TWO YEARS ago, Israelis comentators were  reportedly strongly critical of Obama for propping his feet up on his desk while talking to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone. The pose was considered extremely disrespectful.

The criticism apparently made no impact. There are many photographs that show the president with his shoes on furniture. Elaine M. Jordan at Tradition in Action takes Obama to task for this habit, which is the sign of a self-absorbed slob.  She writes:

Even though it would be admissible for an old man by himself in his pajamas to put his feet on an ottoman to read the newspaper in his study, or for boys out camping to strech out their legs and set their feet on a rock to relax, this same posture is not admissible in any circumstance in mixed company, in the presence of older persons or in any public place.

In addition to the obligation of maintaining the decorum we owe to ourselves, our neighbors, and God and His Angels, we must also show care for the furniture, which was acquired with effort to express the dignity of the family.

This elementary principle is enforced in every public place we go. If one of us were visiting a museum or a library and put our feet on its furniture, we would be promptly called to task by the personnel, who would tell us to immediately stop doing so or face the consequences: expulsion from the place and a fine.

Shoes are unsanitary, even in the modern world. They also damage the threads of upholstery and the wood of chairs. Furthermore, there is something indefinably insulting about thrusting one’s feet into view.

   —- Comments —

Jane S. writes:

On top of that, showing the bottoms of one’s feet–shod or not–is considered a terrible insult in Eastern cultures. This photo is the equivalent of Obama flipping the bird to the entire Asian world.

Mary writes:

This is a lame attempt to exude an aura of relaxed self-assurance. He’s a poseur.

Carolyn writes:

I have always been a careless, absent-minded, casual dresser. Long ago, my father tried periodically to explain to me the importance of dressing up, upon occasion, but I never quite “got it.” In recent years, I have tried to do a better job of it, simply upon the principle of trying to avoid giving needless offense to other people.

But Elaine M. Jordan’s reference to “the obligation of maintaining the decorum we owe to ourselves, our neighbors, and God and His Angels” caused the light bulb to come on in my head. I get it! (And sorry to be so obtuse, Daddy.) : – )

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