Okay … so remember that shoe throwing incident that happened to ex-president George W. Bush on a surprise visit to Iraq last month? Yeah, well, that incident has been immortalized with a giant monument of the shoe in honor of Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi — the man who chucked his shoes at GWB’s head during that infamous press conference. On display at an Iraqi orphanage, artist Laith al-Amari says he created this effigy not as a political statement but as a “source of pride for all Iraqis”. Here are a couple pictures of this shoe monument in Iraq:
A sculpture of an enormous bronze-coloured shoe has been erected in Iraq to honour the journalist who threw his shoes at ex-US President George W Bush. The sofa-sized artwork was formally unveiled in Tikrit, hometown of late Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein. Artist Laith al-Amari insisted it was not a political work, but a “source of pride for all Iraqis”. Mr Bush managed to dodge the shoes but the man who threw them, Muntadar al-Zaidi, was arrested and awaits trial. As he pulled off his shoes, Mr Zaidi, now 30, shouted: “This is from the widows, the orphans, and those who were killed in Iraq.” He also told Mr Bush, who launched the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and was paying a final visit to Iraq last month: “This is a farewell kiss, you dog”. Mr Zaidi shot to fame as a result of his actions, which signalled extreme contempt in the Arab world, and inspired rallies across the Middle East and beyond. About 400 people gathered on Thursday to see the monument unveiled – a shoe on a white pedestal, about 3m (10ft) high, with a poem praising Mr Zaidi at its base, AFP said. There is also a bush sticking out of the shoe. The sculpture stands in the gardens of an Iraqi foundation that looks after children whose parents died in the violence following the US-led invasion. The foundation’s president, Shaha al-Juburi, said the sculpture was not backed by any political party or organisation. Since his arrest, Mr Zaidi, a TV journalist, has reportedly been beaten in custody, suffering a broken arm, broken ribs and internal bleeding. He has been charged with aggression against a foreign head of state, and faces up to 15 years in jail if convicted. His family denies he has done anything wrong.
HMMM. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this piece of art … but, I can imagine that people of a war-torn country might have lingering feelings of hatred for the head of state of an invading country and peaceably protesting or voicing that displeasure thru artwork seems like a rational option. After the jump, for those of you interested, watch video of the incident that sparked the inspiration for this new art installation …
What do y’all think? Do you like this art sculpture?
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haha, have a nice day!
@ KB – You actually think that reporter was a terrorist?!? Where was his bomb? Where was the death? Where was the injury? Where was the created fear among the target? Do you actually know what a terrorist is?
I know George had some creative definitions of the term, but that’s actually even taking it farther than him!
Haha, YOU ARE MORE EXTREME THAN GEORGE BUSH! That is frickin hilarious!!!
So… If you agree that war is violent, and we started the violence there, than why should it be hypocritical for them to “immortalize a violent act” that protested that violence? I think it’s absolutely brilliant!
Hehe, you can’t have it both ways, unfortunately!
ok i can’t resist, brooke, you are to easy. my best friend is not black. but my boy friend is puerto rican if you want to know. he is also a democrat. i live in a major city in the US so i am around many different people all the time.
@Brooke I find it confusing that you are saying that women enjoyed some of the greatest freedoms in the middle east under Sadams control and now the US has runined that. Why have so many women been FLEEING these countries to come to countries like Canada and the USA for so many years? I am not disputing your claims, I am trying to understand. Everything I have seen through media outlets shows that professional women can enjoy some small freedoms while most are brutalized (according to western standards of course).
Brooke! Christine! Exchange emails addies for Christ’s sake!!!
Most countries in the Middle East are non-secular societies, meaning they are traditional religious societies that often ascribe to traditional, religious ways of enforcing societal rules. This can often be very oppressive to women as many traditional Islamic cultures feel that women are subserviant to men and they are therefore not allowed to participate in many areas that we take for granted (schools, work, wearing what we want, even driving!). Many women do leave many countries (including Iraq before and after the war) for many reasons, and that often involves reasons of more personal freedom for themselves as well as their families. However, my argument is that Saddam, to be able to more easily contain those in his country, turned Iraq into a secular country
(cont) This ironically means that the traditional oppression of women for religious reasons was not a valid practice in Iraq under Saddam, and women really did enjoy very high standards of education and societal respect. (In general, no person in their right mind would ever defend him, and there are countless personal cases of violence against women known to have been committed by he and especially his sons.) However, Iraq was not a bad place to live if you wanted an equal shot at an education and making a living as a woman!
Hope this helps, MeGs!
Also, MeGs, you are right that poverty definitely affects a woman’s standing in ANY country. But having the opportunity to be educated so you can get a J.O.B. really makes a difference for breaking that cycle!
Also, Just FYI, there are currently 1000′s of women running for local, regional, and national office in the next elections in Iraq, so hopefully things for women will begin to improve again!
PITNBer-don’t read the comments if it bothers you!
Yes it does thanks. I doubt I will ever fully understand what is going on in the middle east but now I understand your previous comment about womens freedoms a bit more.
This “art” was a waste of money that could have been used to help the people of Iraq. It’s sad that it wa spent on something so useless and not on bettering the people. Sad.
If that guy gets 15 years when people do way worse things and get 15 minutes you know the court system is messed up.
Brooke FTW!
I’ve been reading the comments and I agree with Brooke, do proper research before declaring how the people are so “ungrateful” to the americans because they threw a shoe at that jackass
@ Brooke – right on. :)
Team Brooke!
wow this debate got nuts! and i agree with wendell, that money could have been used on way better things then to glorify a shoe throwing terrorist. yes i called him a terrorist. anyone trying to harm the leader of a country, ANY country for that matter is a terrorist. even if its only with a shoe.
I’m really finding it crazy that Brooke is commending the way things were under Saddam but will slam our former President for trying to keep us safe against people like Saddam. You’re a smart girl there! So you have family over there huh? Well I have friends that are soldiers over there who have also said the Iraqi people are thankful for them being there. I also don’t think there is anything “peaceful” about a statue that commemorates an act like that against the leader of our country no matter who that leader may be. I wonder if Bush were beheaded like other Americans have been, if you would support that also.
America is full of waste for sure, but I wonder how much that dumb shoe statue cost when it could have gone to better use in a war torn country.
Team Wendall.