Sure. And I’d say through clenched teeth, “You suck.”
Childish, yes. But oh, so satisfying.
See, I was thinking more along the lines of, “So, do you actually have at least the seed of a plan for extricating us from the Iraq quagmire, or are you just making it up as you go along? I am quite pessimistic about being proven wrong in thinking it’s the latter.”
Since he’s not your leader either governmentally or religiously, what is the protocol? I gather you’re not going to kiss the ring or genuflect. I think “How do you do, your excellency” is all that is required.
My first instinct is to say “treat him with the respect he’s given the American people.”
I think the correct thing to do is refuse to shake his hand and give the cut direct.
It wouldn’t be rude not to. Etiquette does allow you to ‘cut’ a person (refuse to greet them, essentially) if you feel so strongly against them that you deem it necessary.
For example: you are in a recieving line featuring President Bush. You move down the line, shaking the hand of each person in turn and greeting them politely. When you get to President Bush, you keep your hands at your sides and refuse to make eye contact, looking instead at the person next in line. When the line moves, you step up to the next person, shake her hand and greet her poiltely… and so on. Note that you don’t make insults, or spit, or snarl. You just ignore.
The ‘cut direct’ is etiquette’s strongest tool. It should be used rarely and only with extreme provocation. It is not rude, but it is a very explicit statement that you refuse to be socially connected with that person and it should only be deployed under the most serious circumstances. Otherwise it loses its power.
I’d be awfully surprised if this hasn’t happened to President Bush before (and many other politicians, too). There are people whom I would ‘cut,’ BTW, but the current president isn’t one of them.
As for the Pope, I would greet him politely, but I would not kiss his ring. Etiquette does not require that I do so, since I am not a Catholic. I would make eye contact and say, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Excellancy.” If he offered me his hand, I would shake it.
Similar with the Queen of England. It is commonly thought that etiquette requires one to curtsey or bow to the Queen, but this is not true of Americans. British etiquette may require a curtsey, but American etiquette explicitly does not. As an American, the polite way for me to greet the Queen would be the same as for the Pope – to look her in the eye and say, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Royal Highness.” If she offers her hand, I would shake it. As she probably would, since she knows perfectly well that, as an American, I am not obligated to curtsey.
I’d shake if it’s not a political advancement move. Don’t expect a hand shake if you come to visit after leaving me rotting for two weeks in a disaster.
I did something similar to a former Republican congressperson from my state. My wife and I were at a fair and she was there pressing the flesh. She approach me with her hand out and I put out my hand. At the last moment I pulled my hand back and walked away. One of the suits with her ran up behind me and told me what I did was not very nice. I told him I didn’t think what she has done to the taxpayers of the state were very nice.
As far as meeting Bush, I could never imagine myself being anywhere near enough to him to shake his hand.
Bush probably wouldn’twant to shake my hand due to all the spittng on him and screaming od “You ASSHOLE!!!” Many good, brave Americans have died as a result of Bush’s crimes. Some crimes go beyond etiquette, and Bush has committed them. Fucker belongs in a prison cell.
As for the Pope, I wonder about the ring-kissing on sanitary grounds. Everybody putting their lips on the exact same place … what if one of your predecessors had a cold? Or bird flu?
I think instead I would salute Ratzinger, the way he likes – arm raised about 10 degrees above being parallel to the ground, hand extended, fingers stiff … maybe I’d click my heels, too!
There was a prior thread that addressed this exact subject. Would you shake George Bush’s hand?
I just wonder why EJsGirl’s is so worried about being polite and then calls all that would refrain from shaking Bush’s hand 'assholes". That is not very polite for nothing more than a difference of opinion.
I would not shake his hand but I would avoid the situation where I would have to. Bush has done much to abuse his position and bring disgrace upon the US that I love and honor. I could not shake his hand.
The talk of kissing the Pope’s ring out of politeness is silly. That is not polite, that is either following a religion enough to kowtow to medieval protocol and a mindless act of submission. I would never kiss his ring, just plain crazy for a non-Roman Catholic to do so. It would be an insult that he would expect such obeisance from others.
Jim
I have shaken hands with people much more despicable than president Bush. I would shake his hand.
I think I’d do whatever is expected of me, protocol-wise. Smile, nod, shake hands, smooch ring. I might not like it, but I was raised that way. I used to hang out with the diplomat crowd growing up, so it was something I had to do. Former mortal enemies often had to sit at the same table, wives opposite each other… always entertaining, that. (For the record, kids? Couldn’t care less.)
