MUNTADAR AL-ZEIDI, a correspondent of Bhagdadia TV, and his Size 10 shoes
have made History after he hurled them (but missed) at outgoing US President George W. Bush at a surprise Press Conference in Bhagdad. This video of the incident has apparently
gone viral on the Web and has been viewed millions of times in just the last few days. Check out
Boing Boing's compendium of remixed video, animation, games, etc. that have been spawned. I guess this video clip is destined to become iconic of the Bush Presidency and perhaps even of the Iraq War.
It would be different of course if this Iraqi journalist had been hurling grenades or IEDs, but I think this was one journalist's opinion being expressed in a radical and provocative manner, like Jews rending their garments in disgust. Thus, even if we detest his speech, we must defend his right to express it. That is one bit of the Democracy promised and hoped for in Iraq.
"Attacking a foreign dignitary" is reportedly considered to be a crime in Iraq. But with Iraqi's hailing Muntadar a hero, it is not certain what his fate under arrest will be.
2 comments:
The journalist's brother reported that the journalist is hurt and is being held incommunicado.
Looks like the Secret Service hasnt been trained for shoe attacks. First shoe was understandable. But a second shoe? Notice that the Secret Service even gave him time to remove the other shoe, let alone hurl it, before any of them reacted.
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