Remember this guy?
Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the journalist-turned-Iraqi-hero who threw two shoes at President Bush is set to be released early due to good behavior while imprisoned:
He was initially sentenced to three years after pleading not guilty to assaulting a foreign leader, then the court reduced it to one year because the journalist had no prior criminal history.
Defense attorney Karim al-Shujairi said al-Zeidi will now be released on Sept. 14, three months early.
"We have been informed officially about the court decision," al-Shujairi told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "His release will be a victory for the free and honorable Iraqi media."
Indeed, I think this can be considered a victory for Iraqi journalists. The boneheaded traditional media in the United States could use some of that shoe-throwing spunk, actually showing some passion for investigative journalism rather than just repeating the talking points of both sides ad nauseum. I'm not saying anyone should be throwing shoes at politicians, but it would be nice for journalists to sometimes reflect the general mood of the populace as al-Zeidi did when he shouted:
"This is your farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq."
When leaders and legislators live in their little bubble, surrounded only by party leaders, staff, and lobbyists, each with their own selfish agendas, and secluded from those they are supposed to be representing, it's all too easy for them to forget why they were put in power in the first place.
Al-Zeidi shattered Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's bubble and gave a bullhorn to the plight of the Iraqi people. Who will do the same for us?