The Bamster is the President of the United States. He is the Head of State and the singular figurehead of the American government. If an alien saucer landed outside of Roswell and a little green man said, "Take me to your leader," we'd shuttle him to the Oval Office.
In that role there is a need for protocol, sophistication, and that nebulous old concept, "class". A novelist under the nom-de-plume of Trevanian wrote a couple of books in the late '70s; The Eiger Sanction, The Loo Sanction, and one set in Asia titled Shibumi. The concept of shibumi was one of understated elegance and class. Grace under pressure.
Shibumi doesn't respond in kind. Shibumi never descends to name-calling or blame-laying. Shibumi knows what is appropriate in the situation. Shibumi doesn't elbow ahead in line or inconvenience an entire city so that an individual can go out to dinner and a play. Shibumi doesn't give the Queen of England an iPod or return a statue of a beloved statesman such as Churchill.
Here's a picture that demonstrates what shibumi isn't. You'll have to go to the link because it is a restricted picture and I can't post it here. But click through and see what I mean:
Bye-Bye Lama. Chavez and Ahmedindjad Only Get the Front Door
Is the President intentionally an embarrassment? Isn't there a protocol staff left among all of those czars? What was he thinking?
2 comments:
The literal and figurative trashing of the White House and its protocol disgusts me.
Formalities are there for a reason. Courtesy is the lubricant of relationships. No, that photo was a nod to the Chinese. Or perhaps a bow - he is fond of the motion, after all.
"He" doesn't even do the "bow" properly. Done as a show of respect to an equal one maintains eye contact, done as a subservient gesture you keep your eyes down...President of the United States of America Barak H Obama continually has his eyes down when he bows.
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