Reporter Throws Shoes at President Bush

[Valisk]

Had that man thrown a shoe at Saddam Hussein, he probably would have been killed/exectued. That reporter doesn't understand the freedoms he now has thanks to Bush.

[Rya]

Had that man thrown a shoe at Saddam Hussein, he probably would have been killed/exectued. That reporter doesn't understand the freedoms he now has thanks to Bush.

Your presuming that he would have been stupid enough to throw a at saddam in the first place.

[Elvis]

Had that man thrown a shoe at Saddam Hussein, he probably would have been killed/exectued. That reporter doesn't understand the freedoms he now has thanks to Bush.

Why stop there, let's expand that comparison to this country and say there should be no dissent because dissenters in say, a country like Turkey, are thrown in jail for challenging the status quo.

We enjoy many freedoms. A very unusual amount of freedom in comparison to other countries. However, these freedoms were not "gifts."

This description is disingenuous on far too many levels to take seriously.

All freedom is WON through popular struggle. We weren't "awarded" freedom of speech (Etc. etc. etc.) Blacks weren't "awarded" freedom by Lincoln (it wasn't in the Constitution). Martin Luther King Jr. wasn't the Civil Rights' Movement. These people are symbols (as well as leaders). George Bush is a symbol as well. However, the reason anything ever gets done is because of a coordinated effort by many people who we'll never hear about (relative to the way history books portray symbols of these movements).

So while it is true that this Iraqi journalist may not DIE for his dissent, it's not as if he should be grateful to us or our government or Bush. Their country is in shambles. Blah blah blah blah all the usual liberal hippie talk which is sadly true blah blah.

[0ni0n]

Had that man thrown a shoe at Saddam Hussein, he probably would have been killed/exectued. That reporter doesn't understand the freedoms he now has thanks to Bush.

It is presumptuous to assume that he opposes to Hussein's rule in the first place. What if he prefers Hussein remain in power because he would very much like his country not under consistent threat of civil war and sectarian violence like it is now? And if you think this war is solely about democracy and well being of the iraqi people then you're too navie.

[Alleya]

I still remember him best for that time he choked on a pretzel.

Also, lol@the people demanding he be released. If Al-Sadar came to this country and Tony Snow threw a shoe at him, every muslim country on earth would be in the streets screaming blasphemy and demanding Snow's death.

[Kuya]

Also, lol@the people demanding he be released. If Al-Sadar came to this country and Tony Snow threw a shoe at him, every muslim country on earth would be in the streets screaming blasphemy and demanding Snow's death.

So?

[Kaylia]

I still remember him best for that time he choked on a pretzel.

Also, lol@the people demanding he be released. If Al-Sadar came to this country and Tony Snow threw a shoe at him, every muslim country on earth would be in the streets screaming blasphemy and demanding Snow's death.

Yes, and demanding "justice" for every little thing is exactly the kind of mentality we are suposed to change with this war. That's why I think it's stupid to send this guys to jail in war time.

[Cow_k]

The guy broke the law, not to mention he was hurling stuff with their own leader right next to Bush? Why exactly shouldn't he face at least some sort of repercussion for his actions?

[Olo401]

because that's still my president, which carries a lot of weight to me

My brother might be a huge asshole but if you attack him fuck you

I feel the same way about my brother.

On the other hand, I mailed my 4-year old moldy ass Nikes to the White House as a christmas present for the pResident. Doesn't have the flair of a Lew Zealand-type tossing, but it gets the point across.

[Olo401]

Had that man thrown a shoe at Saddam Hussein, he probably would have been killed/exectued. That reporter doesn't understand the freedoms he now has thanks to Bush.

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Shoe thrower 'beaten in custody'

Freedoms indeed.

[Kuya]

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Shoe thrower 'beaten in custody'

Freedoms indeed.

At least he didn't get thrown in an acid bath!

[Kuya]

Muntadar al-Zaidi has been held without charge for over twenty-four hours and has been reportedly beaten in jail. His brother said al-Zaidi has suffered a broken hand, broken ribs and internal bleeding, as well as an eye injury.

Democracy hurts.

[Elvis]

Personally, he broke the law. Even though there is infinite hypocrisy everywhere in Iraq, before, during and will be after Bush and co., the law is the law.

He should be given a fair trial and blah blah. I don't think it's serious enough to warrant a lengthy jail term.

I've had a shoe thrown at me once. It's not too bad.

Obviously, this is about who the shoe was aimed at. Although, since the Iraqi police beat the guy while he was in custody then I doubt he'll be given a lenient sentence.

If someone were beaten in police custody in the US, we'd hear about it and it'd be a scandal (at the very least, relative to other countries). So once again, we enjoy a lot of freedom here and in comparison to other countries, we enjoy lots of justice too.

This is where we'd be applying our own moral judgments to the situation. And no doubt, our standard will conflict with Iraq's standard. Hence the comment about how this shoeguy would be killed for doing the same thing to Saddam.

I think that's a fair statement but it doesn't justify what we did there. However, we can still pride ourselves on the standard of living we enjoy. We should want whatever good there is in this country that is universal in appeal (ex:freedom of speech or expression) to be our main export.

[Kuya]

And they will likely have much more freedom of speech than they did when Saddam was around, just not as much as here, but, for example, if i were to help an old lady cross the street and only take her 1/4 of the way there, then there is no denying what an immense jack ass i am, and hence all of this, but that's more of a problem with trying to presume that you can export "democracy", whatever that means.

[Elvis]

Yea I agree. I think it's something that just sounds good in theory. Going about it is far too presumptuous and that naturally leads to all the problems we have when we try to 'spread democracy'.

There was a very interesting article in BBC recently:

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iraq presents a lesson from history

Check it out. Iraq has been "liberated" time and time again and it always ends up being destroyed and rebuilt. Destroyed and rebuilt. In the beginning of the 20th century it was the Brits doing the democratizing.

[Kuya]

El periodista fue llevado a un tribunal "ante la presencia de un abogado defensor y un fiscal", donde se le acusa del delito de agresión a un presidente. Si es encontrado culpable, podría ser sentenciado de siete a 15 años de cárcel.

El lanzar los zapatos a alguien es considerado un grave insulto en el mundo árabe, mientras que los perros son vistos como sucios y desagradables.

Apparently he could get 15 years in prison because throwing your shoes at someone, especially a president is a very serious crime in the Middle East, or at the very least, Irak.

¯\(°_o)/¯

edit: oops i completely ignored the minimum of 7, that is surely more fair.

[Correction]

That'll teach him to not be grateful for the gifts El Presidente Bush has given him.

[Kuya]

He gets 15 years in prison for throwing a shoe at Bush, and Bush gets nothing for "secret" prisons, waterboarding, and stretching the constitutional powers of the executive branch to new heights.

Life is really fair, guys.

[Correction]

Well then that reporter should have been president of the united states, like Bush did.

[Kuya]

But we're already getting a Hussein in the White House!