Indonesian Official touches Michelle Obama - Ourage Ensues!

[Jimbeaux]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20101109/pl_y...

[Pesty]

In moderate Indonesia? Never

[Jimbeaux]

Pesty said:

In moderate Indonesia? Never

Perish the thought!

[Blue Meanie]

He'll just have to grow the fk up, won't he. If he doesn't want to shake hands, he should be a politician.

[slipstream 1985]

gads maybe she had cooties!

[voyds9]

And in next weeks lesson 'how to kiss a baby'

[Jimbeaux]

To be fair to the Indonesians, some of the women were giggly about it. I suppose it was two fingers up on their behalf.

[Bing o]

Jimbeaux said:

Pesty said:

In moderate Indonesia? Never

Perish the thought!

Not sure which of the following you missed:

"Indonesia -- which has the world's largest Islamic population, the vast majority moderate -- had been debating how to handle encounters between the first lady and observant Muslim officials far in advance of the Obamas' arrival in the country Monday."

The majority of Indonesian's I have met are observant but moderate muslims. Yes, there is a fundamentalist element (and pious politicians like the guy in the article), and some terrorism, but to paint the whole country as extremist based on a handshake is a bit wide of the mark IMHO.

As an Indonesian visa holder, I have some experience of the country - Jakarta's a bit rough, but where else in the world can you buy roadside viagra

And when the Obama's visit Japan, will they make a big fuss about not shaking hands then due to buddhist fundamentalism?

[Blue Meanie]

[quote=Bing o]

As an Indonesian visa holder, I have some experience of the country - Jakarta's a bit rough, but where else in the world can you buy roadside viagra

[/quote

OK, The rest I agree with, but isn;t that a little bit stiff? Are you being hard on the place?

[Bing o]

Blue Meanie said:

Bing o said:

As an Indonesian visa holder, I have some experience of the country - Jakarta's a bit rough, but where else in the world can you buy roadside viagra

OK, The rest I agree with, but isn;t that a little bit stiff? Are you being hard on the place?

You'd have to ask my mate Dangerous Dave - the Indo girls in Jakarta are hot enough not to need the little blue pills

(And yes, ho ho )

[Jimbeaux]

Bing o said:

Jimbeaux said:

Pesty said:

In moderate Indonesia? Never

Perish the thought!

Not sure which of the following you missed:

"Indonesia -- which has the world's largest Islamic population, the vast majority moderate -- had been debating how to handle encounters between the first lady and observant Muslim officials far in advance of the Obamas' arrival in the country Monday."

The majority of Indonesian's I have met are observant but moderate muslims. Yes, there is a fundamentalist element (and pious politicians like the guy in the article), and some terrorism, but to paint the whole country as extremist based on a handshake is a bit wide of the mark IMHO.

As an Indonesian visa holder, I have some experience of the country - Jakarta's a bit rough, but where else in the world can you buy roadside viagra

And when the Obama's visit Japan, will they make a big fuss about not shaking hands then due to buddhist fundamentalism?

Understood, but this excerpt from your post is telling IMO.:

"had been debating how to handle encounters between the first lady and observant Muslim officials far in advance of the Obamas' arrival".

[Bing o]

Jimbeaux said:

Understood, but this excerpt from your post is telling IMO.:

"had been debating how to handle encounters between the first lady and observant Muslim officials far in advance of the Obamas' arrival".

And what happens when they go to Japan? It's a huge faux pas to shake hands with a Japanese if they do not offer their hand first?

[Jimbeaux]

Bing o said:

Jimbeaux said:

Understood, but this excerpt from your post is telling IMO.:

"had been debating how to handle encounters between the first lady and observant Muslim officials far in advance of the Obamas' arrival".

And what happens when they go to Japan? It's a huge faux pas to shake hands with a Japanese if they do not offer their hand first?

Good point. However, I bet gold that the Japanese offer the hand up straight away so as to not cause awkwardness. Furthermore, that is a custom for the Japanese IIRC whereas the Indos see it as something "unclean".

[Bing o]

Jimbeaux said:

Bing o said:

Jimbeaux said:

Understood, but this excerpt from your post is telling IMO.:

"had been debating how to handle encounters between the first lady and observant Muslim officials far in advance of the Obamas' arrival".

And what happens when they go to Japan? It's a huge faux pas to shake hands with a Japanese if they do not offer their hand first?

