As I was getting home last night I received a text from a friend in Michigan. “Bush got a shoe thrown at him in Iraq!” it said. I have to admit, a smile crossed my face at that moment as I imagined the president getting smacked in the face by what I was hoping was a stiletto heel (wouldn’t that be poetic). But, as I listened and read the news about it, another emotion arose. I’m not entirely sure what it is at this point. I think Bush has angered us all so much that, at times, we would all like to throw a shoe at him. And hey, what was the damage, besides a bruised ego? However, something about the act still bothers me.
If you’ve been paying any attention to the news today, you’ve undoubtedly seen the reaction of Iraqi’s to the event. I’m sure it’s not representative of all Iraqi’s but enough to make the news. People are proud of this shoe-throwing fellow. Why, they’d throw shoes at Bush too. In fact, so would many Americans. And I really cannot blame any one of them. I guess that’s what makes me sad. How did we come to this? How do we have this president who has hurt, devastated, destroyed people and places, with little regret or even remorse of any kind? How did we get into this horrible war that really no one wanted, except our president? How does one person affect so many people?
My only hope is that this will be some kind of wake up call for Bush. It won’t though. Instead he’ll see it as a personal attack on him and not reflective of his presidency. And that is the problem with such an act of petty violence. No matter how warranted you feel it is, no matter how little your voice is heard otherwise, the other side will only dismiss it as childish and move on. But, BUT, for the moment, many people feel validated in their anger and disgust at somebody who has clearly not taken them into account. And for people who feel their voices are not heard, that is a lot. All you have to do is look at the news and see the reactions of some Iraqi’s to see this. In fact, you can probably look at the news for reactions in the U.S. and see the same thing. Why didn’t we think of this? Bush wasn’t seriously hurt, but the world got a very clear message!
On a totally unrelated note the NY Times reported of Caroline Kennedy's bid for Clinton's Senate seat in NY. The lead into the story was this: Ms. Kennedy has decided she will pursue the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a person told of her decision said.
"A person told of her decision"?!?!?! What kind of source is that?
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2 comments:
I spent my Sunday watching the "House of Saddam" on HBO, and right after it ended, I saw the shoe footage. Interesting timing, no?
I'm on the same page with you, re: the shoe. I cringed at how Bush just smirked after the incident. You're right; he's not going to change. I don't think he has the mental capacity to deal with all the B.S. he caused the past eight years.
And too funny about the NYT quote. Now you see why the newspaper business is failing miserably these days!
You wrote well and I understand your sentiments, however Im unsure you understand how other countries feel about America, their president, army and people.
I was shocked/surprised that he had the audacity to hold the press conference in that country after the devestation of the surge, the current cholera epedidemic (there is no cholorine in Iraq) and the feelings of the green zone.
As much as I dislike Bush, one man did not devestate a country in an illegal war and current continued illegal occupation, a nation did.
I felt sad for this man that threw the shoe, for his anger, his loss, his frustration... he is a fellow human being, and most other countries & individuals are trying to get aide to his country as quickly as possible and have been doing it for years...
If your country impeached Bush it would show some genuine remorse by the people for his actions...It is naive and wrong to say Bush did it alone, your countrymen did not stop him. Simple but true, neither sadly did the people of my country do enough...
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