Maliki takes a shoe for Bush.

I knew this would happen. After President Bush got a show thrown in his face by an Iraqi journalist (see video), I knew the Western media would have a field day talking about how shoes are greatly offensive in Arab culture. This is non-sense. Of course, shoes are offensive in Arab culture if one were to throw one at you, but there are offensive in every culture.

Western journalists seek to sound knowledgeable about the region in informing their readers that they know that shoes are considered a great insult. They make this ostensibly peculiar observation as if this was just a facet of Arab culture. Throwing shoes at someone is offensive in every culture, nuff said.

Let’s look at the idiot news roundup.

CNN: Hurling shoes at someone, or sitting so that the bottom of a shoe faces another person, is considered an insult among Muslims.

Agency French Press: Soles of shoes are considered the ultimate insult in Arab culture.

AP: In Iraqi culture, throwing shoes at someone is a sign of contempt.

BBC: The soles of shoes
are considered the ultimate insult in Arab culture.

Bloomberg News: In Arab culture, throwing shoes is a grave show of disrespect.

Christian Science Monitor: An Iraqi reporter hurled both of his shoes at the president’s head – narrowly missing Bush – and shouted, “This is a farewell kiss, dog.” The act is an Arab symbol of contempt.

And on and on and on, but I don’t have anymore time to cite others because I have to go throw a few shoes at my neighbors as a sign of my appreciation for them. Because as you know, throwing shoes at someone is only offensive in Arab culture, here in the US it’s seen as a sign of respect, courtesy and civility. I’ll go with the brown one.