Good point. However, I bet gold that the Japanese offer the hand up straight away so as to not cause awkwardness. Furthermore, that is a custom for the Japanese IIRC whereas the Indos see it as something "unclean".

I'm sorry Jimbeaux, you seem to be mistaking the first Lady for a pig....

References I can find on the internet show that it is actually a sign of respect for any woman that the man is not related to (depending on your breed of islam). Most Muslims would probbaly realise that the done thing would be to shake hands, but it has nothing to do with disrespect - so no different to the Japanese.

http://muslimvoices.org/shaking-hands-muslim-world...

I'm not the ROPers biggest fan (far from), but having spent some time out in SE Asia, you do get a different perspective on the news, and how it's spun to suit both agendas - I'm just trying to read and learn as much as possible so that I can be objective.

Indonesia is a fantastic country, the people are on the whole fantastic, so it sticks in my throat to see the western press spin an absolute non-story to suit their anti-eastern agenda yet again.

[thehawk]

Bing o said:

As an Indonesian visa holder, I have some experience of the country - Jakarta's a bit rough, but where else in the world can you buy roadside viagra

Most of SE Asia for a start, even conservative Singapore.

[Bing o]

thehawk said:

Bing o said:

As an Indonesian visa holder, I have some experience of the country - Jakarta's a bit rough, but where else in the world can you buy roadside viagra

Most of SE Asia for a start, even conservative Singapore.

Must have been looking down the wrong streets

[-Z-]

Jimbeaux said:

Bing o said:

Jimbeaux said:

Understood, but this excerpt from your post is telling IMO.:

"had been debating how to handle encounters between the first lady and observant Muslim officials far in advance of the Obamas' arrival".

And what happens when they go to Japan? It's a huge faux pas to shake hands with a Japanese if they do not offer their hand first?

Good point. However, I bet gold that the Japanese offer the hand up straight away so as to not cause awkwardness. Furthermore, that is a custom for the Japanese IIRC whereas the Indos see it as something "unclean".

Google is great, type the phrase George Bush and it offers a fail for any occasion.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-238...

[Victor McDade]

Could be worse, she could have hugged the Queen of England...oh wait!

Edited by Victor McDade on Wednesday 10th November 10:04

[Bing o]

-Z- said:

Jimbeaux said:

Bing o said:

Jimbeaux said:

Understood, but this excerpt from your post is telling IMO.:

"had been debating how to handle encounters between the first lady and observant Muslim officials far in advance of the Obamas' arrival".

And what happens when they go to Japan? It's a huge faux pas to shake hands with a Japanese if they do not offer their hand first?

Good point. However, I bet gold that the Japanese offer the hand up straight away so as to not cause awkwardness. Furthermore, that is a custom for the Japanese IIRC whereas the Indos see it as something "unclean".

Google is great, type the phrase George Bush and it offers a fail for any occasion.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-238...

Jim's still not come back about the point I made about him confusing Mrs Barry with a pig...

[Jimbeaux]

Bing o said:

Jimbeaux said:

Bing o said:

Jimbeaux said:

Understood, but this excerpt from your post is telling IMO.:

"had been debating how to handle encounters between the first lady and observant Muslim officials far in advance of the Obamas' arrival".

And what happens when they go to Japan? It's a huge faux pas to shake hands with a Japanese if they do not offer their hand first?

Good point. However, I bet gold that the Japanese offer the hand up straight away so as to not cause awkwardness. Furthermore, that is a custom for the Japanese IIRC whereas the Indos see it as something "unclean".

I'm sorry Jimbeaux, you seem to be mistaking the first Lady for a pig....

References I can find on the internet show that it is actually a sign of respect for any woman that the man is not related to (depending on your breed of islam). Most Muslims would probbaly realise that the done thing would be to shake hands, but it has nothing to do with disrespect - so no different to the Japanese.

http://muslimvoices.org/shaking-hands-muslim-world...

I'm not the ROPers biggest fan (far from), but having spent some time out in SE Asia, you do get a different perspective on the news, and how it's spun to suit both agendas - I'm just trying to read and learn as much as possible so that I can be objective.

Indonesia is a fantastic country, the people are on the whole fantastic, so it sticks in my throat to see the western press spin an absolute non-story to suit their anti-eastern agenda yet again.

No, the news here is not slamming Indonesia, just the official who made a big deal over the handshake. As a matter of fact, the news (Fox to your horror ) made a point to mention that the majority of the population is moderate and highlighted the women there getting a laugh from the issue.