Iraqi shoe thrower
Byrnzie
Posts: 21,037
You have to take your hat off to the guy:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/se ... lease-iraq
Iraqi shoe thrower Muntazer al-Zaidi innundated with offers and gifts
The Guardian, Wednesday 9 September 2009
'As his size 10s spun through the air towards George W Bush, Muntazer al-Zaidi – the man the world now knows as the shoe-thrower – was bracing for an American bullet.
"He thought the secret service was going to shoot him," says Zaidi's younger brother, Maitham. "He expected that, and he was not afraid to die."
Zaidi's actions during the former US president's swansong visit to Iraq last December have not stopped reverberating in the nine months since. Next Monday, when the journalist walks out of prison, his 10 raging seconds, which came to define his country's last six miserable years, are set to take on a new life even more dramatic than the opening act.
Across Iraq and in every corner of the Arab world, Zaidi is being feted. The 20 words or so he spat at Bush – "This is your farewell kiss, you dog. This is for the widows and orphans of Iraq" – have been immortalised, and in many cases memorised. Pictures of the president ducking have been etched onto walls across Baghdad, made into T-shirts in Egypt, and appeared in children's games in Turkey.
Zaidi has won the adulation of millions, who believe his act of defiance did what their leaders had been too cowed to do. Iraq has been short of heroes since the dark days of Saddam Hussein, and many civilians are bestowing greatness on the figure that finally took the fight to an overlord.
"He is a David and Goliath figure," said Salah al-Janabi, a white goods salesman in downtown Baghdad. "When the history books are written, they will look back on this episode with great acclaim. Al-Zaidi's shoes were his slingshot."
From his prison cell, Zaidi has a sense of the gathering fuss, but not the full extent of the benefactors and patrons preparing for his release.
A new four-bedroom home has been built by his former boss. A new car – and the promise of many more – awaits. Pledges of harems, money and healthcare are pouring in to his employers, the al-Baghdadia television channel. "One Iraqi who lived in Morocco called to offer to send his daughter to be Muntazer's wife," said editor Abdul Hamid al-Saij. "Another called from Saudi offering $10m for his shoes, and another called from Morocco offering a gold-saddled horse. After the event, we had callers from Palestine and many women asking to marry him, but we didn't take their names. Many of their reactions were emotional. We will see what happens when he is freed."
From the West Bank town of Nablus, Ahmed Jouda saw the incident on television news and felt so moved that he called together his relatives for a meeting in a nearby reception hall.
Jouda, 75, a farmer and head of a large extended family, convinced his relatives to contribute tens of thousands of dollars to support Zaidi's legal case.
Jouda himself decided to sell half his herd of goats; another man asked if he might offer a young woman from his family as a bride. Jouda said he would, if Zaidi was interested.
"I said we are willing to present him with a bride loaded with gold," said Jouda. "We are people of our word. If he decided to marry one of our daughters we would respect what we said.
"We are compassionate and supportive to the Iraqi people for what they have gone through. We are people who have tasted the bitterness, sorrow and agony of occupation too. What he did, he did for all the Arabs, not just the Iraqis, because Bush was the reason behind the problems of all the Arab world."
Zaidi's brother insists that no one put Muntazer up to such an act. But he revealed that Muntazer had told him he had pre-scripted at least one line ahead of the fateful press conference.
From the roof of his brother's new home, Maitham al-Zaidi said: "He always thought he would die as a martyr, either by al-Qaida or the Americans. More than once he was kidnapped by insurgents. He was surprised that Bush's guards didn't shoot him on the spot."
Muntazer al-Zaidi has told Maitham, and another brother, Vergam, that he is planning to open an orphanage when he leaves prison and will not work again as a journalist.
"He doesn't want his work to be a circus," said Vergam. "Every time he asked someone a difficult question they would have responded by asking whether he was going to throw his shoes at them."
Muntazer has alleged that after his actions he was tortured by government officials. Medical reports say he has lost at least one tooth and has two broken ribs and a broken foot that have not healed properly. "He will stay in Iraq, but first he has to leave the country to get his health fixed," said Vergam.
In the run-up to his release, Maitham has a sense of the reception awaiting his brother.
"I feel like Michael Jackson at the moment. Everywhere I go, people are taking pictures of me and asking for my photo. If they do that for me, what will they do for Muntazer himself?"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/se ... lease-iraq
Iraqi shoe thrower Muntazer al-Zaidi innundated with offers and gifts
The Guardian, Wednesday 9 September 2009
'As his size 10s spun through the air towards George W Bush, Muntazer al-Zaidi – the man the world now knows as the shoe-thrower – was bracing for an American bullet.
"He thought the secret service was going to shoot him," says Zaidi's younger brother, Maitham. "He expected that, and he was not afraid to die."
Zaidi's actions during the former US president's swansong visit to Iraq last December have not stopped reverberating in the nine months since. Next Monday, when the journalist walks out of prison, his 10 raging seconds, which came to define his country's last six miserable years, are set to take on a new life even more dramatic than the opening act.
