and that cold showers and lots of sports was the answer. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/104 "2008-01-06T12:17:52Z")
[QUOTE=Muffin] I spent the day genuflecting on the ski hill, as I am wont to do most winter weekends. I’ll be ready for when the Queen or the Pope take up telemarking. [/QUOTE] Now, see, if you’d been born earlier, you and King Olav the Chubby would have gotten along just fine. Last year sometime there was a debate about why the city of Oslo still has no official statue of the old guy. I pointed out to a proponent of statuehood that the capital city does, in fact, have a statue of the late king within its borders. “Yeah, but it’s up in Holmenkollen!” “Yup. Can you think of a better place for it? And he’s wearing an anorak and a ridiculously old-fashioned cap and his dog is running alongside his skis. It’s the best damn tribute to him that I can think of.” (pause) “Okay, the Holmenkoll statue stays. But I still think we need one downtown.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/105 "2008-01-06T20:34:33Z")
That would be the grandson of the English monarch’s great-grandfather? There is a presidential election coming up shortly in the USA. The Americans should do the same thing that Norway did with Olav’s dad, and elect an English monarch. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/106 "2008-01-06T23:48:31Z")
[QUOTE=Pushkin] During the reading of some book of some sort in the bible the priest and everyone else touch their forehead, lips and heart (IIRC) and I’ve no idea why they do that, I’m not even sure if that’s what they touch exactly so I never tried it myself. [/QUOTE] That’s the triple cross for the reading of the Gospels. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/107 "2008-01-07T13:10:58Z")
[QUOTE=Muffin] I spent the day genuflecting on the ski hill, as I am wont to do most winter weekends. I’ll be ready for when the Queen or the Pope take up telemarking. [/QUOTE] I don’t care whether it’s the Queen, the Pope, or whoever else, they can get off my fucking phone _right now_!! :mad: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/108 "2008-01-07T18:37:31Z")
Yeah, I mean, forget bowing, that’s whole 'nother protocol question right there. Under what circumstances may Americans hang up on the Queen? Does it matter if she called you, or if you called her? Must you let her have the last word? I presume you may not slam down the receiver under any circumstances, or the charming lads of Special Branch will drop by for a little “courtesy refresher course.” ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/109 "2008-01-07T18:50:58Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] Under what circumstances may Americans hang up on the Queen? [/QUOTE] I hate to do it; it’s just that she calls me every night just as I’m getting supper on the table and wants to yammer on and on about how her day went, and how “Flip” doesn’t understand her, and about that phony Diana and how she ruined everything, and what a disappointment Charles has been, and…well at some point, enough’s enough and supper’s getting cold and you have to put the receiver down. ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/110 "2008-01-07T19:01:40Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] Suppose I am invited to a party, at which the Queen of England is present. I am introduced-should I bow? As an American, I belive that humans are equal, and hence, a monarch is no more worthy of a bow than anyone else. If I were British, I certaily would bow. But I have a problem with bowing-would shaking hands be OK? [/QUOTE] I Bow to no one. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/111 "2008-01-07T19:06:47Z")
Tell you what; if I ever meet the queen, I’ll challenge her to a game of horseshoes. Loser has to bow. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/112 "2008-01-07T22:12:34Z")
For an American which is worse, bowing to the Queen or not tipping a waitress? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/113 "2008-01-08T04:23:03Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] Almost on topic; When did the deep full bow to the altar before entering the pew in a Catholic church go out? I seem to recall such a thing as a child in the Italian side of my family. [/QUOTE] I do not know if this has already been answered. But I am 25, and I was always told to bow on one knee (drop one knee to the ground. I am guessing this would be called bowing) and make the sign of the cross on yourself. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/114 "2008-01-08T09:01:59Z")
[QUOTE=Lust4Life] I’m with you right up to the watch **chowder** is it a wrist watch?if so which wrist? Or a pocket watch? Mind you I was told as a lad that too much genuflecting gave you bad skin and poor eyesight(No wonder i’m having difficulty seeing the keyboard) and that cold showers and lots of sports was the answer. [/QUOTE] Pocket watch obviously. You must have had bad hearing, it was _masturbating_ not genuflecting that fucks up your eyesight. Now check the palms of your hands for hairs ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/115 "2008-01-08T09:20:39Z")
[QUOTE=Jolly Roger] I Bow to no one. [/QUOTE] You don’t make that call; the King does, and the qualification is that you have to have saved the entire Free World. Unsurprisingly, he says it to very few people. ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/116 "2008-01-08T09:36:32Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] You don’t make that call; the King does, and the qualification is that you have to have saved the entire Free World. Unsurprisingly, he says it to very few people. [/QUOTE] I’m not a brit, I have no king, so he doesn’t make any calls for me. And incindentally, I’ve saved the world already. (its classified, though) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/117 "2008-01-08T09:53:52Z")
[QUOTE=Jolly Roger] I’m not a brit, I have no king, so he doesn’t make any calls for me. And incindentally, I’ve saved the world already. (its classified, though) 🙂 [/QUOTE] The King in question wasn’t British either - he was Numenorean. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067/118 "2008-01-08T14:11:18Z")
[QUOTE=The Man In Black] I do not know if this has already been answered. But I am 25, and I was always told to bow on one knee (drop one knee to the ground. I am guessing this would be called bowing) and make the sign of the cross on yourself. [/QUOTE] That’s [genuflection](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genuflection). > [@](#): > > Genuflection (Latin _genuflexio_ “bending of the knee”) is an act of reverence in Christianity, consisting of falling onto (usually) one knee. Today the term is used mostly in the Latin rite of the Catholic Church and in churches of the Anglican Communion. We had a thread that touched on it a while ago: [The proper form of greeting between Franciscan friars.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=431284) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-americans-bow-before-monarchs/432067.md?page=5)