<p>Kind of an interesting tidbit heard through the grapevine (so I can’t vouch for it’s authenticity)…President Bush fired his Secret Service members shortly after the incident because it was the Iraqi people that subdued the shoe-thrower. Actually, I think it just shows that maybe the Iraqi people are ready to defend themselves now and wasn’t the President pretty quick with his reflexes???</p>
<p>Did anyone else have an “Austin Powers” moment? </p>
<p>“Ow, that really hurt! Who throws a shoe? I mean, honestly!”</p>
<p>Yes, here we are laughing about it, but the thrower may be stoned to death or worse. They take it very seriously.</p>
<p>I believe “shoe-throwing” is considered an insult to the person who is having the shoe thrown at them. It was kind of funny and I loved the way Bush handled it with a joke about the flying size 10. Boy, that guy threw it like a fast ball. Good thing Bush was able to dodge it—it could have been quite nasty. Oh well, now the shoe thrower can say that he’s experienced “free speech” without being beheaded.</p>
<p>I don’t think that it’s something to laugh at, either for us or for George Bush. It is definitely a way to express contempt in Iraqi culture. I recall when that large statue of Saddam came down that there were many in the crowd throwing their shoes at it while cheering. That seems so long ago now, no one has cheered anything in that poor country for a long time. I’m glad that Bush wasn’t hurt but I don’t think he should have made a joke of it. If anyone should understand the intent behind it, he should.</p>
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Nah…</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>from what I have read about this incident, this is considered to be the lowest of insults in the Arab world. I think the man is justified in his actions, because of what has happended to him personally because of the war.
I think we should be happy that someone didn’t commit a potentially fatal attack.
That being said, I do not think that this is in any way something for any American to find funny. No matter how you feel about the man , he is our commander in chief and I think it is disgusting to celebrate this incident.
Though I did not vote for Clinton or Obama , I did not and will not disrespect them while they are in office.</p>
<p>no one can throw shoes THAT fast----Ive been reviewing the tape and I am sure there was a second shoe thrower somewhere over by the grassy knoll.</p>
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<p>We do it all the time in our political cartoons, SNL skits, Jay Leno monologues, etc. That’s free speech. I agree, though, that Americans are mostly respectful when the President is in our midst.</p>
<p>I wish the President had acknowledged the emotion behind the act instead of just laughed it off as “just a shoe,” and then gone on to show how the presence of the US in Iraq is beneficial. </p>
<p>I wondered where the security was in that press conference also. The guy had a chance to throw not one, but two shoes. You’d have thought that one of the Secret Service guys would have covered Bush up after the first one was thrown.</p>
<p>Grassy knoll indeed, musicamusica…</p>
<p>Really, I am surprised that security did not take this guy out.</p>
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Maybe because the entire world was watching…?</p>
<p>If this guy received any serious injuries from being “contained”, it would amount to a new sensationalist scandal, and it’d make this incident just that much worse for Bush.</p>
<p>That was a serious breach of security. Why were people in that room wearing shoes in the first place?</p>
<p>I would have to agree if indeed SS agents were fired over this…maybe better to let Iraqi forces deal with it from a politial standpoint.</p>
<p>I understand the political satire and SNL like jokes, but the fact is your sitting president was attacked ( not harmed , but attacked and could have been harmed ) It is not funny and to suggest it is so is unacceptable.</p>
<p>Remember this when your chosen leader is innagurated and begins to hold office. I for one will not sneer or rejoice if he is attacked in any physical way , whether harmed or not.
I didn’t vote for Ronald Reagan but was just as horrified when someone took a shot at him as anyone who got him elected was …because I am American before I am with any party affiliation.</p>
<p>I keep wondering about this Iraqi tradition of insult shoe throwing – they have to go home without any shoes? Or do they plan ahead and bring an extra pair to throw? It seems much more of an insult the first way.</p>
<p>Funny because he absolutely more-than-deserved it.</p>
<p>^At least in the eyes of some Iraqis…</p>
<p>(all Iraqis minus the Kurds)
and the rest of the Arab World for a start</p>
<p>And much of the rest of the non-Arabic world to follow the start…</p>