I've been contemplating why we’re talking more about Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the journalist who threw his shoes at George W. Bush yesterday, than the hundreds of suicide bombers who brutally ended their lives, and many others in Iraq, with a similar message?
We could be jaded, as sick as that seems, by suicide bombers. We were horrified by the concept when we first heard about young Palestinians blowing themselves up at crowded markets in Israel. Then we got another jolt when we discovered that women, too, participated in this form of self-proclaimed jihad. But soon we started hearing about suicide bombers all the time, all over the place, especially as Bush’s so-called victory in Iraq unleashed a stream of young people ready to make one final statement.
But Zeidi has left an indelible impression that stands out in a Bush era marked by regular violence in the Middle East. Zeidi forced Bush to recognize that thinking, educated and civilized people, those with a real understanding of the sham behind the war in Iraq, actively despise Bush and his unjust war.
No one can demonize Zeidi (even if they disagree with him) because he didn’t kill one other person, or himself, to make the message clear that Bush is a criminal, “a dog,” in the eyes of the Iraqi people.
Bush may have joked about the incident-- typical sophomoric Bush behavior—but I bet he’ll remember those “size 10” shoes better than any protest that has met his arrival or any flaming effigy of himself. Zeidi’s message was clear, brave and memorable.
While suicide bombers are mourned and eulogized, Iraqis are actively demanding Zeidi's realease from prison. He is a living hero.
Photo: Xavier Lashmar
3 comments:
While Zeidi may be educated, I have yet no data showing him to be "thinking, civilized, with real understanding". I have read so much praises addressing this man as if he had saved a sinking ship or made a major invention. How do you think, why didn't he throw a shoe at former Pres. Saddam Hussein while the latter was in office? Because of approving Saddam's policy or because of fear that a person throwing a shoe at Saddam would never be seen alive again? Pick either reason - I don't see a third one. And let's acknowledge that Iraqus finally have some freedom, even if it is measured in remaining alive after throwing a shoe at a head of state.
Frankly, I am sick. In my country, which is EU member, a journalist criticizing the President was recently beaten with hammers within an inch of his life, and nobody gives a damn.
Thanks for writing, Maya. Well, I would say that President Bush, as president of a another country, that didn't respect the sovereignty of Iraq, didn't respect the international condemnation of the war, that once supported Saddam Hussein and lied/had bad intelligence of supposed WMDs in Iraq, represents someone quite different than Saddam Hussein. One would think that Bush would be ashamed to go to Iraq but he stood there and talked about a "success" in Iraq that is highly questionable. While you say that Iraqis have some freedom, they also have a lot more violence, destruction, death and instability thanks to Bush.
Saddam didn't pretend to be the upholder of democratic freedom and we know that he wasn't. But Bush traipsing into Iraq as if it were the property of the US and allowing useless killing and destruction (for oil!) is despicable. Bush says there is democracy in Iraq but look at the price.
What about Martin Jahnke?
http://blogs.amnesty.org.uk/blogs_entry.asp?eid=2693
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