Friday, April 3, 2009

Obama's Bow

For the select few

Obama's bending from the waist down, almost touching the ground (well, exaggeration does make the point) with knees bent, to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has caused quite a stir.

Video of Obama bowing to King Abdullah of
Saudi Arabia. The bow occurs at 53 seconds

When watching the video, the first thing I noticed was the "quick step" with which Obama advanced toward the King of Sharia, his arm readily extended (to the already extended arm of the King). Then he did his bow. This is the behavior of pure, unencumbered deference.

This kind of deference is something that Obama must have had ingrained in him. His bowing to this Muslim monarch was something that happened automatically without him having to think about it; something he must have been taught to do. He has lived after all, for part of his childhood and teenage years in Muslim Indonesia.

This is a really scarey thought. For all his cool and composure, Obama has some strange, deep-seated beliefs and behaviors that keep popping up at unexpected moments.

Imagine, the President of the United States of America, a Western Christian country's leader, showing such unmitigated deference to the King of a Muslim, Oriental country, whose religion is waging war not only on America, but on all of Western and non-Muslim societies.