If you have a TV or basically live anywhere that isn’t under a rock, you will have heard about Iraqi journalist Muntader Al Zaida having managed to throw his shoes at American President, George Bush during a recent press conference. Let’s relive that moment, maybe even several times if you enjoy it as much as I do:

So of course this event has just reiterated just how much the reality of the invasion and American aggression in general is not reflected in mainstream news coverage. If the TV world of events bore any resemblance to reality then Al Zaida’s actions would hardly be surprising.

An interesting thing to note, is that in 99% of reporting on this you will find this sentence: “In Iraqi culture, throwing your shoes at somebody is widely regarded as a sign of contempt”. In case you found his actions a bit ambiguous, you see. I mean gosh, I hope his idea about throwing dirty things at people doesn’t catch on in the white/right parts of the world… like America. That would be a horrible way for “Iraqi” culture to infect us.

One more thing that I think is very worth noting (and something that has barely been mentioned), is that last year Al Zaida was kidnapped, beaten, questioned and then subsequently released two days later. The identity of his attackers has never been established.

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