The boos in Madison Square Garden were so loud you could swear it was a Knicks home game.

But on this night, the greatest arena on earth played host to the Republican National Convention, and the crowd was voicing its disapproval over something far more sinister and un-American than a Stephon Marbury brick.

I’m of course referring to the United Nations.

Twice during Democratic governor Zell Miller’s keynote address, the center of international diplomacy was booed, flipping the proverbial middle finger at the rest of the world.

“Senator Kerry has made it clear that he would use military force only if approved by the United Nations,” said an indignant Miller to the convention delegates.

Maybe I missed the memo Zell, but isn’t that the way things are supposed to work?

Not according to current foreign policy, and America’s flippant disregard for international opinion has been stirring up waves of anti-American sentiment worldwide.

In a recent poll conducted by the University of Maryland, a plurality of respondents in over 30 foreign countries indicated that policy under President Bush had adversely affected their view of America.

So what can be done to remedy the situation?

Not to sound cliché, but the first step is acknowledging that we have a problem, specifically when our authority or motive is called in to question.

Dismissing these challenges is not the answer, and booing the world’s supreme diplomatic body is certainly not the solution.

To put it simply we must at least begin to entertain the possibility that our decisions are not infallible, or risk alienating the world forever.