The shoe throwing incident continues to keep people's attention.
Muntadar al-Zaidi, an Iraqi TV journalist took the opportunity on Sunday afforded by President Bush's last visit to Iraq while in office to make his own feelings known about the US President's actions in Iraq. He threw first one shoe and then another, shouting: "This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog." CNN told the story at: Iraqi journalist throws shoes at Bush in Baghdad The Presidents response apparently was to shrug it off:
"So what if the guy threw his shoe at me?" Bush told a reporter in response to a question about the incident. "Let me talk about the guy throwing his shoe. It's one way to gain attention. It's like going to a political rally and having people yell at you. It's like driving down the street and having people not gesturing with all five fingers. ... "These journalists here were very apologetic. They ... said this doesn't represent the Iraqi people, but that's what happens in free societies where people try to draw attention to themselves."
Muntadar al-Zaidi, the journalist is in custody; and his story after being taken into custody is unknown. The Government expressed their shame at the incident. Shia's have been protesting on the streets and demanded his release and parliamentary a debate.The latest news from Iraq is: Iraq MPs rage over shoe thrower The Iraqi parliament has had its session suspended amidst uproar as different views were expressed on the shoe throwing incident.
There was general enthusiasm for the incident around the region: Mid East press glee at shoe throw . It seems everyone but the American allied Iraqi parliament was in agreement.
The shoe was more than just the only 'weapon' the man could get into the press conference. The BBC reports: Bush shoe-ing worst Arab insult "Around the Arab world, if you want to escalate a situation, by saying for example "I'm going to thump you", add the words "with a shoe" and you're adding serious insult to the threat of possible injury. ..."
The blogging Bishop of Buckingham, writes more on this with some focus on the ancient traditions of Biblical times, where God threatened the Edomites with the shoe. George Bush the Edomite tells us all.
The theme has become popular on line, eg: Online Bush Shoe-Throwing Games Go Viral and the incident has become a centrepiece for TV late night humour shows.
A view from generally radical US multicultural church leader Eugene Cho is interesting, as are the many comments posted ranging from disgust at the incident to full support: george bush and the shoe-throwing journalist.
So what are we to make of the incident? The President was right in one way: he had the freedom to do it. But to be honest he is one of the few who had that freedom, and the scope of that freedom is pretty limited.
But why did he need to do it? Anger at what the US and their allies (including my own nation) had done to Iraq. It was probably all he could do, and perhaps the only way he could be heard by the president and the people of the nations still as good as occupying his nation.
Am I insulted? If I am I had better get over it. We need to hear the heart of a man who had to do what he had to do.
Has it helped? Who can tell. If it means the president finally heard before leaving office that people disagree with his policy, well maybe. But if it further hardens positions, probably not.
ReconciliationTalk.com follows the teaching of Jesus and believes in non violent protest. But we also believe in the need for people to be heard. And that sometimes in that hearing change comes to those who hear. We don't believe in redemptive violence (ie a justification for violence), but we do believe in redemption when there has been violence. And we believe in prayer. So we hope ... and will keep our shoes on lest we be tempted to cast them at someone.
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