Thursday, December 18, 2008

Nothing funny about it

After reading the countless reports on the recent attack on President Bush, I am now ready to make a few comments. I admit that the media never ceases to amaze. Just when I thought the American mainstream press couldn’t get anymore biased, I read the accounts of this incident that are filled with near-glee. It’s almost like the liberal press was happy to see the President of the United States treated with such disrespect in a foreign country that thousands of American soldiers have died to free.

The attacker describes himself as someone who hates war and violence, a rather bizarre and contradictory position to take for someone who hurls a shoe at the head of another human being. For the record, he has a poster of Che Guevera in his home. Guevera was responsible for the death of over 14,000 people, many of them women and children. Yet, he is adored by radicals and the anti-establishment folk. I mention that just to give you an idea of what kind of person attempted to harm President Bush.

I wonder how this would have been portrayed if Barack Obama were the target of the shoe.

I also wonder what would happen to this man had he thrown his shoe at Saddam Hussein during the butcher of Baghdad’s dictatorial reign. No, actually I don’t wonder that because I know what would have happened. The guy would have been dead before the second shoe hit the ground. Yet, he is still alive thanks to the freedom that he has been granted via the blood and treasure of the American people, whom Bush was representing in Iraq when this attack occurred.

And speaking of Hussein, let’s not forget that he was responsible for the death of 300,000 Iraqis during his 24 year rule. Some estimates place that number as high as a million. So if he were still in power over the past 6 years he would have murdered at least 75,000 people. I think the people of Iraq should pause to remember that the next time they feel the urge to throw a shoe at the man who removed Hussein from power. The Iraqis are starting to behave like the French.

As for the Liberals who have yet to voice any whimper of criticism towards the perpetrator, shame on you all. Regardless of political party, regardless whether or not you agree with him, George Bush is still our President. This attack was disrespectful on many levels, and was an insult to all Americans, especially those who have lost a son, daughter, husband or wife fighting for these people to have the freedom to voice civilized opposition to those with whom they disagree. There is nothing funny about it and I challenge the patriotism of anyone who celebrates it, ashamed to call you a fellow American.

And, yes, I will feel the same if this ever happens to Barack Obama.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, PLEASE assume that this man is radical, illogical, and dangerous because he has a picture of Che Guevara in his home. That is one of the silliest arguments I have ever, ever heard. I am not condoning what this man did, I don't think it was right and clearly it was disrespectful. But you of all people would point out a Che Guevara poster. Why I'm surprised, I don't even know.

Kristina said...

Allison, I think his point was that it was incongruous to call yourself a peace lover and have a Che Guevera poster. And, he's right. It always amazes me when "peace lovers" are violent. Where's the peace? I also don't understand pro-lifers who bomb abortion clinics, thereby putting lives at risk. But, hey, I try to think logically, at least most of the time.

Anonymous said...

I just thought that it was a very sad attempt to accuse him of being some sort of evil person, as there are Che Guevara posters all over the world in the homes of people who support his mission but not the means to the end he wanted.

I don't mean to get into a big discussion about Che Guevara but that comment just really irked me.

John Washburn said...

Allison, I don't assume this man is radical, illogical and dangerous because of his Che Guevara poster. I assume he is radical, illogical and dangerous BECAUSE HE ATTACKED THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!!!

Idolizing Che Guevara implies something more like gullibility and being easily brainwashed, with little ability for independent thought or outright disregard for historical fact.

Thanks to Kristen for helping to clarify my point. Many "peace lovers" idolize this man when he is responsible for a lot of suffering worldwide. He was a marxist and a socialist, and there are few political movements that can match the bloodshed of those. Yet, the "end that he wanted" is admired. I invite you to travel to south Florida and speak to some Cuban refugees about Guevara's vision and the end that he wanted before being too quick to admire him.

Remember, Hitler's ultimate goal was world peace. Intentions do not define right or wrong.

Anonymous said...

The throwing of the Shoe shows you much less about the thrower than it does about the Arab World.

Their reaction is so 8th Century.
Out of Style. Or maybe not as Monty Python Pointed out in Life of Brian. Shoes give our lives meaning.

