Muntadar al-Zaidi (the shoe thrower) : criminal or hero ?

[gregf]

Muntadar al-Zaidi the Journalist who threw his shoes at George W. Bush,
has been jailed for 3 years.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7938947.stm

Just for fun, which word best describes your attitude toward him ?
Criminal or Hero ?

Does George smile ? A rare endearing moment ?

Funny how show throwing is now a trendy protest everywhere.

[patrick]

He's neither. But a jail sentence for shoe-throwing is barbaric.

[glennjridge]

barbaric ...HAH!

lets see what saddam hussein would have done with "the journalist" had he done that in saddam husseins Iraq.

a "journalist" trying to injure a head of a country at a press conference with the acting Iraqi prime minister by throwing objects at him close range? 3 years? sounds about right.resonable in any country.

as a bonus you just KNOW...it absolutily infuriates him Bush used his keanu reeves style matrix like moves to dodge his childish little hissy fit. so sad, enjoy jail "journalist"

[gregf]

"Which word" ? Well, lets say, if you had decide one way or t'other.

Not wanting any big fights here.

[glennjridge]

well ....criminal obviously.

[gregf]

Off topic.

If only the Chaser Boys had done it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdnAaQ0n5-8
The famous APEC security breach stunt by the Chaser team.

Rumours of a new season of The Chaser this year.

[glennjridge]

you seem to be in a giddy mood lately. who are you and what did you do with greg?

[patrick]

lets see what saddam hussein would have done with "the journalist" had he done that in saddam husseins Iraq.

What a strange little world you live in where the acceptable course of events is anything that falls short of what Saddam Hussein would have done.

a "journalist" trying to injure a head of a country at a press conference with the acting Iraqi prime minister by throwing objects at him close range?

Oh please. What do you suppose you would get if you threw a shoe at someone at WalMart? A night in the poky if you were legendarily unfortunate. Three years is absurd by any rational measure, and to try to spin this as a violent assault instead of the gesture of outrage that it was is intellectually craven.

[homer1972]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle ... 783325.stm

[gregf]

you seem to be in a giddy mood lately. who are you and what did you do with greg?

Yeah, I was getting a bit grumpy.

Had a bit of pain+relapse for a while, but that's improved now.
Lifting of pain is such a joy.

But I am still not strong enough and avoiding any big ..err.. debates.
Regret that previous debate ended badly, Glen. Not what I want.

Look after your health guys. Listen to what your body is telling you.
If your unhappy, dont put up with it, that leads to illness (for me) or even depression.

[glennjridge]

what would I get if I threw 2 shoes close range at someone at wal-mart.....I dont know.....I live in america.... and our laws arent any joking matter. ask any african american. but its not the same thing when heads of countrys are involved. judges makes decisions per incident. wal-mart would be different than a political incident involving heads of foriegn countrys.


what would the charge be if someone threw shoes close range at Obama at a press confernce?

well lets find, something that would be a resonable relevant charge.....say throwing a couple hard objects at someone point blank. he'd have to be charged with something...I dont think theres a "nice try no harm no fowl" law on the books, and I will even not say assault.so,
how about,

Reckless endangerment

Recklessly engaging in conduct that creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person.
Reckless Endangerment Maximum—5 years

Reckless Endangerment is a misdemeanor punishable by not more than five years in jail and/or a $5,000 fine

The maximum punishment for reckless endangerment is five years in prison and a fine of $5,000.

to be fair to you I found some states where the penalty was 11 months to 1 year,

but doing a nice stretch in america no less....let alone a more unforgiving country like Iraq isnt outside the realms of possible.

and for the "journalist"taking his new found freedom and actually using it to try and injure a foriegn president, pretty much begs for a serious jail term. too bad "journalist". be glad it wasnt sadam hussein.be we know he wouldnt have done it then.

[GalataPSB]

He's neither. But a jail sentence for shoe-throwing is barbaric.

[GalataPSB]

barbaric ...HAH!

lets see what saddam hussein would have done with "the journalist" had he done that in saddam husseins Iraq.

After American invasion, People miss Saddam.

a "journalist" trying to injure a head of a country at a press conference with the acting Iraqi prime minister by throwing objects at him close range? 3 years? sounds about right.resonable in any country.

To Glenn, he deserves going to Guantanamo!

. so sad, enjoy jail "journalist"

John wayne spoke!

[glennjridge]

oh I know some people miss saddam Galata,but you cant judge Iraq by now, no more than you could have judged germany right after the invasion in WW2.

who could have forseen the wall would come down so many years later and germany would be the stable great place it is now.(I've never been to germany,so I'm hoping nobody will contradict me here)

[patrick]

but its not the same thing when heads of countrys are involved

I probably should have expected a double standard from you.

what would the charge be if someone threw shoes close range at Obama at a press confernce?

Hopefully a slap on the wrist. It's a shoe. Have we all lost our minds? Now I know you're in favor of the death penalty for pie-throwers, but let's get real.

Recklessly engaging in conduct that creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person.

I do have to thank you for the belly laugh that exploded when I saw you were trying to classify shoe throwing as reckless endangerment. Perhaps you can enumerate these serious physical injuries?

and for the "journalist"taking his new found freedom and actually using it to try and injure a foriegn president, pretty much begs for a serious jail term.

If his intention was to injure the president he would have used a weapon.