Before I start, I would recommend anyone reading this entry to look at my past diaries to know that I'm not a troll or anything like that.
I had mixed reactions to the "Shoe" incident and aftermath. At first, I laughed. But after thinking about it some more I don't think anyone deserves to go through that, especially a President of the United States. I knew that the press would make a circus of covering it and I knew that some in Kos would feel for the journalist. Well, I'm going to have a contrarian view here even though I can't stand Bush.
I don't like our current president. I don't like him at all. But I do feel sorry for the man going through his last month, days in office. I've been following President-Elect Obama speeches and I clearly remember one thing that his mother taught him while he was young. I think he said she told him to have empathy for others and to try to "walk in their shoes," or something similar.
After watching this incident [the shoe throwing incident], I started thinking how Bush must feel at this point. To many here probably he doesn't deserve any sympathy. But I'm willing to give him some for the last days of his presidency. I think that's the "human" thing to do. I look at him and think that he's probably looking back at his eight years in office and probably has some, if not a lot of regrets, I mean who wouldn't? He's human after all -- some may not think he's but that's just your intense dislike that's getting the best of you. He probably feels sorry about the wars, his handling of 9/11 and the economy. And if he never ever says/admits that he's sorry for what he's done to this beautiful adopted country of mine, I'm willing to give him the benefit of a doubt that he does but won't say it.
Today, I read a few of the diaries. Here are three that jumped out at me:
This one is by ftwfl titled: Muntadhar al-Zeidi is an overnight hero
I think the diarist was just reporting and didn't really mentioned his personal take in support or dislike on this act.
This other one is by Studs McGonagle: A Million Shoe March
This one started funny but I didn't like the "manured-encrusted farm boots" commment at the end. Heh, maybe I'm being too serious here.
Lastly, this one really moved me to write this diary, it was written by the girl: Tragedy of journalism and Zaidi's breakdown: Not to throw shoes is the crime
Actually, I disagree with the diarist sentiments 100% percent. In one of her sentences, she writes:
And as a journalist myself, my heart goes out to Zaidi, who apparently has a human being inside his journalistic exterior, and that human being just had enough. How many journalists have tried to get attention drawn to the atrocities of this war and have been bumped from the front page or television screen by Britney Spears or some other such nonsense?
I can tell that she has an extreme dislike for President Bush, as do I and probably many here at Kos. But not in my lifetime, I would stand up and throw a shoe, or anything for that matter, to a President or anyone just because I disagree with him, dislike him, or think that he/she is a criminal. That's not part of being human, in my view. That's basically acting like an animal who has no reason or can't think of other creative ways of expressing his disgust for this person. And he certainly did.
Mr. Zaidi could have stood up and ask a very tough question to the President and basically accuse him of destroying his country. He could have asked all the journalist there to walk out as a sign of disgust. At worse, he could have stood up and go on a tirade against the president. There were so many options that would have also caught the attention of the cameras and news media. But that was not to be and this person simply follow his most basic animal instincts and decided to attack this person, our President. This time it was a shoe. If he had a gun, would he have fired it? Isn't that the same concept?
At the most basic level, he used a foreign object to attack someone (shoe, rock, knife, bullet, etc.) And that act is reprehensible and should be condemmed by everyone. Just think of the consequences if it this "journalist" had fired a gun?
You may disagree with me on my take but I just don't think attacking someone because of their offenses is acting human.
Update [2008-12-15 15:9:20 by ovelarde]: This is my first updated diary so forgive if I break any editing rules. Anyway...
For those who at least tried to understand what I was writing about, thank you.
For those who commented differently, here are a few questions that you have decided to avoid:
- The man threw a shoe, but do you think if he had a gun, would he have used it? Is that acceptable? Even if you think Bush is a "terrorist" or "murderer" or both?
- Do you think that throwing a shoe was his only way of expressing frustration, disappointment, or disgust with Bush? I offered other ways of confronting Bush but I didn't see many of you who disagree with my thoughts for calling for alternate ways get your point across.
- Is violence or the act of violence the only way to confront Bush? I just can't think that people who write at Kos, who call themselves Liberals or Progressives would think that way. I just can't. If that's the case, then some folks here are no better than those who write at FreeRepublic or any other of those "crazy" Republican, fundamentalists sites.
[UPDATE 2]
Some have taken my comments of disgust with this act JUST because it was directed at our President. I re-read my diary and I could see why. But I also said that this shouldn't happen to anyone no matter who that person may be. Hopefully that's more clear.