FOLLOWERS: Oh! Oh! Ohh! Oh! Ah! Oh!
ARTHUR: The shoe is the sign. Let us follow His example.
ARTHUR: Let us, like Him, hold up one shoe and let the other be upon our foot, for this is His sign, that all who follow Him shall do likewise.
EDDIE: Yes.
YOUTH: No.
SHOE FOLLOWER: ...a sign that we must gather shoes together in abundance.
GIRL: Cast off...
SHOE FOLLOWER: No! Let us gather shoes together!
FRANK: Yes.
SHOE FOLLOWER: Let me!
YOUTH: No, no! It is a sign that, like Him, we must think not of the things of the body, but of the face and head!
SHOE FOLLOWER: Give me your shoe!
YOUTH: Get off!
HARRY: Hold up the sandal, as He has commanded us!
ARTHUR: It is a shoe! It is a shoe!
HARRY: It's a sandal!
ARTHUR: No, it isn't!
GIRL: Cast it away!
GIRL: Come,...
FRANK: Yes!

tony said...

The new video with him http://thelaptopadvice.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=37&func=showcat&catid=13 it is very funny i watch it with my new netbook

Anonymous said...

John,

Twice in a row I find myself agreeing w/ yo almost completely. Throwing shoes at the president? I invoke the motto of the Queen of England: "Nemo me impune lacessit." I can only hope that this incident is not symbolic of the incipient chaos that I have always feared will follow our w/drawal from Iraq.

Meanwhile, I have recently argued w/ several Europeans regarding Che Guevara. Other than leaving an iconic image, the guy was basically evil. I am uncertain about your figures, but Che killed a lot of people in the name of his failed ideology.

TLGK

Dan Trabue said...

This attack was disrespectful on many levels, and was an insult to all Americans, especially those who have lost a son, daughter, husband or wife

Funny, that's just what this fella thought about Bush's invasion of Iraq...

SNAKE HUNTERS said...

An unbroken series of major scandles, one after the other, out of corrupt Illinois...Ayers, Resko, Wright, and now Governor Grab-O-Vich, on Fed Wire-taps!

Boredom sets in.

Then, One Iraqi Radical tosses his shoes, Bush ducks! Wowee, Breaking News 'Round The World; Stop The Presses! Obama's In Hawaii; Paparazzo camera catches him on a Private Beach. Media screams, More!
More! Now, we're gettting some Real Celebrity Stuff. O.J. Off To A Lock-up In An Orange Jump-suit...Bye, bye Juice...More, More!

Out of Iraq in 90 Days? Six months?
A year? Nope. The Campaign's Over, Dude. That wuz all hot-air. End of 2011...maybe. All lies, huh?

Humbug, and Goodnight All! reb
_________________________________
www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com

Auntyem said...

John, you said, "I wonder how this would have been portrayed if Barack Obama were the target of the shoe".

I'm afraid that Barack Obama will be the target of more than a shoe, and not from a radical Iraqi, but from one of his own countrymen whose cohorts will cheer for the perpetator.

Emilie
Port Orchard, WA

Dan Trabue said...

Kristina said:

He is probably of the opinion that we're a blemish on the face of the Earth because we're infidels.

And your evidence for this is... what? Just your hunch?

I'd suppose this is not the case. There was no evidence from any stories I've read on this that this fella's anger was specifically for Bush, specifically because of his invasion of Iraq.

But if your hunch makes YOU happy, go for it. Just don't expect anyone else to give much credence to your feelings.

Kristina said...

You know what, Dan? You're probably right. Sadam Hussein's regime was not known for its religious bent. So, I'm going to go with my feelings on this one and say that the guy probably couldn't care less, one way or the other, our status in paradise. However, since we're talking about feelings, I'm just going to lay all mine out on the table so we can get it over with.

Anyone who would want a terrorist, evil regime in power, in my opinion (another type of feeling) cannot be a peace lover. Hussein was an evil man who terrorized, tortured, and killed his own people. Mass graves are still being found. The idea that he would want this man to still be in power is so completely foreign to me, that I can only feel that he is either crazy, or a radical. Or, perhaps he just likes violence. There were mass killings before we went into Iraq. The idea that the violence there is worse now, than before we went in, is false. It is just more widely publicized. After all, there was not much publicity involved in secret mass murder done by the regime. On the other hand, there has been much publicity about the public suicide bombings.

