Thousands Protest Arrest of Shoe-Throwing Iraqi Journalist
By Heather Monday Dec 15, 2008 1:00pm
CBC News reports that thousands of Iraqis are protesting the arrest of Muntadar al-Zaidi.
More from Democracy Now:
President Bush is returning to Washington after making surprise trips to Iraq and Afghanistan. In Baghdad, a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was interrupted when an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at President Bush. The shoes almost hit Bush in the head. The journalist, Muntadar al-Zaidi, screamed in Arabic, “This is a farewell kiss, you dog. This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq." Al-Zaidi works as a reporter for the Cairo-based satellite channel Al-Baghdadia TV. Security guards removed him from the room while reportedly kicking and beating him. He is still being held by Iraqi officials. Al-Baghdadia TV has called for al-Zaidi’s release.
Al-Baghdadia News Anchor: “Al-Baghdadia TV channel calls on the Iraqi authorities to immediately release its employee, Muntadar al-Zaidi, in accordance with the democratic freedom of expression that the new regime, the US authorities and the Iraqi government have promised. Any actions taken against Muntadar will make us recall the time of the dictator era when violence, random arrests, mass graves, and ignoring of general freedoms existed. Baghdadia channel calls for international, Iraqi and Arab media institutions to support Muntadar al-Zaidi and call for his release.”
At a demonstration in Sadr City earlier today, protesters called for the release of Muntadar al-Zaidi, while throwing shoes at passing US military vehicles. Uday al-Zaidi praised his brother Muntadar for throwing his shoes at President Bush.
Uday al-Zaidi: "Millions of Iraqis, or rather millions of the people of the world, wish to do what Muntadar has done or do something similar. Thank God he had the guts to do it and avenge the Iraqi people and the country from those who plunder it and have killed its people.”
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Guess there's no freedom of speech in that "democracy" either!
Please explain to me how throwing ones shoes at the POTUS is an expression of freedom of speech? I would think that it would be more an expression of assault.
If this "journalist" tried such a thing with Saddam Hussein, he would have been tortured, murdered, and dumped into a mass grave.
Let me explain using very short words. It was a shoe, not a bomb, not a knife. It does no real harm. An egg or a cream pie would do more damage. It was meant to insult. Insult is free speech.
Now, getting back to words of more than two syllables, I was overjoyed to hear of someone, anyone, finally taking a shot at the Führer's bubble. Yes, protect him from harm — we want him alive for the war crimes trial — but not from insult. I've signed many a petition, written online comments, and attended protests, but Muntadar al-Zaidi put his throwing arm where his mouth is. If it were up to me, he'd get the Congressional Gold Medal.
Let me answer using very short words. You are wrong in so many ways. A shoe in the face can do real damage. An egg or a cream pie would not do more damage. You are wrong. You would expect more respect for the chosen one wouldn't you?. Yes you would. And to end-[Deleted. Abusive. And check out the cultural signifcance of shoes and their display in Arab culture. If you did, you'd know this was intended as a grave insult, not an attempt to inflict physical injury-Sitemonitor]
Short enough words?
Let me answer using very short words. You are wrong in so many ways. A shoe in the face can do real damage. An egg or a cream pie would not do more damage. You are wrong. You would expect more respect for the chosen one wouldn't you?
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oh get a grip, it's just a shoe(at least when it comes to phyical injury). Save your histrionics for redstate.com
as for your obama comment. You lost, we won. :)
"I was able to get a sense of his sole, a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country," Bush declared after his visit.
I'll marry him if he wants to come to Canada. We can now.
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