I thought NO means NO!
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
November 9, 2010 2:41pm CST
1st Lady, Michelle Obama, travelling to Indonesia with her husband Prs. "Little Barry" must have missed the memo repeated since the 80s...
NO MEANS NO!
"I tried to prevent (being touched) with my hands but Mrs. Michelle held her hands too far toward me (so) we touched," ~Information Minister Tifatul Sembiring
Supporters of Mrs. Obama defend her actions, but doesn't the good Information Minister have the right to decide who he wants touching him and who he doesn't? Was it right of Michelle Obama to force him to touch her, even if it was something as innocent as a handshake?
Doesn't No mean, no?
3 people like this
16 responses
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
10 Nov 10
Yes it would have been so much better if she had acted like Bush when he kissed the Saudi king and held his hand and went for a stroll with him.....get real. If someone is smiling at you and holding their hand out and grabs your hand with both of theirs than I am pretty sure that person wanted to shake your hand.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
10 Nov 10
Evanhunter, except he said he WASN'T holding out his hand for her.
I can't believe that stupid thing about Bush holding hands with the Saudi King is still being talked about.
Like the Obamas, apparently you don't care to learn about protocols in other countries either.
When we first went to Saudi Arabia for Desert Shield, we noticed men walking hand in hand all over the place. We noticed it because it looked so strange (as it did to you when you saw the pics of Prs. Bush and the Saudi King.
What we learned was that is how friends act in Saudi Arabia. It is a sign of friendship between peers. When Bush and the King held hands, they were acting as two heads of state would be expected to act in that country.
On the other hand, in Muslim society, men and women who aren't related make no physical contact. Miss Michelle embarrassed him.
Now maybe you can "get real". :~D
1 person likes this
@nafisah369 (2)
• Indonesia
10 Nov 10
maybe this will be a new experience for them, especially for michelle obama.
indonesia has many unique and diverse culture. i think the Obama visit's to Indonesia at this time received positive attention from indonesian than Bush's visit.
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
10 Nov 10
Apparently there's some conflict here according to a couple of responses just above mine. Maybe, since this is your discussion you should find out what the true facts are and then we can comment on the truth instead of the spin.
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
10 Nov 10
Actually looking at the video I do not think Mrs O was at fault.
http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/22940480
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
10 Nov 10
We all remember Mrs. Obummer's last breech of protocol with Queen Elizabeth during the Obummers' visit to England...total lack of respect and now she (Mrs O) is showing her lack of protocol, respect and class again!!!! It is really embarrassing to have a prez wife who represent the USA to show such a lack of class, breeding and disrespect to foreign dignitaries. Barry grovels to to the foreign dignitaries and the missus goes completely the other way by being too familiar.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
10 Nov 10
Since posting my response I checked out the video of the incident and I must say on this occasion I do not think Mrs O was at fault.
Although I still think she does not show the proper protocol and seems to forget she is our abassadress when on all her foreign trips.
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
10 Nov 10
here is the video I watched:
http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/22940480#video=22957144
@HawaiiGopher (1009)
• Belgium
10 Nov 10
Wow, damned if you do, damned if you don't. Obama bows to the Saudi King, "OMG OMG OMG!!! HE'S SHOWING HIS SUBORDINATION TO ISLAM!!!!!" Michelle shakes hands with a Muslim, "OMG OMG OMG!!!! MICHELLE IS NOT RESPECTING ISLAMIC CULTURE!!!!!" At least try to remain consistent with your complaints.
1 person likes this
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
10 Nov 10
Wow Ted, I used to give you the benefit of the doubt but I guess you are just so far right wing anything you hear about the Obama's that are negative must be true in your opinion. Maybe you should watch the video for yourself it seems to me the guy was over eager to shake her hand, after all he grabbed on to her hand with both of his and was smiling like he had just won the lottery.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
10 Nov 10
By the way, did I say that it was anything earth shattering? NO! So quit acting like I did.
@xfahctor (14113)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
10 Nov 10
Ok, at first I as all set to jump on this and caste my lot of critique in with everyone else. i was all set to jump on this as a horrifyingly embarrassing breach of protocol.
And then I saw the video. In the video, the Minister not only does not seem uncomfortable, he has his hand out before Mrs. Obama does, rather enthusiastically and a great big smile on his face as he takes her hand. His tweet may likely be a preemptive act to placate the largely Muslim population in his country who would see as an insult to Islamic culture.
Just my 2 cents.
1 person likes this
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
10 Nov 10
I noticed the same thing he seemed pretty eager to shake her hand to me also.
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
9 Nov 10
Did he tell her not to touch him?
I can't judge the situation since I haven't seen it on video. Who knows what really happened.
@Rollo1 (16676)
• Boston, Massachusetts
9 Nov 10
Well, it proves that Michelle, at least, is not a Muslim. The Information Minister is apparently very pious and doesn't have physical contact with women he is not related to.
Michelle might not know that, but the President's staff should and they should be well-versed in protocol. That's their job, to gather information about the places the President will go and the people he will meet and to prepare him on customs and traditions so he doesn't accidentally create an internation incident. So far, they haven't been doing too well on this. Everywhere he goes, there's some incident due to the perils of protocol.
But, to even things out, Barack Obama bowed to the audience after his speech to the Indian Parliament and he bowed before getting on the plane to Indonesia.
@dark_joev (3034)
• United States
10 Nov 10
If he really didn't want it I don't think he would of put his hand out as I have seen the video. Also highly doubt Obama's staff missed this one as Obama was informed of bowing to the Emperor of Japan was the proper thing to do and Obama didn't even bow as low as a Japanese person would bow if they where in front of the Emperor of Japan. As well he is the Emperor and that is an Important person to the people of Japan there is a video on youtube.com where a person asks one of his Japanese friends how low she would bow to a friend and it was the same as Obama did to the Emperor then he asks her the Emperor of Japan and she bows all the way down to where her head is almost touching her knees.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
10 Nov 10
Dark, I refuse to respond to any more of your posts until you learn to use punctuation.
@6precious102 (4043)
• United States
13 Nov 10
I thought the White House was suppose to have an office of protocol that lets the President and his entourage know what is proper in these sort of settings.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
11 Nov 10
The problem might be the protocol adviser or Mrs. Obama's memory.
@cynthiann (18612)
• Jamaica
9 Nov 10
surely the Diplomatic staff should have advised the President and his wife about the correct etiquette to be used when visiting various countries. Someone slipped up here
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
10 Nov 10
This happens so much, I've decided the Obamas simply don't care.
@chipesterkhan (2925)
• Philippines
10 Nov 10
"No" actually means "Yes, but not right now."
you just have to look for the "buying signs"
@liuyh0619 (108)
• China
11 Nov 10
I don't think it was the mistake of the first lady. she just want to express enthusiasm , and the minister who didn't seem uncomfortable shake her hand with smile. The staff should have advice the president and his wife the etiquette about how to respond in that situstion. It's their breach of duty.
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
9 Nov 10
I am indeed surprised that the first lady did what she is alleged to have done, especially since her hushand, the president, did spend some of his childhood in that part of the world. Because of most people's habit of sticking thier finger in the mouth and nose, I do not hand-shake often and some people at times accuse me of being anti-social for this reason. I just prefer to smile, nod and say kind words rather than hand-shake; and can understand the offended position.
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
9 Nov 10
When I don't want to shake hands with someone I don't hold my hands out to them. Simple as that.
