Bush Did the Shoe Fit

Palestinian journalists demonstrate to express solidarity with Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi, 29, who hurled his shoes at US President George W. Bush, on 18 December 2008; in front of the Church of the Nativity in the town of Bethlehem.

Zaidi threw his shoes at Bush during a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq; on 14 December; while yelling in Arabic: 'This is a farewell kiss, you dog; this is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.'

Websites keep popping-up in response to the show throwing incident, that they agreed with the Iraq journalist hurling his shoes at Bush for the reason he gave.

Nevertheless, the consensus across the globe is Bush deserved this type of Iraqi intercession.

“A Saudi sheik offered $10-million to purchase Mr. al-Zaidi shoes, the Dubai-based al-Arabiya TV channel said. The shoes are being kept as evidence, however.” From http://shoesatbush.net/

As to Bush appearing to laugh the incident off, it is further understood in private; that he is in actuality got quite angry over the shoe’s being thrown and the public response to the incident, it was reported. What is a hope, is did Bush learn something positive from the experience.

As to al-Zaidi being jailed and beaten unmercifully by the American’s for the shoe incident, just shouldn’t have occurred; after all, isn’t the US always speaking of freedom, especially freedom of speech?

Update:

Shoe-hurler sparks chaos in Iraq's parliament
Speaker quits amid debate over whether 'beaten' journalist should be freed

Bush’s interpretation of the First Amendment at Monticello

U.S. President George W. Bush delivers speech at Monticello, on 4 July 2008, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Bush Interrupted by Protestors at 4 July Event

U.S. President George W. Bush was interrupted on several occasions by protesters who called him a fascist and war criminal during a 4 July celebration.

Speaking at the home of former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, Bush was heckled during a ceremony where people from 30 countries lined up to be sworn in as U.S. citizens.

Bush having the protestors be forcibly removed from the area of where he was giving his speech, he infringed on the rights of the protestors against the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America*; under the guidelines of Freedom of Speech and expressing there grievances to how Bush has in their opinion, destroyed there country.

It is also becoming an understanding that many Americans are feeling the only way they can get their voices heard is through this type of protesting; instead of using other manners which they are given a silent voice.

Also, under this same Amendment that manipulating the press, to what they can and can not print is actually illegal, for the press has also the right to print the truth or actual information instead of propaganda or harassment and other deceptive means against not only the press, but the American people to know the truth through the media.

Personally, I have always believed a leader of a country should be a good listener and actually care about the grievances of the people in their country if there should be any, to actually resolve the problem to the best of their abilities for the betterment of the whole country; without the need of protesting.

One thing that has always been hard for me and I think it is people’s misunderstanding due to the previous war as well as the hangover from the war possibly, is that people feel or felt that violent or criminal activities while protesting was the way to be; even to the point of people getting harmed, when it was not necessary.

As far as the press, I have never hampered the media, even while sometimes I know that outside sources are doing so; which I wish it was otherwise, for the sake of my country.


*Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for redress of grievances.

The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America

Jewish Detractor of Putin Disappears from Berlin Home?

28 March 2008

By Assaf Uni

German police are seeking a Russian Jewish artist who disappeared from her Berlin home last week.

Anna Michalchuk, 52, has been a fierce critic of Putin's regime and the Russian Orthodox Church.

Her husband said that in Russia she had been subject to intense harassment of anti-Semitic nature.

In 2003 she stood trial for her part in organizing the art exhibition "Careful, Religion," which lambasted the prominent standing of the church in Russia. It was vandalized by extreme right-wing activists, and Michalchuk, along with two co-organizers of the exhibition, was indicted for sedition. She was eventually acquitted.

Michalchuk and her husband, Mikhail Riklin, moved to Berlin when he was offered professorship at the city's Humboldt University. He notified the authorities of his wife's disappearance on Friday last week.

"She told me that afternoon that she was going for a short walk," he said,

Together with a number of colleagues, Riklin published an open letter urging the German police to consider political grounds for her disappearance.

However, the daily newspaper Die Welt quoted Michalchuk's associates who said she had been suffering from depression recently.

Honesty is the Best Policy

11 March 2008

by HRM Deborah

Something, my father told me years ago about the American media, "only believe a quarter of what you see, hear or read, especially in regards to politics."

This always tended to make me disgusted, that the American media is manipulated so badly, even to go so far as to slander people, speak insults or accuse an honest person of lying.

I am yet to wonder, when the day will change, when honesty is the best policy again?

Just a little interesting finally, since I made a remark about American news, it seems BBC is picking up suit. I must say, I am very ashamed of the British news agency for stepping to a new low, I use to think, they where an impeccable news agency.

Hosseini Condemns Arrest of Press TV Reporter in Afghanistan

9 October 2007

Tehran-Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini here on Tuesday strongly condemned the arrest and beating up by US forces in Afghanistan of the Iranian English Press TV channel reporter in Kabul Faez Khorshid.

Speaking to reporters, he called the move as inhuman which runs counter to the principle of freedom of press and free flow of news and information.

Abduction, torture and arrest of a legal reporter who officially works for a newly-establish TV network engaged in reflection of realities and news, is considered as an inhuman behavior which runs counter to existing rules and regulations on freedom of reporters and free flow of information, Hosseini said.

It is vital to observe dignity of reporters under any circumstances but the Americans have once again proved that they pay no attention to this principle, he said.

The Americans do not want news and realities in Iraq and Afghanistan to be reflected, he said.

They try to limit people's access to official or military sources in order to cover up their heinous crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq and prevent free flow of information, he said.

The Americans have tried to win support of international community but to no avail, he said.

A reporter of Iranian English TV network 'Press TV' was arrested by the US security forces Sunday night in Kabul on his way home from office.

Faez Khorshid was freed after 18 hours while having bruises on the face showing he was beaten by the American soldiers.

Faez Khorshid in his latest report on presence of US forces in Afghanistan had accused US forces of being main cause of instability in the country.

Feedom of Speech: Use It Or Lose It

Over the last four years, I've put over 4,000 signs against the war on the freeways of California and the western United States.

~Freewayblogger

60 feet long and only lasted about fifteen minutes, but well worth it according to the artists. Made with cheap latex paint and disposable plastic tablecloths: about ten dollars for a hundred foot roll. Brilliant.-Chicago

We're bad.

We're nationwide.

Daily weblog!

Here's how it works:

When you put a sign on the freeway people will read it until someone takes it down.

Depending on its size, content and placement it can be seen by hundreds of thousands of people.