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Journalist gets statue dedicated to him after G.W.Bush shoe trow
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by mazevedo | January 30, 2009 at 10:38 am
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Many Iraqis considered justice being done as a journalist tried to hit President George W. Bush with a shoe. However what the shoe trow has actually led to goes beyond just a singled out episode and becomes a statue at Tikrit, Iraq. Baghdad's artist Laith al-Amari created the statue of a shoe out of fiberglass and copper. According to the artist the work represents the pride of the Iraqi people.
The statue is inscribed with a poem honoring Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the Iraqi journalist who stunned the world when he whipped off his loafers and hurled them at Bush during a press conference on Dec. 14.
In the Arab world, even showing someone the sole of a shoe is considered a sign of disrespect.
Al-Zeidi was charged with assaulting a foreign leader, but his lawyer is asking prosecutors to reduce the charges. The trial has been delayed.
The shoe attack spawned a flood of Web quips, satire and even street rallies across the Arab world, where Bush is widely reviled for starting the war in Iraq and backing Israel against the Palestinians.
A Turkish shoemaking company also claimed its sales skyrocketed after some reports said it made the shoes that al-Zeidi tossed at Bush.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)
at 10:59 on January 30th, 2009
Thats hilarious. I like how they have plantations growing out of it too.
at 09:44 on February 3rd, 2009
I think the statue is beautiful. I'm just sad the man is in trouble. He is a hero, a real independent thinker. I only wish it had hit bushwack in the nose.