It has come to this? To be laughed at on the world stage because a journalist threw his shoes at our President?
We have lost thousands of our best men and woman in war and invested hundreds of billions of dollars to help free a people and introduce democracy into the Middle East and a journalist who throws his shoes at our President is now seen as a “hero”?
This is all playing out like the end of the Carter era, a made-for-television humiliation of our people and leaders. Let no good deed go unpunished.
I am proud of our reasoned and humble response to the incident. Can you imagine if the shoe was on the other foot? If a journalist from America threw his shoes at a Saudi King or at the head of state of Iraq in a press conference? What would happen to that journalist? Do you think they would laugh it off?
Can you imagine if the American public embraced that journalist and an American businessman offered to pay $10 million for the shoes? Can you imagine the outrage?
American journalists are subjected to great danger in the Middle East - kidnappings, beheadings and the like - but a journalist from over there can throw his shoes at our leader and become a hero?
We live in an upside down crazy world, don’t we?
Whether you agree or disagree with President Bush on his policies, you should be outraged and upset when anyone disrespects our country in any manner, much less on foreign soil.
I had to correct or enlighten some of my friends who despise President Bush, and show them why all American’s should be upset at this stupid journalist. I did not think it was funny and I was extremly angry.
I probably disagree with President Bush 98% of the time, but as an American, I respect the office of the President and will not stand by and let any non-american disrespect my President if I voted for him/her or not!
Bush lied us into a war of his choosing. Worst foreign policy blunder in our nation’s history. Worst president, too. Good riddance. Don’t let the shoe hit you on your way out.
“”but whatever happened to respect for the office?”"
The man in it has garnered none from anyone, the office should never be used as a shield.
“”fine. stand up and be counted, do your own civic duty to make the change in the world that you want to see”"
I have, I have voted in every election since I turned 18.
“”but still do it with class and show respect for the rank.”"
No, no one should be allowed to hide behind their title.
“”Saddam was a bad guy, but I doubt that he was killing people at the same rate”"
No, he was killing people at a MUCH HIGHER rate. There is a reason he was charged with crimes against humanity.
“”You cannot bring democracy to other nations, esp. with bombs and guns.”"
One of the smartest things said here, but unfortunately it is noth tat simple in this specific situation… It’s sad really.
“”There would be no independent TV stations for him to work for if Saddam were still in charge”"
That’s why this fairly respected journalist worked for a company out of Cairo, not in Iraq.
“”If the punishment for the guy fits the crime”"
What IS the correct punishment for throwing shoes at an important political figure these days? No seriously? He wasn’t trying to kill anyone… Everyone in that room had to have been searched beforehand, so it really was just a protest…
“”Same old biased media and no respect for the office in general unless it’s “their guy””"
Ok, so what has FOX News been saying? ‘Cause he’s “their” guy.
This was a very specific protest (the bottom of shoes have bad meaning in Arab culture) and he yelled very specific things as he threw each shoe. It was a creative protest that just shows the level of frustration in that part of the world. If we were in their place we might find more creative ways to protest. Like soldier funeral protests, church burnings and clinic bombings, oh wait, religious extremism is limited to the middle east, I forgot… George Bush does not (in my humble opinion) deserve the respect that his office CAN deliver to a good human. It is indeed the most powerful office on earth, and that man does not deserve to hold it. If Mr. Obama accomplishes 25% of his goals, I will once again travel internationally with my head held high, proud to be an American, as it stands right now, I find myself justifying way too much. There is a supreme lack of accountability in politics these days, I hope that changes.
Seb
When I saw that I laughed so hard. But because all I could think of was Austin Powers. “who throws a shoe? Honestly, you fight like a woman.”
But I think seriously you can be a professional and you can be opinionated, but when you are working in a professional setting you have to act like a professional, regardless of your personal opinion. I am embarassed for that man as a journalist.
“Ted, look at it under different angle. We invaded their country without good enough reason (no WMDs were found), killed lots of people, destroyed their cities to rubles, caused the civil war. Think about how many people got killed in the last 5 or so years. Saddam was a bad guy, but I doubt that he was killing people at the same rate….”
Nikolay, you are dead wrong. Saddam had killed hundreds of thousands of his own people. He far exceeded the death rate since the “war” began in 2003.
Besides, how many hundreds of thousands died here in our civil war? (The answer is far far more than have been killed in Iraq since 2003) Was it not worth it? Should we have let slavery and abuse continue because people might die?
Thirdly, if you think for a second that the inspections regime prior to 2003 wasn’t the most corrupt and corrupting era in the United Nations, you’re wrong again. When the inspections ultimately crumbled, would Saddam not reconstitute his WMD (particularly nuclear) programs. What’s the difference if he had them in 2003 or 2005 or 2007? He was working at developing nuclear and missile tech for one reason only.
Would the dude be a hero in the eyes of the American media (yeah, that’s right AMERICAN media) if he’d thrown the shoe at Obama? Nope. Same old biased media and no respect for the office in general unless it’s “their guy” they want you to now give a chance to.
Imagine if that clown had thrown his shoe at Saddam. How many minutes do you think would pass before he’d have a bullet in his head? That whole part of the world can sink into a hole as far as I’m concerned.
I heard someone say that the chap who threw his shoes should first thank President Bush for making it possible for him to throw his shoes at the conference. There would be no independent TV stations for him to work for if Saddam were still in charge. And if he threw his shoes at a press conference with Saddam still in charge, he’d already have been executed, ditto for his family, and I suspect his hometown might also be feeling some repercussions right about now…
The real test of Iraqi government now is what do they do with him. If the punishment for the guy fits the crime, then maybe something good might have come out of this war after all. If he is released without punishment, or is executed, then we did this for nothing…
Ted, look at it under different angle. We invaded their country without good enough reason (no WMDs were found), killed lots of people, destroyed their cities to rubles, caused the civil war. Think about how many people got killed in the last 5 or so years. Saddam was a bad guy, but I doubt that he was killing people at the same rate. And don’t forget about national humiliation that Iraqis feel becase they are still occupied by foreign forces. I bet that they feel that America raped them and, you know what, that’s not that far from the truth.
You cannot bring democracy to other nations, esp. with bombs and guns.
It shows us a lesson on trying to help a culture that does not want to be like us, or follow our rules.
Bush and Cheney thought we would be welcomed as liberators. They got the shoe throw at them.
i’m no fan of our commander in chief, but whatever happened to respect for the office? you don’t agree with his actions or politics, fine. stand up and be counted, do your own civic duty to make the change in the world that you want to see, but still do it with class and show respect for the rank.
Also, this Iraqi journalist was taken hostage by terrorists/insurgents, like many of his American counterparts which you pointed out. No one, not matter what nationality, has been immune to the violence and instability caused by the war. Was it a dumb move to throw something at the POTUS? Yes. However, don’t act like he didn’t have a good reason.
The point is whether you agree with a leader isn’t the point. It’s about RESPECT. Respect for other countries and their leaders, other cultures, and people who hold views different from yours.
The “upside down crazy” started with “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED”. Nothing that’s happened since, including a press conference 5 years later touting the war as “decisively on its way to be won”, could be any crazier. -JW