My first reaction to this story, probably like most people reading on here and elsewhere, was to go “hell yeah, you go dude!” But on further reflection, I think I can safely say that I wholly disapprove of this display of dislike for Bush.
Bush got a size-10 reminder of the fervent opposition to his policies when a man threw two shoes at him — one after another — during a news conference with Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. “This is the end!” shouted the man, later identified as Muntadar al-Zeidi, a correspondent for Al-Baghdadia television, an Iraqi-owned station based in Cairo, Egypt.
Bush ducked both throws. Neither leader was hit. In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of contempt; Iraqis whacked a statue of Saddam Hussein with their shoes after U.S. marines toppled it to the ground after the 2003 invasion.
I know, I know. Everyone hates Bush and we’re all glad that someone threw up a big FU at him in the very land he wants to be a hero, but let’s step back a moment. Go back to this article I wrote a year and a half ago after Iran’s Ahmadinejad visited Columbia University. Specifically, this part right here:
But all of this wouldn’t matter if Ahmadinejad were, say, a pundit or an analyst. He’s not. He is the president of Iran, and actually won an election there. This man is a world leader, and he’s being treated with nothing even resembling respect. Ignoring for the time being what his viewpoints are, that he was invited to speak at the school only to be basically spat upon is downright ignorant and despicable.
My call for people to show a modicum of respect for world leaders isn’t limited to the bad guys that arouse the ire of conservative pundits. This is especially true of elected leaders when they’re invited over. Oh sure, if you see the Ayatollah Khameini trying to shove up to the front of the line at Starbucks feel free to shout at him. But when another country’s president is speaking, you let him speak or wage some kind of peaceful protest. Don’t shout him down, don’t bombard him with disrespectful BS, and don’t throw things.
We want a new era post-2008, and a good way to start is to not celebrate occurrences like this. I don’t like Bush either, but I’m not going to be lobbing rocks at the guy if I see him making a speech. And this was a member of the media no less. I’m amazed.
