The Significance of Throwing Shoes
Share December 14, 2008 | Zen Musings
An Iraqi Journalist Throws Shoes At President Bush
I’m sure everyone has seen this bit of video footage by now.
One of the oddest things I’ve ever seen in my life… an Iraqi journalist throwing shoes at an American President. I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
When I shared this video with my two sons they started laughing too. Even President Bush himself had a peculiar smirk on his face, even joking about it later, reporting that it was a size 10 shoe!
The Significance of Throwing Shoes
From Wikipedia.org:
- In the Arab world, shoe flinging is a gesture of extreme disrespect.
- When U.S. forces pulled down a giant statue of Saddam Hussein during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, many Iraqi detractors of Hussein threw their shoes at the fallen statue.
- The shoe represents the lowest part of the body (the foot) and displaying or throwing a shoe at someone or something in Arab cultures denotes that the person or thing is “beneath them.”
- Showing the bottom of one’s feet or shoes (for example, putting one’s feet up on a table or desk) in Arab cultures is considered an extreme insult.
News Articles
U.S. News & World Report – Bush Got More Publicity Than He Bargained For With Shoe-Throwing Incident
Bush ducked nimbly as the man threw one of his shoes, and then the other, at the president’s head before security forces pounced on him. Neither Bush nor Maliki was hit.
Yahoo! News – Bush: “Iraq War is Not Over, More Work Ahead”
BAGHDAD – On an Iraq trip shrouded in secrecy and marred by dissent, President George W. Bush on Sunday hailed progress in the war that defines his presidency and got a size-10 reminder of his unpopularity when a man hurled two shoes at him during a news conference.
In The Shoe-icide Bomber’s Own Words, And Feet!
Supposedly, it is the greatest insult in Arabic cultures, to have shoes thrown at you. In all honesty, I think it would be a great insult in ANY culture to have shoes thrown at you!
“This is the farewell kiss, you dog,”
“This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.”
But there you have it…
The Symbolic Meaning Behind The Throwing of Shoes
Is this a sign, or a last minute testimonial to the legacy of the Bush Administration? A symbolic gesture of how Iraqi citizens feel about the U.S. in Iraq?
Who knows… All I know is that I wanted this war to end long ago.
Posted by Randomguru | Comments (View Comments)
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Carlos (a.k.a Randomguru) is a working musician, web developer and web publisher living in San Diego, California.
Interesting… I didn’t know that shoe throwing was some sort of time-honored gesture in the Arabic world. I guess that guy’s actions must’ve been particularly meaningful to the people in those countries (instead of just some bizarre news item as many people here see it). Remember that famous pie thrower in Eurpoe years ago? I think the guy got Bill Gates in the face with a pie, if memory serves.
yup, shoes and feet are weighty things in many african cultures. it’s extremely rude, for example, to show someone the soles of your feet. something to keep in mind when you’re sitting around talking to a bunch of people and you suddeny feel like crossing your legs…
oops^^. i meant arabic cultures, which stretch into the north of africa, as you know…
LOL I saw that in the news. Bush has some pretty good reflexes! It’s like a scene from the Matrix! haha