Across Iraq and in every corner of the Arab world, Zaidi is being feted. The 20 words or so he spat at Bush – "This is your farewell kiss, you dog. This is for the widows and orphans of Iraq" – have been immortalised, and in many cases memorised. Pictures of the president ducking have been etched onto walls across Baghdad, made into T-shirts in Egypt, and appeared in children's games in Turkey.
Zaidi has won the adulation of millions, who believe his act of defiance did what their leaders had been too cowed to do. Iraq has been short of heroes since the dark days of Saddam Hussein, and many civilians are bestowing greatness on the figure that finally took the fight to an overlord.
"He is a David and Goliath figure," said Salah al-Janabi, a white goods salesman in downtown Baghdad. "When the history books are written, they will look back on this episode with great acclaim. Al-Zaidi's shoes were his slingshot."
From his prison cell, Zaidi has a sense of the gathering fuss, but not the full extent of the benefactors and patrons preparing for his release.
A new four-bedroom home has been built by his former boss. A new car – and the promise of many more – awaits. Pledges of harems, money and healthcare are pouring in to his employers, the al-Baghdadia television channel. "One Iraqi who lived in Morocco called to offer to send his daughter to be Muntazer's wife," said editor Abdul Hamid al-Saij. "Another called from Saudi offering $10m for his shoes, and another called from Morocco offering a gold-saddled horse. After the event, we had callers from Palestine and many women asking to marry him, but we didn't take their names. Many of their reactions were emotional. We will see what happens when he is freed."
From the West Bank town of Nablus, Ahmed Jouda saw the incident on television news and felt so moved that he called together his relatives for a meeting in a nearby reception hall.
Jouda, 75, a farmer and head of a large extended family, convinced his relatives to contribute tens of thousands of dollars to support Zaidi's legal case.
Jouda himself decided to sell half his herd of goats; another man asked if he might offer a young woman from his family as a bride. Jouda said he would, if Zaidi was interested.
"I said we are willing to present him with a bride loaded with gold," said Jouda. "We are people of our word. If he decided to marry one of our daughters we would respect what we said.
"We are compassionate and supportive to the Iraqi people for what they have gone through. We are people who have tasted the bitterness, sorrow and agony of occupation too. What he did, he did for all the Arabs, not just the Iraqis, because Bush was the reason behind the problems of all the Arab world."
Zaidi's brother insists that no one put Muntazer up to such an act. But he revealed that Muntazer had told him he had pre-scripted at least one line ahead of the fateful press conference.
From the roof of his brother's new home, Maitham al-Zaidi said: "He always thought he would die as a martyr, either by al-Qaida or the Americans. More than once he was kidnapped by insurgents. He was surprised that Bush's guards didn't shoot him on the spot."
Muntazer al-Zaidi has told Maitham, and another brother, Vergam, that he is planning to open an orphanage when he leaves prison and will not work again as a journalist.
"He doesn't want his work to be a circus," said Vergam. "Every time he asked someone a difficult question they would have responded by asking whether he was going to throw his shoes at them."
Muntazer has alleged that after his actions he was tortured by government officials. Medical reports say he has lost at least one tooth and has two broken ribs and a broken foot that have not healed properly. "He will stay in Iraq, but first he has to leave the country to get his health fixed," said Vergam.
In the run-up to his release, Maitham has a sense of the reception awaiting his brother.
"I feel like Michael Jackson at the moment. Everywhere I go, people are taking pictures of me and asking for my photo. If they do that for me, what will they do for Muntazer himself?"
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
Hail, Hail!!!
98 CAA
00 Virginia Beach;Camden I; Jones Beach III
05 Borgata Night I; Wachovia Center
06 Letterman Show; Webcast (guy in blue shirt), Camden I; DC
08 Camden I; Camden II; DC
09 Phillie III
10 MSG II
13 Wrigley Field
16 Phillie II
he could've at least charged the mound right? motherfucker.
He did go to jail... he's in jail right now.
...
Also... if you threw a shoe at the President of the foriegn country that had bombed America and killed tens of thousands of Americans... you'd be a fucking hero. If you did take two to the chest and died... future American high schools would be named after you.
Hail, Hail!!!
So what are you saying? That any other foreign leader would have had the man shot, but because American leaders are so magnanimous and kind this fella was allowed to get off lightly with a stint in jail?
First off I know he went to jail. What I am saying is the security would have put two center mass in my chest. He thought he was going to be shot, and suprised he wasn't. I too am suprised he was not shot.
98 CAA
00 Virginia Beach;Camden I; Jones Beach III
05 Borgata Night I; Wachovia Center
06 Letterman Show; Webcast (guy in blue shirt), Camden I; DC
08 Camden I; Camden II; DC
09 Phillie III
10 MSG II
13 Wrigley Field
16 Phillie II
What words are you putting in my mouth?
98 CAA
00 Virginia Beach;Camden I; Jones Beach III
05 Borgata Night I; Wachovia Center
06 Letterman Show; Webcast (guy in blue shirt), Camden I; DC
08 Camden I; Camden II; DC
09 Phillie III
10 MSG II
13 Wrigley Field
16 Phillie II
Personally, I agree with Arabs all over the world that he should be congratulated and respected for risking his life in order to express what millions of people felt. George W Bush deserves no respect. He should be tarred and feathered.
