Another hate email making the rounds

[christiefan915]

I got this email recently. Scroll to the end for my rebuttal to the sender.

Regarding the bolded words, showing the soles of the shoes is an insult in Arab culture (you can substitute "Muslim" here.) The writer is concerned that Muslims will be disrespected by the picture. For nine years conservatives have tried to paint Muslims as the vicious enemies of the U.S. Now they're worried about giving offense.

Proof positive that irony is dead.

Does this photo of President Obama in the Oval Office convey anything about his attitude and arrogance?




Would you speak with the Chief of Staff, your Chief Economics Adviser, your Senior Adviser, or anyone, with your feet up on the Resolute Desk - a gift from Queen Victoria to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880?

This arrogant, immature, self-centered man has no sense of honor, or simple decency.

While this posture is disrespectful in any culture, it is not appropriate in any executive setting. Further, in over half of the cultures of the world, it is recognized not only as disrespectful, but as an extreme insult.

He thinks of himself as a king, not as a servant of the people, humbly occupying our White House for his term in office.

Electing him was an enormous mistake and will cost us in many ways, for generations.

No additional comments are necessary.

[Damocles]

(First, don't take this as some form of criticism of Obama for this picture. I don't care about the picture.)

I've always wondered why somebody would use Bush as the measure of the "good" of Obama. If Bush did it, then Obama is okay doing it too? That's just weird from a group who absolutely despised Bush.

Bush walked up behind Merkle and rubbed her fricking shoulders people. He isn't the measure of anything at all that could be considered the right way to handle things when considering protocol and manners. The second photo does not show the President showing the bottom of his feet to staffers. One of the reasons people voted for Obama is so that "shoulder rubs" and other gaffes wouldn't happen. Apparently, that isn't true. All we get is it's okay because Bush did it!

I just don't get how a person can take a picture of a President they do not like, nor do most people here from the same party as that President, and use it to say it is okay for another to do the same thing....

[leaningright]

It's the same "they do it too" argument. Doesn't work well for either side, but we'll always see it.

[Norman Paperman]

Originally Posted by leaningright

It's the same "they do it too" argument. Doesn't work well for either side, but we'll always see it.

Aye, wouldn't it be nice if instead of saying "Look! They did it!" people would say "Look! They did it! But we're not going to do it, we're gonna do something different."

[Socrtease]

Don't care. My bet is more than just Ford, Bush-lite and Obama put their feet up on a desk when talking to advisors. This is a non-issue. We really need to start criticizing our leaders on shit that matters.

[RStringfield]

When showing that the response is just false outrage, they did it too is appropriate. Especially with something as trivial as this. Who freaking cares. Was he talking to someone from a culture that sees it as an insult? The conclusions made in the email are stupid. This is like when Bush did the horn sign and some ran with that saying in Europe it was seen as satanic. Too much reading between the lines and applying what YOU want it to mean instead of any real intent to understand.

My guess, is Obama's intent was "I'd feel more comfortable with my feet up." Why should I or anyone else read more into it than that?

[Mott the Hoople]

I put the email in the category of "You can't seriously expect me to give a shit do you?"

and I don't care if it's a picture of Obama, Bush, Clinton, Reagan or Lincoln.

[Jarod]

I often sit like that...

[Mott the Hoople]

Originally Posted by Socrtease

Don't care. My bet is more than just Ford, Bush-lite and Obama put their feet up on a desk when talking to advisors. This is a non-issue. We really need to start criticizing our leaders on shit that matters.

Yea no kidding. That's why I got a serious case of incumbant fever. I'm sick to death of this partisan hackery shit. It's bad for the country and it's gotta stop...or at least be restrained by common sense and a sense of what is best for the nation.

I want to send a message to my representatives. Shit or get off the pot. It's time to quit bickering and get something done.

[Damocles]

Originally Posted by Mott the Hoople

I put the email in the category of "You can't seriously expect me to give a shit do you?"

and I don't care if it's a picture of Obama, Bush, Clinton, Reagan or Lincoln.

Well, we all seem to agree with that. Feet on desk, not a big deal.

Let's assume it was a picture of Obama rubbing up the neck muscles of the (female) German Premiere.

My point was why do people always seem to think we'll all go, "well, all right then, you've convinced me it is good to rub Merkle's shoulders because Bush did it"... ?

[SmarterThanYou]

while it is indeed unprofessional.......who frickin cares?

[Mott the Hoople]

Originally Posted by Damocles

Well, we all seem to agree with that. Feet on desk, not a big deal.

Let's assume it was a picture of Obama rubbing up the neck muscles of the (female) German Premiere.

My point was why do people always seem to think we'll all go, "well, all right then, you've convinced me it is good to rub Merkle's shoulders because Bush did it"... ?

Because they want to demonise one side or the other and when they get caught, just like a little kid, they expect the excuse "But he/she did it first!" is going to sell.

I'm seeing venemous partisan bickering in Congress that is detrimental to the nation. Both sides are equally and disgracefully bad about it and it's creating artificial divides upon the citizenry that should not exist and which create harmfull factions that are a cancer upon our body politic but most importantly THEY DON'T GET SHIT DONE!!

Can you imagine what we would have to do if another Pearl Harbor occurred (and the 911 attacks bear this out) by a major military power? We'd have to get rid of the whole shit load of them to get anything done. It's dangerous for the country and it's got to stop.

[NigelTufnel]

Originally Posted by Damocles

Well, we all seem to agree with that. Feet on desk, not a big deal.

Let's assume it was a picture of Obama rubbing up the neck muscles of the (female) German Premiere.

My point was why do people always seem to think we'll all go, "well, all right then, you've convinced me it is good to rub Merkle's shoulders because Bush did it"... ?

I don't think you get the point that the "Bush did it, too" people are making. It isn't to show that putting your feet on the desk is OK. It's to show that the jackasses that think Obama putting his feet on the desk signifies that Obama thinks he is a king weren't saying anything when Bush kicked his feet up. It's a charge of hypocrisy and fauxrage, not a defense of Obama.

[Damocles]

Originally Posted by NigelTufnel

I don't think you get the point that the "Bush did it, too" people are making. It isn't to show that putting your feet on the desk is OK. It's to show that the jackasses that think Obama putting his feet on the desk signifies that Obama thinks he is a king weren't saying anything when Bush kicked his feet up. It's a charge of hypocrisy and fauxrage, not a defense of Obama.

So, when we brought up Clinton all those years it was pointing out the hypocrisy and you are just now getting it?

Many, many times it has been a defense. The "You don't have room to talk because Bush did it." defense. My question is how is it a defense? Most of us don't like Bush much more than you. A better one might be the "Reagan did it so shut up" defense rather than Bush.

[webbway]

Another hate email? Really stretching it on that one.

I imagine this email is another creation of liberal idiots with nothing better to do.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/photos/desk.asp