This was not a peaceful country before we went there, no matter what the media wants us to believe.

Anonymous said...

Aren't you overreacting just a bit? You don't find the absurdity of a man as powerful as the President having a shoe thrown at him amusing to a degree?

It's just humorous, at least theoretically. Something this little and ridiculous is hardly an issue to get upset over.

John Washburn said...

Over reacting? No. Can you imagine a Frenchmen throwing something at FDR after we liberated them from German tyranny? Or to go a step further, can you imagine the French blaming the US for all the violence in their country that occurred after D-Day? What this guy did was just as absurd.

A lot of Americans have died to free the Iraqis, this nut included. I take personal offense to his action, and I think all Americans should feel the same.

Aside from all of this, let's not lose sight of the fact that our President was assaulted in a foreign land. Suppose this guy had thrown a glass bottle, or something else dangerous.

Again, if Obama were ever the target of such an attack the media would be painting a very different picture of it, but they find humor in the fact that it was Bush. I think that's shameful.

Dan Trabue said...

I'm with Robert on this one. I'm a pacifist, a peace-lover and I strive to be a peacemaker. I do not see this as violence (or only slightly so) and mostly see it as absurdist humor and a good example of NVDA.

Kristina, I don't know anyone who is suggesting that Iraq was a peaceable country before this. I don't know that this shoe-throwing fella is suggesting this. I've not seen anywhere the suggestion being made by anyone. Have you?

Rather, he is opposed to Bush's policies - the awful-ness of Saddam's regime notwithstanding.

Two wrongs don't make a right, as my momma says.

Is it all right with you if Mr Shoe Thrower and the majority of the world is opposed to BOTH Saddam's regime AND Bush's approach to dealing with it? If it's all right with you, we'll stay opposed to both. Thanks!

Uncivil said...

It seems the left is saying it's OK and humorous for this man to insult/intimidate the President of the USA, but it's a crime for our soldiers to insult or intimidate those poor peace loving detainees at Gitmo?

Dan Trabue said...

No, we're saying it's a crime to torture them. There's a difference.

But, since you bring it up: to what end would they insult or intimidate prisoners?

The difference between how Americans behave towards prisoners and how an occupied citizen feels towards the man who invaded and is now occupying his nation is an important one, seems to me.

Dan Trabue said...

For the record, as far as I'm concerned, the shoe-throwing thing IS humorous but it's not okay. It should have about the same consequences as if someone had thrown a shoe at anyone else. It is a form of (relatively) non-violent civil disobedience and folks who take part in CD ought to be prepared to suffer the consequences.

So, what IS the consequence of throwing two shoes at someone in the US? To be charged with assault? Probably not, at least if no one was hit.

More likely they would be charged with disorderly conduct and released. That sounds about right.

Uncivil said...

Dan
I wonder what the consequence of throwing two shoes at our president in the USA would be? Excellent question.


I see your point on the torture! If President Bush was held as a detainee and the soldiers threw shoes at him would that be considered torture?

Dan Trabue said...

Um, no. Torture is when you cause bodily or mental harm to a person.

Words have meanings. This was a nonviolent (mostly) display of disapproval. Torture is another thing altogether.

But then, surely you know this?

Uncivil said...

Dan
If someone is throwing a shoe at you........they mean to cause you bodily or mental harm.
The question is, "to what end would they" mean to cause you bodily or mental harm.

It's only considered torture when you are holding them as a prisoner, captive, or detainee!

Surely you know this my man!

Dan Trabue said...

Actually, if someone wants to cause bodily or mental harm, they do something more than throwing shoes. THAT really is something that a college student might do to a dorm mate.

Uncivil said...

Maybe that is a custom we should take up over here in the USA, "the throwing of one's shoes"?
They probably wouldn't let me wear my steel-toed boots to court anymore though!

Anonymous said...

You know John, in answer to your question, yes, I would love to see a shoe thrown at FDR, because he was historically an unmitigated ass.