Bow-wow-gate: The Japanese view

 My college friend and sometimes IT guru, Paul, offers via e-mail a bit of Japanese perspective in wake of “The Bow Heard Round the World.” I facetiously speak of the uproar over President Obama bowing to the Japanese Emperor during the former’s official visit earlier this week. Paul lives in Tokyo where he has taught English for a number of years. He is an astute observer of his surroundings perhaps either because of or despite — perhaps a bit of both — the journalism classes he and I had together at Stephen F. Austin State University. I still think the name of the institution should be shortened to “Steve.”

 Paul observes that the leftists in Japan, who object to the Imperial system, are the ones bothered by Obama’s bow to the Emperor as compared to the American right-wing who are ticked off because they contend the president is being servile.

 My opinion, of course, is that anything Obama does pisses off the right wing. I used the old adage in response to Paul about the matter:  “Some people would complain if they had a loaf of bread under each arm.”**

 Paul also points out that the Japanese left sees the Obama bow as “giving support to an outdated and superstitious system” although the Japanese on the street support Obama and “can’t understand what the big deal is.”

 The Japanese view the bow as a handshake and contrary to what Americans might think is not witnessed that much in Japan nowadays, according to Paul.

 “The Japanese don’t care if (Americans) do (the bow) because we always f**k it up,” Paul said. “It’s a Japanese thing. They are pleased to take the cultural first dance to practice the handshake.”

 Given that a seemingly small portion of Japanese leftists have their nose out of joint, the clamor over a bowing Obama is just a whole trunk load o’ nothing that the American right-wing class can use to get a few days of media. Okay, you got it. Now move on to the next ridiculous matter you can find to criticize Obama and the Democrats.

 It all is just meaningless drivel from people whose point of view becomes increasingly less relevant in a society that has tired of all the bulls**t.

**I’m not certain where this saying originated although I have heard it most of my life. I’ve also heard the variation “pig under one arm and a loaf of bread under the other.” Both aphorisms, or platitudes if you prefer,” would nicely fit the Great Depression era. Or perhaps, for some, the sayings might work these days.