Shoes for Bush

[SA210]

January 19th, 2009 3:41 pm
Protesters throw shoes at White House

Associated Press


WASHINGTON -- Anti-war protesters were throwing shoes outside the gates of the White House on President George W. Bush's last day in office.
About 500 people marched to the White House and threw about 40 pairs of shoes at the gate while tourists looked on and took photos.
Supporters say they acted in solidarity with Muntadhar Al-Zeidi, the Iraqi reporter who threw his shoes at Bush during a news conference in Baghdad in December. The event was sponsored by several peace groups. Organizer Jamilla El-Shafei of Kennebunk, Maine, says the event allowed protesters to express their anger over Bush. She says he is "leaving with no accountability for eviscerating our Cons ution."

[SA210]

January 19th, 2009 3:13 pm
Mainer leads shoe-throwing protest in D.C.

By Justin E. Ellis / Portland Press Herald


WASHINGTON -- More than 200 protesters led by a Maine activist marched to the front gate of the White House today and tossed their shoes at the fence as a farewell gesture to outgoing President Bush.
No one was injured or arrested in the protest, which made its way from DuPont Circle down Connecticut Avenue to the president's residence.
Jamilla El-Shafei, who led several anti-war protests while Bush vacationed in Kennebunkport, was the lead organizer for Shoebush.org, which sought to emulate the actions of Iraqi journalist Mutandar Al-Zaidi.
Organizers collected donated shoes around Maine for the protest today.
El-Shafei said the incident has become symbolic for activists who feel their efforts have gone unnoticed by the president.
"(Al-Zaidi) pierced through the reality Bush was portraying," she said.
El-Shafei said she was pleased by the turnout, which included members from activist groups such as Code Pink and The World Can't Wait, because of the number of events taking place around the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, including a day of service.
Organizers were uncertain whether they would be able to throw shoes at the White House or would face arrest due to the heavy security for Tuesday's inauguration. El-Shafei said she was grateful for that.
"We were determined to make a statement and the police let us make it," she said.

[tonylongoriafan]

500 whole protesters

[ClingingMars]

lame. come up with something new. the Iraqis have show-throwing covered.

-Mars

[Rogue]

fetide smelly shoes are even more fetide than his .

[Wild Cobra]

Do they realize they are emboldening the Islamic enemies of America?

Look at what the foreign media will show and the context it will be laid out in.

Oh well... Just more of the "I Hate America" crowd showing their true colors.

[ratm1221]

Do they realize they are emboldening the Islamic enemies of America?

Look at what the foreign media will show and the context it will be laid out in.

Oh well... Just more of the "I Hate America" crowd showing their true colors.

Why do you hate America so much?

[boutons_]

"I Hate America"

There He Goes Again

America .DOES.NOT.EQUAL. dubya

WC wasn't afraid of the foreign media when dubya was invading Iraq for oil.

[Wild Cobra]

I just laugh at the utter stupidity of some of you here. Some of you guys are simply too stupid to deserve response.

[Winehole23]

The heights of popularity and patriotism are still the beaten road to power and tyranny; flattery to treachery; standing armies to arbitrary government; and the glory of God to the temporal interest of the clergy. --David Hume

"My country, right or wrong" is a thing no patriot would ever think of saying except in a desperate case. It is like saying "My mother, drunk or sober." -- GK Chesterton

The notion that a radical is one who hates his country is naïve and usually idiotic. He is, more likely, one who likes his country more than the rest of us, and is thus more disturbed than the rest of us when he sees it debauched. He is not a bad citizen turning to crime; he is a good citizen driven to despair. --HL Mencken

Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.
-- Hermann Goering

To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. -- Theodore Roosevelt(1918)