I didn't put any words in your mouth. I asked you a question - hence my use of a question mark at the end of my sentence.
You said that 'If I did this to any foreign leader I am sure I would have had two bullets in my chest'. How so? Why would you throwing a shoe at any foreign leader have a different outcome to this particular incident?
You said that 'If I did this to any foreign leader I am sure I would have had two bullets in my chest'. How so? Why would you throwing a shoe at any foreign leader have a different outcome to this particular incident?[/quote]
I am just suprised the Secret Service did not shoot him, but then again he was in a crowd and the crowd subdued him. So it was undercontrol for them. Even the article you pasted said the "shoe thrower" thought he was going to be shot.
98 CAA
00 Virginia Beach;Camden I; Jones Beach III
05 Borgata Night I; Wachovia Center
06 Letterman Show; Webcast (guy in blue shirt), Camden I; DC
08 Camden I; Camden II; DC
09 Phillie III
10 MSG II
13 Wrigley Field
16 Phillie II
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Sorry, that is all I have to contribute!
It is very funny, but so sad because its true.
he should have thrown a hat actually... the bowler hat that Oddjob had in the Bond movies... he should have thrown that.
I don't think any idiot that throws shoes at someone (no matter the cultural significance) is any kind of hero. It was an idiot move by an idiot.
I wonder what would happen if I through my shoe at one of his spiritual leaders...I'm sure they would be completely fine with it and I would only serve a jail sentence...yeah right.
A better example... say you threw your shoe at Iran's President at a press conference in Washington, D.C.
Sure, maybe the Iranians wouldn't be happy... but, you would definately be MY HERO!!!
...
as for their spiritual leader... I wouldn't give a shit. and I'm guessing, most Americans wouldn't care, either.
Hail, Hail!!!
THEY SHOULD HAVE GONE TO JAIL!
Where I'm not ugly and you're lookin' at me
Depends on why you'd throw a shoe at a spiritual leader. Depends on what spiritual leader you chose to throw your shoe at. You make it sound like the fella just decided to throw his shoe at any random politician. I feel you're missing the point here. The people of Iraq had their country devastated with over a million people killed. Despite George W Bush being a moron who was probably up in his bedroom playing his Playstation when the big decisions were being made, he still represented to much of the world the person responsible for this carnage. The Iraqi people had, and continue to have, every right to feel angry. Throwing a shoe at this jackass was the least expression of their anger and frustration. I get the impression that you don't have much respect for Iraqi's?
Except for the fact that Ahmadinejad did not kill a million Americans and is not occupying the United States. He also does not support a nation like Israel that kills thousands upon thousands of innocent people. He is also not waging an illegal occupation in a country near here, killing thousands of those people as well. Should I keep going? The most Ahmadinejad has done was talk. And that has everyone up and going crazy. Now here is a guy like Bush who got a shoe thrown at him and people are actually trying to say the guy who threw the shoe should be punished for doing that? Are you kidding me? If there was any justice in this world, and I do not hesitate to say this, Bush would be hanged for his crimes well before any shoe was thrown at him.
For shits and giggles... let's just PRETEND he did... okay?
Let's pretend that Iran came across the ocean and killed a bunch of us Americans trying to... save us from our decadent lives of money and porn... make us closer to Allah (a.k.a. God) by giving us the religion Iran has. And Iranian president Achemenninjodad came to tell us how well off we are... when all of a sudden, CincyBearCat leaps up a fires a size 11 Doc Marten at him and is wrestled to the ground and placed in a U.S. jail.
He (Cincy) would be my hero and Ty Pennington would probably be building him a new 4 story house for when he is released. While the Iranian people in Iran would call for his death by stoning.
...
The point being... 'Hero' can be seen differently... depending on who's shoe you are wearing.
Hail, Hail!!!
I said "spitirual leader" because we al know who rules that part of the country. And we all know their atrocities as well.
Is it that hard to understand why someone would think that anyone that threw a shoe at someone at a press conference is an ass clown?
I can understand someone thinking that way when they fail - or refuse - to look at the bigger picture.
Ok, you keep your 'big picture" shoe throwers...they'll change the world!!!!!
Too blinded by yoru hatred of GW to know an ass clown when you see one...it's sad really. Mayeb the Chinese government is changing your posts.
Lots of hypocritical people here. Talk about diplomatic solutions...cheer shoe throwing...you get what you ask for.
This reporter did what most of us have been dying to do, show his contempt for this moronic war criminal.
I have no problems understanding why he did it, and certainly do not consider him an ass clown.
I'm not sure if I love shoe throwing or the shoe thrower but I know I can certainly understand why the anger that caused him to throw both his shoes in the first place. It's not like he did so without warning, I believe he did shout some words of anger before throwing his shoes.
I must commend GWB for being heads up while on his feet, must be his advanced cheer-leading skills.
Peace
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)