Well, you said it yourself: "to the american mind", you write. Neither the Japanese nor Bushido is american mind, so why do you think they must obey to it? they did not care so much for YOUR cultural rules. and on the detail discussed here, I also don't read so much importance into it. If you read so much culturally influenced meaning into it, fine, maybe that is part of your identity. But they did not, and I don't either. as I see it you allowed to get kicked big time in your lower bottom, althoiugh you could have avoided it. If you think your cultural identity is worth that, okay. I can only say that I do not tick that way, and even do not really understand it. As I realist I only can realise that you claim you are like that. Why you are like that, can be historically explained, like you tried. But that does not mean that it is useful to be like that. On that day in decembre, it obviously was not.
"Gentlemen, protect yourself at all times", boxing referees say. Bck then america failed to follow that, and trusted in that mishaps or ignoring of rules by the other could and would not happen. Big mistake.
"Readiness is all."
