On the heels (ha ha) of the now-notorious incident in which an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at some guy named George Bush, the world press has rushed to tell us that throwing shoes is a really bad thing in the Arab world. Not like here in the west, where it's a gesture of affection. [blockquote] "In Arab cultures, throwing shoes is a grave show of disrespect." —[a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aabFVZj4gc4g&refer=home"]Bloomberg.co[/a]
"The act is an Arab symbol of contempt." —[a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1215/p25s06-wome.html"][em]Christian Science Monitor[/em][/a][/p] "Throwing shoes at somebody is a supreme insult in the Middle East." —[a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2008/12/14/africa/OUKWD-UK-IRAQ-BUSH.php"]Reuters[/a][/p] "In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of contempt." —[a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iTki_d652tvHLYQvaRlelGq64GoQD952NAD00"]Associated Press[/a]
[/p][/blockquote] [a href="http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/010871.html"]Those Mysterious Easterners, So Different From You and Me[/a]
