One can't help but watch the shoe throwing incident at the press conference in Iraq over and over again. Those of you that have not seen it can find a copy of it on U-Tube - it will come up right on top of the most watched videos so there is no need to burden you with a link. There are also several games that have sprung up - How to dodge the shoe? You know that I have lived in America longer than India when I start relating such incidents with baseball. I noticed that the thrower missed once to the left and once to the right, if the shoe thrower had a third shoe he may have hit the mark squarely - that would have been 2 balls and one strike. The news spin would have been completely different. You would also see our beloved president sporting a couple of band aids on his nose instead of his cocky remarks. This was a nasty present to get on a farewell tour, especially when you think that your intentions for Iraq were purely good.
Like all primal instincts through which man expresses himself, especially displeasure, shoe throwing in Eastern cultures is considered as the ultimate insult akin to spitting in someone's face. Many rogue politicians in the East have been victims of such acts from displeased electorates. But this is the first time I have seen a shoe being thrown at a Westerner. This would be a classic case of East meets West in a major culture clash. I am a bit surprised at the superficial coverage this has received which tells me that most American politicians or newsmen do not understand the cultures of the countries they meddle in.
It seems to be quite funny to most Americans and they do not see the disrespect involved in this act. I see this moment as a 'game changer' in campaigns in general. Be prepared for more shoe throwing incidents being implemented in American politics. Americans have gleefully exported a lot of their cultures to the East. Be prepared for some nasty cultural influences from the East,
This footage will most assuredly make the Bush legacy highlights. Michael Weir had the coolest smirk on his face in ancipation of the release of the video footage. Oh whatever happened to the fool that predicted a welcome with rose petals.
My personal opinion - this is what happens to people that are prideful and lack humility to rule. Pride precedes fall - when will this man learn?
God forbid if a pi$$ed off women with 5 " stilettos gets involved in the act ;)
I see a great future for pitching coaches in America - a new line of work, sweet!
If I was George W Bush I would pardon Muntazer al-Zaidi the journalist that threw a shoe at him - THAT IS WHAT JESUS WOULD DO. It would be such a tremendous act of generosity and grace it will catch the rest of the world's attention in open admiration.
So here is your big chance 'W' I have always loved you but feel that you have been foolishly misled by your advisors - through a single stroke of genius redemption will arrive.
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Comments: 31
why waste a bullet when you can throw a shoe
lol
Jai,terrorist savage Islamic jihadist got their asses kicked in Iraq,that is why this pro jihadist threw his shoe.Terrorist lost-Iraqi woman and children won-thank-you America!. That Jai, is what the people of Iraq are saying.
Lots of people are raising a ruckus about this. Some sound like they are snarling mad and would like to unleash the dogs of war because of a thrown shoe. But, we are already at war in Iraq, so there's not much further they can go.
43 made a really good duck; and he smiled both during and after the incident. I disagree that the guy's aim was off. From the varying camera angles I have seen, it looks clearly like he'd have hit 43 squarely if 43 hadn't dodged so well.
Who knew that playing Dodge Ball when we were kids would come in so handy decades later.
"we are pretty thick skinned about insults anyway" quite true and sometimes we use humor to deal with this. I also wondered if one ahoe was intended for Malaki.
W showed us that he is still agile - good ducks ;) me thinks. My point is that some of this stuff will start manifesting itself here in America. It is a non-violent way to show displeasure but in a country with GUNS people will rather shoot and ask questions later.
The baseball metaphor breaks down pretty fast here. In baseball no part of the batter's body should be in the strike zone. The shoe throwing might be better described as "moving him back off the plate."
So here is your big chance 'W' I have always loved you but feel that you have been foolishly misled by your advisors - through a single stroke of genius redemption will arrive.
I agree disrespect is disrespect. We are dealing with differences in cultures here and our Foreign policy must always take that into account - before we embark on another shock and awe project.
Kelly -
The body gaurds were in the audience on the side. This could not have been prevented. I question Bush's trip to Iraq, the more he tries to prove what he did was right the bigger the hole he digs for himself. At some point we need to have the humility to say all is not well.....let us put this behind us. Looks like our puppet Malaki is going to be put in a tough spot when elections comes around in Iraq again.
Fully agree, dearest Jai - it is EXACTLY what Jesus would do, but alas, I'm afraid, not GWB. You see, my friend... I've already noticed, many times, that there are "Christians" and "so-called" Christians. The former are trying to imitate Christ in their words and deeds. The latter use His name for their own purposes, far from being noble or altruistic.
Speaking about insults... when the Iraq war has just begun, the group of our Russian guys brought a barrel of the best Russian oil with the inscription: "To President Bush, Washington, DC, USA" - and left it just opposite the doors of American Embassy in Moscow. If Money and Oil was everything that he wanted, he'd get it!... As a Russian Intelligent in the third generation, and a granddaughter of a diplomat at that, I'd say - if I were in Bush's shoes and was smart enough to recognize the message, I'd rather prefer for someone to literally spit in my face!...
My only hope that this era is passing by, giving place to the new realities and new hopes... at least for Americans.
Hugs and blessings - S.
A lot of time certain news stories touches the core of me, it marinates in me for awhile and I feel compelled to say something. These days I try to rely on humor.
The problem with W is that he is too stupid to understand he is stupid. He is incapable of an original thought. He has brought down the bar so low for leaders in general that a dim-wit would look like a genius.
Regarding Obama - there is a lot of hope - we will have to wait and see. First he and his team have to shovel a pile of SH1T!
Also, I feel that I did not do a good enough job of highlighting the cultural differences. America was the destination of alot of free and ambitious people like me and we had adjusted to the American way. With America's quest for more Global influence - it is expected that Americans will encounter ways that are foreign to them and need to make the effort to understand rather than dismissing other cultures so casually.
I thing the degree of disrespect reflects badly on the perpetrator not the recipient.
If I was speaking and someone threw something nasty at me I wouldn't be embarrassed, their family would be for their lack of integrity.
Could this be a sign, say from the infamous Freeway Blogger who goes around the country putting up anti- War anti-Bush signs along the HWYs?
Just wondering.
I also wonder how many shoes have been thrown over the White House fence recently?
How many souls/soles are in unison with the Iraqi shoe thrower in America without being labelled a terrorist and violent person themselves? Millions!
We all knew the shoe throwers arms and legs and other body parts would be broken or he would be water boarded or tortured...or killed. It goes with the territory and this adminstrations tactics of war.
Democracy in action as George Bush so aptly put it. Freedom really.