Australian Politics Forum - Left Handed Presidents

NorthOfNorth

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Left Handed Presidents
Feb 21^st, 2009 at 7:22am

An interesting piece of trivia. While only 10% of the general population is left-handed, there have been 6 US Presidents out of 12 since World War II who were left handed (and 3 of the last 4), being Harry Truman, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan (naturally left-handed but actually ambidextrous), Bush the first, Clinton and Obama.

Prior to WW2 and back to Washington, there have only been two other left-handed US Presidents, James Garfield and Herbert Hoover.

It appears that the reason for the once dearth of left-handedness is most likely a religious one. As left-handedness was once considered a sign of the devil, most likely prior to WW2 natural left-handers were forced to become righties.

The end of WW2 heralded a rapid decline in religious superstition (at least Christian superstition) so perhaps resulting in the sudden rise in occurrences of adult southpaws.

If so, it’s another powerful argument for secularism. Many of those who walked away from the rubble and ashes of Europe after WW2 and those who came after recognised truly that religion had failed humanity and respect for human dignity, freedom and rights, beyond what religion would allow, was the only way to ensure that such a catastrophe did not happen again.

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tallowood Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 4230	Re: Left Handed Presidents Reply #1 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:17am Which hand have they used to wipe their bums?
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NorthOfNorth Gold Member Offline OzPolitic Posts: 17258 Gender:	Re: Left Handed Presidents Reply #2 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:20am tallowood wrote on Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:17am: Which hand have they used to wipe their bums? Generally no issue for Chistio-centric peoples... the dexter hand, or the other... or both.
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tallowood Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 4230	Re: Left Handed Presidents Reply #3 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:22am NorthOfNorth wrote on Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:20am: tallowood wrote on Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:17am: Which hand have they used to wipe their bums? Generally no issue for Chistio-centric peoples... the dexter hand, or the other... or both. But it is central to left-right hands debate.
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NorthOfNorth

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Re: Left Handed Presidents
Reply #4 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:23am

tallowood wrote on Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:22am:

NorthOfNorth wrote on Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:20am:

tallowood wrote on Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:17am:

Which hand have they used to wipe their bums?

Generally no issue for Chistio-centric peoples... the dexter hand, or the other... or both.

But it is central to left-right hands debate.

Not with Christianity. Left-handedness was once thought to be a sign of the devil... nothing to do with a crappy arse.

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tallowood

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Re: Left Handed Presidents
Reply #5 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:32am

NorthOfNorth wrote on Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:23am:

tallowood wrote on Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:22am:

NorthOfNorth wrote on Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:20am:

tallowood wrote on Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:17am:

Which hand have they used to wipe their bums?

Generally no issue for Chistio-centric peoples... the dexter hand, or the other... or both.

But it is central to left-right hands debate.

Not with Christianity. Left-handedness was once thought to be a sign of the devil... nothing to do with a crappy arse.

They thought it was a sign of muslim but now even handedness is central doctrine of pc..

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freediver Gold Member Offline www.ozpolitic.com Posts: 47481 At my desk.	Re: Left Handed Presidents Reply #6 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:37am Actually, if everyone ate with their dexterous hand, and wiped with the non dexterous hand (this is back before the era of toilet paper), then lefty's would need to be ostracised. You wouldn't want to shake hands with one. They would be disease spreaders, worse than the joos.
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NorthOfNorth

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Re: Left Handed Presidents
Reply #7 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 9:42am

freediver wrote on Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:37am:

Actually, if everyone ate with their dexterous hand, and wiped with the non dexterous hand (this is back before the era of toilet paper), then lefty's would need to be ostracised. You wouldn't want to shake hands with one. They would be disease spreaders, worse than the joos.

Given Christians up until relatively recently equated bodily cleanliness with vanity, lust and licentiousness, it's likely they didn't wipe their arse at all.

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DILLIGAF Gold Member Offline Posts: 1259 The greens are red Gender:	Re: Left Handed Presidents Reply #8 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 10:07am Two words- WHO CARES!
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abu_rashid

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Re: Left Handed Presidents
Reply #9 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 7:57pm

Nice to see you can't even discuss something like this without resorting to toilet humour. What a pathetic bunch of childish losers.

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helian, That's an interesting fact. Did you know the word sinister actually means "left [handed]" in Latin? And that's how we got it's present English meaning. I am a proud left-hander and always shop at the Leftorium, even if it is a Christian establishment.

The second Caliph Omar Bin al-Khattab (God be pleased with him) was also a left hander. Perhaps it is linked with leadership.

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freediver Gold Member Offline www.ozpolitic.com Posts: 47481 At my desk.	Re: Left Handed Presidents Reply #10 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:10pm Is there a real leftorium, or is that a Simpson's reference? Quote: Nice to see you can't even discuss something like this without resorting to toilet humour. What a pathetic bunch of childish losers. Food safety is no laughing matter Abu. People can do from poo sandwiches.
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abu_rashid

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Re: Left Handed Presidents
Reply #11 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 8:22pm

Quite obviously it's a simpsons reference.

Quote:

Food safety is no laughing matter Abu. People can do from poo sandwiches.

I take it you mean 'die' not 'do'.

I can't speak about Christian habits (since they're pretty vague) but Islamically it's required to use water and a hard substance (rock, leaf, toilet paper, whatever is available in your time/circumstances) to clean yourself after visiting the W.C. and to wash your hands afterwards. Using seperate hands (for cleaning and eating/greeting) is an extra precaution. However a left-handed Muslim must also adopt these practises, so it's irrelevant.

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freediver Gold Member Offline www.ozpolitic.com Posts: 47481 At my desk.	Re: Left Handed Presidents Reply #12 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 9:54pm How is a leaf hard? How did they go about using water in the old days, before they had plumbing?
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tallowood

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Re: Left Handed Presidents
Reply #13 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 10:12pm

abu_rashid wrote on Feb 21^st, 2009 at 7:57pm:

Nice to see you can't even discuss something like this without resorting to toilet humour. What a pathetic bunch of childish losers.
....

abu, it is ironic that you a devoted muslim call this a toilet humour while "Apostle of Allah" himself regarded the matter very seriously.

Quote:

Narrated Salman al-Farsi: It was said to Salman: Your Prophet teaches you everything, even about excrement. He replied: Yes. He has forbidden us to face the qiblah at the time of easing or urinating, and cleansing with right hand, and cleansing with less than three stones, or cleansing with dung or bone.

(c) the Kitab-i-Taharah (Book of purification)

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abu_rashid

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Re: Left Handed Presidents
Reply #14 - Feb 21^st, 2009 at 10:39pm

freediver,

Quote:

How is a leaf hard?

It is a 'solid' last time I checked. Haven't seen too many liquid or gaseous leaves around lately.

Quote:

How did they go about using water in the old days, before they had plumbing?

You're not as stupid as you often appear (like when trying to conjure up arguments against Islam) I'm sure you'll work it out if you think long and hard enough.

Tallow,

Quote:

abu, it is ironic that you a devoted muslim call this a toilet humour while "Apostle of Allah" himself regarded the matter very seriously

Speaking about it in an informative and respectful manner is a world apart from what we've seen so far by the childish elements in this thread, including yourself.

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