“I don’t know why President Obama thought that was appropriate. Maybe he thought it would play well in Japan. But it’s not appropriate for an American president to bow to a foreign one,” said conservative pundit William Kristol on Fox News Sunday. This was in response to the President’s greeting of Japanese Emperor Akihito. Despite the fact that Obama was not actually bowing to a foreign president, rather it was an emperor, this sentiment is actually one that exists in the dark recesses of our culture. I am never surprised by what minor things can set these people off, or what crazy things they will say.

America stands loose nothing by showing cultural sensitivity to important allies. When we have nothing to loose, and the act is as easy as doing something like, say, bowing, it would be ridiculous and reckless for the President to do anything but that action. Would these American imperialists prefer that President Obama trample on the cultural norms of strategic allies? For this would do much more harm to our interests than the damage the Fox wing of the Republican party proclaim Obama has caused to American confidence.