Introduction
Shoe throwing or shoeing is the new rage. World over the common person is showing their hate and aggression against politicians by throwing shoes at them. Previously such acts were limited to people throwing shoes at pictures and posters of the corrupt politicians or simply burning their effigies, but now since the boiling point has been reached and people are desperate to gain their rights in a world fraught by political turmoil they have resorted to throwing shoes at real life leaders. Shoeing President Bush was the first in the long list of shoeing incidents. Shoes Bush have since then become a fashion statement. More than fashion however, shoes bush have become a political statement that is worn by many people.
History
Throwing shoes at people is an insult that has been started to be used as a form of protest by people around the world. Since the Bush shoeing incident many others have taken place around the world in India, Australia, and Pakistan and in the Arab world. Most noticeable incidents besides the President Bush incident have been the 2009 shoeing of Indian Home Minister Chidambaram by a Sikh journalist who was dissatisfied by one of his answers. The Pakistani president Asif Zardari was subjected to similar treatment by a Pakistani expatriate in the UK during his address in Birmingham in August 2010. The most intriguing of all is however the shoeing of al-Zaidi himself, the man who threw the shoe at Bush himself by annex Iraqi journalist in Paris. Since the Bush shoeing the shoes that were thrown at the President have been come to known as shoes bush.
Features
Since the Bush shoeing incident in 2008 the type of shoes that were thrown at the President have been come to known as the shoes Bush. The shoes themselves have become a symbol of the common man’s cry against the political system and the current scenario. They have become a political fashion statement. The company that manufactures the shoes has since gotten thousands of orders for copies of the shoe and even 19000 orders from the US of A itself the year the incident happened. The shoe model formerly known as the model 271 is now knows as the shoes bush by the company. It is ironic to note however that though shoe throwing is seen as a tremendous insult in the Arab world, the shoes would not have caused much damaged to President Bush had they hit him. Even though they look quite hefty, the pair only weighs about 300 grams or 10 ounces.
Tips and comments
The shoe throwing incidents rather than causing rage amongst politicians are seen largely as humorous acts. President Bush himself who was the first target dismissed the incident jokingly when some Iraqi journalists apologized to him. Others however see this as progress as people make their feelings felt through strong albeit strange and unnecessary actions. A Saudi businessman offered US $10 million for the shoes that were thrown. The shoes have now been named ‘Bye-bye Bush shoes’ after being named Shoes Bush in 2008.
