Obama Gets A Black Belt

[sensei8]

Being a visiting US President, I'm pretty sure it would've been bad for relations had Obama refused the belt from the Korean President. Obama was just being polite...........I hope!

[DWx]

I agree with Joesteph and George, its an honorary belt. Does it really matter all that much? The most he's going to do is stick it on his wall, its not like he's going to start up Obama's TKD school or whatever and start teaching. Honorary doctorates get given out all the time, hey even Kermit the Frog has one. On a side note, the ITF used to give out quite a number of honorary degrees to various presidents and prime ministers, particularly during the early days. Its just a politics.

[RichardZ]

Being a visiting US President, I'm pretty sure it would've been bad for relations had Obama refused the belt from the Korean President. Obama was just being polite...........I hope!

He would have not had bad relations. US presidents of either accepted or rejected certian "gifts" from people-countries over time.

[joesteph]

Being a visiting US President, I'm pretty sure it would've been bad for relations had Obama refused the belt from the Korean President. Obama was just being polite...........I hope!

He would have not had bad relations. US presidents of either accepted or rejected certian "gifts" from people-countries over time.

When I graduated from college in 1973, the guest speaker was then-Senator Bill Bradley, who received an honorary doctorate. The practice of conferring honorary doctorates preceded my graduation, and it continues till today.

Organizations, such as DWx's example of the ITF, confer their own honorariums.

In my hometown, Hudson Boulevard was renamed John F. Kennedy Boulevard back in the 1960s. Neighboring Jersey City renamed Jackson Avenue Martin Luther King Drive in the 1970s.

Universities, organizations, and governments have their own protocol. Personally, I'm glad there's a system in place. Whoever agrees or disagrees, that's each person's right, and I see this thread as reaching the point of agreeing to disagree regarding President Obama's honorary black belt.

[sensei8]

...its not like he's going to start up Obama's TKD school or whatever and start teaching.

That's funny. Imagine if he did...and while he was teaching...Secret Service right there and armed to the teeth.

Who's going to spar with Obama during class?

[sensei8]

Being a visiting US President, I'm pretty sure it would've been bad for relations had Obama refused the belt from the Korean President. Obama was just being polite...........I hope!

He would have not had bad relations. US presidents of either accepted or rejected certian "gifts" from people-countries over time.

It was just an example! Albeit a bad example!

[RichardZ]

I had many chances to receive a "honorary belt" from other arts-org. I declined

[DWx]

I had many chances to receive a "honorary belt" from other arts-org. I declined

That's your own perogative, although just out of interest was there any particular reason for declining?

I really don't see the big deal. It was just a gift to Obama, a piece a paper and a belt. They may as well have just given him a commemorative mug instead.

[sensei8]

I had many chances to receive a "honorary belt" from other arts-org. I declined

I've had an offer or two in the past and like yourself, I declined it as well and will again. Why? It's just not my cup of tea!

[The BB of C]

Well, first President Obama gets a Nobel Prize....then he gets an honorary Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do...cool...good grief!

Here's a very brief article about this....

http://www.kidokwan.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=387:president-obama-to-receive-honorary-taekwondo-belt&catid=41:kukki

I disagree...

I disagree a lot...That is all.