Bowing is polite, not worshipful

At last, a breath of common sense has blown through the smoke and dust arising from wars over the place of religion in American public life.

Three young judoists in Seattle had asked a judge to relieve them of the obligation to bow before the picture of the Japanese founder of their school of judo, Jigoro Kano, as would be the custom in Japan where judo originated. They contended this was a religious ritual being imposed on them.

No, said Judge Robert S. Lasnik, this was just good manners, akin to boxers touching gloves before they fight or basketball players shaking hands before the tip-off. Said the head of the U.S. Judo Association, Jim Bregman: "It's clear the bow in judo is simply a respectful act."

The court ruling has relevance in Hawaii where zealous advocates of the separation of church and state or equally zealous atheists go to great lengths to protest whatever they consider to be the slightest incursion of religion into public life.

Richard Halloran

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