The fist bump?
If one googles “the fist bump” one finds a version of the following:
“A fist bump (also known as a bro fist or power five) is a gesture similar in meaning to a handshake or high five. A fist bump can also be a symbol of giving respect or approval, as well as companionship between two people.” (Google without reference to specific source.)
I could be wrong, but shortly after the arrival of the covid pandemic, the fist bump or an elbow bump seemed to often replace the handshake. Whether or not this is true and whether or not it was safer in terms of the spread of covid is debatable.
The fist bump was recently in the news following it’s sharing between President Joseph Biden of the United States and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The political and moral nature of the meeting between the two men was already being called into question because of reports the Crown Prince approved the 2018 assassination of Washington Journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
I understand that career diplomats and those whose careers are concerned with international relationships can sharply disagree with foreign policy decisions by world leaders such as President Biden. I often question the decisions and words of such leaders.
I do not, however, agree with or understand the historical arrogance and lack of humility by many in the United States towards world leaders who chose to use violence including assassinations and even “regime change” as an approach to gaining power and/or attempting to stop actions with which a world power may disagree. Personally. I think the often-violent behavior of the representative of the United States in many countries of the Americas, Iraq, Korea, Afghanistan and many other places and the often-violent interference in the government of another countries by other so-called world leaders is not only immoral but long term counterproductive. The failure to accept responsibly for the connection between the current need of many to flee some countries and past interference in those countries prevents more progress in nations working together to create a more just world. The killing of journalists is no exception to this immoral and counterproductive behavior. Neither are the killings and assassinations of citizens of other Nations the United States government has often covertly approved and carried out.
For some so-called leaders in the United States now to critique a meeting between President Biden and the Saudi Prince as “shameful” as if we are innocent of similar behavior, is the sort of posturing which is guaranteed to keep the hypocrisy of the United States the reason for so little respect. (It must be opinioned that fear is not the same as respect.)
Removing the log from our own eye before pointing out the spec in the eye of our brother/sister may be and is uncomfortable. Although it is politically incorrect in some circles in the United States to say or do anything which might make some uncomfortable, it seems to me that the road to progress is paved with the uncomfortable gravel of truth. One might find roughen feet is not life threatening but the foundation of the humility which leads to “walking each other home (Ram Dass). Could the fist bump be a tiny step in that direction?
Written July 20, 2022
Jimmy Pickett
coachpickett.org
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