I have to admit that I felt a bit of pleasure in seeing President Bush dodge shoes thrown by journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi. It’s about time that someone gave him a good dose of reality, although it probably would have registered better if the shoes had hit their target. I think it’s obvious from his moves behind that podium that he has become an expert at dodging things. But how can you really blame Muntadhar al-Zaidi, a man who has seen is Country destroyed by an illegal occupation, who was kidnapped at gunpoint and later released, whose people have suffered significantly for almost 6 years now. The Iraq war has killed 85,000 to 1,000,000 (depending on the survey) innocent Iraqi citizens and created 4.7 million Iraqi refugees (UNHR). Now imagine you are Muntadhar al-Zaidi and have experienced all this death and destruction in your Country. Imagine that you feel you have no options for recourse for what you feel is a wrong against you and your Country. I think in this situation we all may throw a shoe or two to make a statement. I don’t advocate violence or vigilantism but I certainly have empathy for the action Muntadhar al-Zaidi took to make a point.
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