No Invite For O??..........

[WalksWithChrist]

Well...as they say...it's not the gift...but the thought that counts. And that's the point...how little thought was put into the tradition of the gift giving.

Certainly a pen holder isn't all that big a deal...however...WHY the gift from the Prime Minister to Obama was "special" and thoughtful....the way it was crafted and the symbolism...and what it represented...was sincere token of respect in the bond of friendship...remembering a long standing history of acts of friendship between the two countries.

And that's what this whole "gifty" thing was truly about...remembering and honoring a good relationship between our two countries...for almost 100 years now... regardless of the Revolution.

...not the giving and receiving of awesome gifts...like iPODs and DVDs...or a really cool pen holder...(I mean seriously...who wouldn't want an iPOD or a stack of DVDs over a pen holder...)

...but what they represent as thoughtfulness, appreciation and respect for each other in the bond of friendship.

Here's a pen holder made from the wood of a British ship that was active in the fight against slave labor.

A companion piece to the desk, crafted from the wood of her sister ship...the desk we gave your country in gratitude for the hand of friendship you extended to us...by bringing the HMS Resolute home to us when you found it abandoned...way back in the 1800's

I am just really amazed frankly...that so many of you do not see the significance of this...and these symbolic gifts...

So my dearest WWC...it's not about the "presents"...not about sucking up to some monarch...but that the gifts are indeed representative of the "gift" of friendship and mutual respect and value...in sincerity and thoughtfulness....between our two countries...regardless of the difference we may have.

I don't know how I could explain this any better...or why so many of you simply don't "get it"

No, actually I do get it. I know how many traditions, rules and regulations surround gift giving between sovereign nations. I used to watch West Wing by golly! lol

It's not that I don't get it. It's that I think it's silly is all. Britain has the ability to trump us...every...single...time by giving us some amazingly historically significant gift. It's Britain! They have more history in one square inch of soil than we do in our whole country!

So what do we do? Give them one of George Washington's wooden teeth?
I'm kidding, but you get where I'm coming from I think. This is coming from a guy who recently refused to continue wrapping his Christmas presents.


You actually do make good points and I don't want to seem like I'm dismissing them.

 

[Cris413]

No, actually I do get it. I know how many traditions, rules and regulations surround gift giving between sovereign nations. I used to watch West Wing by golly! lol

It's not that I don't get it. It's that I think it's silly is all. Britain has the ability to trump us...every...single...time by giving us some amazingly historically significant gift. It's Britain! They have more history in one square inch of soil than we do in our whole country!

So what do we do? Give them one of George Washington's wooden teeth?
I'm kidding, but you get where I'm coming from I think. This is coming from a guy who recently refused to continue wrapping his Christmas presents.


You actually do make good points and I don't want to seem like I'm dismissing them.

OK…I’m simply not going to belabor the point any further other than this:

It’s keeping up these “silly” traditions that bring us to remembrance of the years of friendly relations.

Not about what gift trumps another gift.

And this is a rhetorical question…because as I said…I’ve already gone beyond redundancy with this issue…

…but do you really consider…that even though we’re only 200 or so years old…that the POTUS…the most powerful man in the world…could not have come up with….

….nor appointed one of his many aides to come up with an appropriate gift….or commission something….anything….that was just a bit more thoughtful and meaningful.

Even if the POTUS didn’t have the time or the inclination to do so himself…or even Michelle for that matter….

…I mean there are staff in the WH…that their entire purpose for being there is to address and maintain proper protocol…and NO ONE…absolutely NO ONE…could do better than an iPOD and some DVDs????

Seriously?

 

[sharkiemcgee]

WHO CARES about the "Royal Wedding"???? Prince William is only a "prince" due to his bloodline. He could be any Joe Schmoe off the street. Regardless of how many conservatives feel, President Obama earned his title and was elected BY THE PEOPLE. This post is a joke.

 

[WalksWithChrist]

OK…I’m simply not going to belabor the point any further other than this:

It’s keeping up these “silly” traditions that bring us to remembrance of the years of friendly relations.

Not about what gift trumps another gift.

And this is a rhetorical question…because as I said…I’ve already gone beyond redundancy with this issue…

…but do you really consider…that even though we’re only 200 or so years old…that the POTUS…the most powerful man in the world…could not have come up with….

….nor appointed one of his many aides to come up with an appropriate gift….or commission something….anything….that was just a bit more thoughtful and meaningful.

