# Why NOT bow to King Abdullah? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 3, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581 "2009-06-03T14:55:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/141 "2009-06-05T01:15:37Z")
> [@KRM](#): > > Amen brother. This middle-of-the-road Republican would have found it quite refreshing if the WH had just announced, “Obama is from Chicago and isn’t accustomed to meeting Kings. Now he knows what to do. By the way, we fired the protocol guy.” > > . Yep, that would have been the right thing. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/142 "2009-06-05T02:08:04Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] Shouldn’t that be a bow? [/QUOTE] Certainly (since I’m not the president). And as long as someone doesn’t lower their hand rapidly and shout ‘hajime’ right afterward… -XT ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/143 "2009-06-05T03:06:46Z")
Frankly, Miss Manners from the Washington Post settles it for me. Americans do not bow to monarchs and so Obama simply made a mistake. Thank you all. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/144 "2009-06-05T03:53:53Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Frankly, Miss Manners from the Washington Post settles it for me. Americans do not bow to monarchs and so Obama simply made a mistake. > > Thank you all. Miss Manners now outranks the President? Since when? ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/145 "2009-06-05T04:25:33Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > I think it was just more shit cooked up by the right wing extremists to try to smear Obama. The guy’s a king and the head of state, so you show him a little respect, so what? I don’t have a problem with Obama bowing to any king or queen Bowing to a king is saying you are my ruler. I would not bow to any member of royalty, except royalty of my country, but we do not have royalty so I do not bow. My president if talking to him I would call Mr. President. A president of another country I would call Mr. President Jones. And I would expect someone another country to refer to our president as President Oboma or The President of the US. As to flags. Exept spotting events. One should not be flown above the other. These are things of tradition. Call me a stuff shirt if you wish. I still tip my hat to the jack staff when ever I go on any ship. I work in for a high rise office building, I never get on or off an elevator or go through a door before a any tenant or tenant’s visitor. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/146 "2009-06-05T12:30:42Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > If we’re going to maintain diplomatic relations with them, then yes. What do you want Obama to do? Flip him the bird? This is the country that threatened Britain with 7/7 style terrorist attacks for not backing off on a investigation. This is the country that financed Al Quada and 9/11. Obama should have crushed their nuts with his bare hand then ripped them off for the evil fuckers they are. Saudi Arabia is a horrible country ran by evil fuckers who need to die. Do you think we should be friendly to people who enabled 9/11? They should be made to know the only reason they’re palaces haven’t been labeled with cruise missiles is to sell oil, and to save use the lives and expense of another war. If they attack us, or any other country we can take the oil ourselves. Better we’re thieves then murdering sick fuck human pieces of shit are allowed to continue their murders. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/147 "2009-06-05T16:05:20Z")
Better that he bow to them than we stop sucking their dicks for oil. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/148 "2009-06-05T16:06:33Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Better that he bow to them than we stop sucking their dicks for oil. There’s oil in King Abdullah’s dick? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/149 "2009-06-05T16:13:10Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Frankly, Miss Manners from the Washington Post settles it for me. The same Miss Manners who’s about the only person in the world who thinks there’s a rule against calling ex-Presidents “Mr. President”? The same one who natters on interminably about etiquette being about showing respect for others and so forth? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/150 "2009-06-05T16:34:12Z")
Well, what else is etiquette but rules for getting through life causing people the minimal amount of harm and upset. Yep, she seems like a neutral and educated observer. Americans do not bow to kings. The ruling has been made. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/151 "2009-06-05T16:38:42Z")
> [@Birdmonster](#): > > There’s oil in King Abdullah’s dick? Robitussin. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/152 "2009-06-05T16:43:16Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > Bowing to a king is saying you are my ruler. Says you. > [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > I work in for a high rise office building, I never get on or off an elevator or go through a door before a any tenant or tenant’s visitor. So does that mean you accept them as your superiors and rulers? ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/153 "2009-06-05T17:05:52Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > I work in for a high rise office building, I never get on or off an elevator or go through a door before a any tenant or tenant’s visitor. \ In my mind’s ear, I hear this sentence very earnestly reported in [RP](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Received_Pronunciation). I kind of love (seriously, no joke!) that there are still people in the world who imagine themselves modern-day Lords Macaulay as they go to their boring office jobs in anonymous downtown high-rises. Like you’re administering the Raj or something. \ ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/154 "2009-06-05T17:25:17Z")
You should see the guns on his sepoy. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/155 "2009-06-05T17:26:00Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Frankly, Miss Manners from the Washington Post settles it for me. Americans do not bow to monarchs and so Obama simply made a mistake. > > Thank you all. Sounds like Miss Manners is a pretty poor choice for an argument from authority, since I could -and would- utterly disprove her in an moment given the opportunity. Not because I’m “submissive” - but because I think I’m better than kings and like showing off that I’m cool beans to them. And I am still awaiting the argument (aside from bald unsubstantiated assertions of rectal origin) that bowing from the waist is even slightly a submissive act. My my analysis, it simply _isn’t_ - as noted, for that you drop to your knees. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/156 "2009-06-05T17:31:06Z")
Heh. I wonder if he kissed the Pope’s ring… ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/157 "2009-06-05T17:33:16Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > My my analysis, it simply _isn’t_ - as noted, for that you drop to your knees. And we all know that the President only kneels before Zod. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/158 "2009-06-05T17:35:23Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#): > > Bowing to a king is saying you are my ruler. I would not bow to any member of royalty, except royalty of my country, but we do not have royalty so I do not bow. > > My president if talking to him I would call Mr. President. A president of another country I would call Mr. President Jones. And I would expect someone another country to refer to our president as President Oboma or The President of the US. If you want to assume that, then I cannot stop you. I will only say that it is simply a gesture of respect in my eyes, as the President cannot legally nor would he morally say or imply that the King is his ruler. Given that, we can only assume that he meant it as a gesture of respect, nothing more If I met the president, I’d probably bow my head a little after shaking hands. To me it just seems nature. I don’t have any of this objection to showing people respect with little gestures ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/159 "2009-06-05T18:23:08Z")
What is it with Republicans and bowing? [Meghan McCain mad about bows](http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/06/04/meghan-mccain-accuses-brian-williams-of-bowing-to-president-ob/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main%7Cdl4%7Clink4%7Chttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.politicsdaily.com%2F2009%2F06%2F04%2Fmeghan-mccain-accuses-brian-williams-of-bowing-to-president-ob%2F) Seriously, I had hope for this girl. She said she’s a “pro-sex, pro-gay” conservative on the Daily Show but clearly she hasn’t moved past the “pro-shitstorm over nothing” aspect of your politics :smack: ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581/160 "2009-06-05T18:30:22Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > We take pictures next to vending machines full of used schoolgirl panties. Kindly explain, I’m confused:confused: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-bow-to-king-abdullah/498581.md?page=9)