If I need to break my chopsticks apart, then I am eating somewhere with disposable utensils. I will try to be polite, but, well… I was just handed something akin to plastic silverware. My respect for the establishments eating utensils will be commensurate with the tools in question.

Chopsticks are hard. They are an acquired skill. Yes, everyone should try them. If a gaijin struggles, then it shouldn’t be an issue. Nobody should be insulted. If they are, then it isn’t the diner that is being culturally insensitive. If a foreigner came to the states and couldn’t use a spoon, fork, and knife “properly”, and we took insult, then the fault is our own. The same works in reverse.

If a gaijin is struggling, frustrated, and spears something _that_would_be_speared_from_a_fork_, just let him eat. You may consider it “incorrect”, but don’t permit yourself to be insulted by something that is beyond his control. And if he asks for silverware, you may smirk but please don’t comment. He isn’t trying to be rude to you. He is admitting personal weakness, so don’t be rude to him.