Even if the POTUS didn’t have the time or the inclination to do so himself…or even Michelle for that matter….

…I mean there are staff in the WH…that their entire purpose for being there is to address and maintain proper protocol…and NO ONE…absolutely NO ONE…could do better than an iPOD and some DVDs????

Seriously?

I never said the gifts weren't tacky...


I personally think the people that have jobs as professional gift choosers that pick out salad forks for dignitaries should be re-tasked to do something a lot more productive.

In this day and age I simply believe we should put much less emphasis on such things.

That said, diplomatic faux pauxs like this go down all the time. Sometimes they happen on purpose! And we will see them again under this President...and the next...and so on throughout history.

This really shouldn't (and I get your point as to why it should be, I just disagree) be such a big issue. Same with the wedding. Just let the two of them get married and invite whomever they want.

Ok, so what gifts should they have given the Queen? I'm curious what you would pick.

 

[Cris413]

I never said the gifts weren't tacky...


I personally think the people that have jobs as professional gift choosers that pick out salad forks for dignitaries should be re-tasked to do something a lot more productive.

In this day and age I simply believe we should put much less emphasis on such things.

That said, diplomatic faux pauxs like this go down all the time. Sometimes they happen on purpose! And we will see them again under this President...and the next...and so on throughout history.

This really shouldn't (and I get your point as to why it should be, I just disagree) be such a big issue. Same with the wedding. Just let the two of them get married and invite whomever they want.

Ok, so what gifts should they have given the Queen? I'm curious what you would pick.

I'm not saying this is a BIG issue...certainly there are more important issues...it's just not completely a non-issue...in that it is very indicative of the lack of respect our current POTUS gives others...especially our allies.

And in all fairness to Obama...he certainly had no problem giving honor and respect...in the "traditional" manner...with a full bow from the waist to the Saudi King, the Japanese Emporer...and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

And interestingly...I think Obama also gave the Japanese Emporer a Kindle with his book "Dreams of My Father" downloaded on it...LOL...At least he gave the Queen of England a signed paper back copy...

Anyway...I'm not all that concerned about the Queen really...she is just a figure head after all...and honestly...I couldn't care less about the wedding either...my only concern was how our POTUS represented our country to the UK.

But, I think Obama should have given PM Gordon Brown a check for $20 Billion...just to compensate all of the Brits who lost their pensions and the economic blow to the UK (I wonder if that's what made the Brits so cranky during G20) as well as the blow to the US economy......and a DVD of the Congressional Hearing for British citizen Tony Hayward....



PS...I know the PMs visit was before the oil spill...just making a little joke... (although...it's really not all that funny)

 

[WalksWithChrist]

I'm not saying this is a BIG issue...certainly there are more important issues...it's just not completely a non-issue...in that it is very indicative of the lack of respect our current POTUS gives others...especially our allies.

And in all fairness to Obama...he certainly had no problem giving honor and respect...in the "traditional" manner...with a full bow from the waist to the Saudi King, the Japanese Emporer...and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

And interestingly...I think Obama also gave the Japanese Emporer a Kindle with his book "Dreams of My Father" downloaded on it...LOL...At least he gave the Queen of England a signed paper back copy...

Anyway...I'm not all that concerned about the Queen really...she is just a figure head after all...and honestly...I couldn't care less about the wedding either...my only concern was how our POTUS represented our country to the UK.

But, I think Obama should have given PM Gordon Brown a check for $20 Billion...just to compensate all of the Brits who lost their pensions and the economic blow to the UK (I wonder if that's what made the Brits so cranky during G20) as well as the blow to the US economy......and a DVD of the Congressional Hearing for British citizen Tony Hayward....



PS...I know the PMs visit was before the oil spill...just making a little joke... (although...it's really not all that funny)

He should have loaded Lord of the Rings on the Kindle too. And Harry Potter.

Cuz they don't have those in the UK.

(I'm watching Deathly Hallows as I type!)

And I believe Bush and his cronies should be the ones writing that $20 bazillion dollar check. You know...the ones running the show that got us in this mess to begin with.

 

[Cris413]

He should have loaded Lord of the Rings on the Kindle too. And Harry Potter.

Cuz they don't have those in the UK.

(I'm watching Deathly Hallows as I type!)

And I believe Bush and his cronies should be the ones writing that $20 bazillion dollar check. You know...the ones running the show that got us in this mess to begin with.

LOL...that's pretty funny!