Strangely, perhaps, I think I would actually find it easier to stomach shaking Dubya’s hand than Darth Pope’s. But then, I’m a recovering Catholic… and I have significant issues with Ratzinger’s policies in general. That said, I was impressed with some of what he managed to say and do while he was out here in the US. He still totally gives me the willies. (Yes, I choose my words carefully. Interpret “willies” as you wish. 
)
And if you’re not Catholic, that would be wrong. Would you also accept communion?
I wouldn’t shake his hand. I also wouldn’t spit at him. Acceptable behavior falls well between approbation and abuse.
I would shake his hand, but only to be polite. I loathe the man and his policies, but I don’t see why I shouldn’t treat him with at least the minimum of respect I would give anybody based on their being human.
As for the Pope, I’d do whatever is considered polite for non-Catholics to do. Whatever disagreements I have with him aren’t in the same league as those I have with Bush, seeing as the Pope has no actual authority over me.
Has none of the Bush haters considered giving him a really FIRM handshake? Or, if one knows in advance of the opportunity, a good buzz? Or making him look dorky by initiating some kind of multi-phase “jive handshake” that leaves him a step behind?
I’m terribly disappointed at what he’s done as President, but when all is said and done, I consider myself a patriotic American, and he is the sitting President. I would not reach out to shake his hand, but if it were a public occasion (especially with photogs or foreigners in attendance) and he reached out to shake mine, I would not dishonor him, and by extension my country, by ostentatiously refusing it. I would give him a brief, polite and perfunctory grasp, and then blog about it afterwards.
Or a jive handshake. Yeah, I like the thought of that.
If we were, let’s say, trapped in an elevator together and not shaking his hand would mean standing in awkard silence for several hours until we were rescued, then I would shake his hand.
But in general, no. I was raised as well as anyone else in this thread, but my mother didn’t raise a smiley-faced phony either.
I’ll tack on an addendum to the last post:
If we were at a cocktail party, I wouldn’t go up to him and introduce myself. Nor would I want the host introducing us (and I would tell him or her so). But if he came up and introduced himself with an outstretched hand, I probably would shake it just because it would be just as embarrassing for me as it would be for him for me to do otherwise.
I wouldn’t stand in a receiving line for him though. There’s nothing special about shaking a president’s hand. A great man’s hand, yes. But the president is not necessarily a great man.
Wait, Is it WRONG to accept Communion if you’re not Catholic?
I mean, to be polite and all- should you refuse it?
I have no idea of what one should do in that case, and I’d probably accept it if offered.
Yes, it’s wrong to take communion if you’re not Catholic.
I agree with Jess. It is NOT impolite to refuse to shake hands with someone. It is a deliberate snub, but one that may be warranted given extreme circumstances.
If I were introduced to the President in my professional capacity, I would shake hands with him. However in a social setting I would not. The man has put himself beyond the pale of polite society.
Well, they don’t really offer communion to individuals, per se. Usually, you get in line for it, and it’s pretty easy to just not get in line. Catholics do that all the time, as we aren’t supposed to take it if we have a reason we need to go to confession first (ok, ok, most people don’t really follow that rule anymore, but some do). It would not in any way be considered impolite to say “no thank you, I’m not a Catholic,” at which point it will be un-offered. As DianaG says, non-Catholics are not supposed to accept it.
In regards to the OP…I would shake the President’s hand. I’m not good at snubbing people, anyway. I remember I was at a parade once, and a local politician was there, pressing the flesh. My husband (boyfriend at the time) refused to shake his hand, which I was like :eek: …and kind of impressed that he had the balls to do it. And that politician is now the Governor of Illinois! Guess my husband’s gesture of disdain didn’t hurt him too much.
The Pope, I guess I would just do whatever the protocol people told me to do. I’m not even sure all Catholics have to kiss his ring, but if they do, then I guess I would do it. That’s the kind of gesture that’s showing respect to the office, not the man. (Not that I personally have anything against this Pope.)
From memory: The Nixorcist by Perfectly Clear. President Nixon has been possessed by the Devil. Henry Kissinger has been brought in to negotiate a withdrawal. He suggests the Devil leave Nixon’s body and withdraw to a given point past the foot of the bed.
Nixon: Sounds reasonable to me! Let’s shake on it.
Kissinger: I cannot shake hands with you.
Nixon: Why not?
Kissinger: Well, er…
Nixon: Peace is at hand, Henry!
Kissinger: Because you are a dybbuk. I cannot shake hands with a dybbuk.