A Shoe For Thought

Believe me or not, a shoe has a hundred and one uses. Aside from your usual footwear, it could be a life saving snack when you have nothing else to eat.But one threw in one for the record, literally.Reading Conrado De Quiro's article entitled “Shoe Story”, its about this journalist that goes by the name of Muntadhar al-Zeidi, a 28-year old Iraqi journalist with an ire for President Bush, who was then saying goodbye to the Iraqi people. This said persona is obviously a Bush hater, not that rare in that part of the world though. It was also said that as he was about to throw his shoes he said the following lines in Arabic “Here’s your goodbye kiss, you dog!”. Now thats a nice way to greet a president.

There are really a lot of ways to express anger toward a president. There's assasinations, terrorism and the oh so effective public scandal/humiliation. But the incident shocked the world, not that it was a very genuine idea. But because nobody had the guts to do so. Because compared to all the other methods I have mentioned, you dont necessarily get tackled by the security. And you stay hidden under a mask of anymomity and mystery.

Considering what Muntadhar al-Zeidi did. He either gained sympathy or hate among people. Because upon throwing the shoe, he was no longer a journalist, rather, an individual ready to express his opinion. He was no longer a journalist hiding behind the “i-was-just-practicing-my-freedom-of-speech” crap. He was your normal everyday man ensuing a vendetta on what he calls his enemies. He had the guts to do it and I think he would gladly do it again if given the chance. What I'm trying to say is. He was, at that moment, indelibly human.

Now that's a long way from the usual cheap shots journalists use themselves in attacking people in authority. I call it cheap shots because no matter how assertive and brave they sound, deep inside they cower in fear and hide under the blanket of “freedom of speech”. Take our local journalists, although some may be so bold and daring as to call our president “murderer”, no one ever had the balls to “throw in the shoes”. Not even Mr. De Quiros himself. Journalists in our country die like dayflies on mating season. They die for what they fight for. For freedom from oppression, for the impeachment of the president. But frankly, the words and articles are nothing but words and articles. There is no such thing as the “Jose Rizal Syndrome” these days. People don't get moved by opinions, because they already have some themselves. People nowadays need action. Something like what that Iraqi journalist did. And not only to the president but to all the others who need to have a shoe in their faces, just for kicks.

If I am not mistaken, Mr De Quiros also mentioned a few people who at one point did an al-Zeidi. One was a certain Maria Theresa Pangilinan who wasted 10 mins of valuable valedictory speech time in heckling somebody who wouldnt even listen to a whining 20-something. Good thing was she was allowed to graduate. And yeah, there was a part where Mr. De Quiros confused me, the line “berated by people who presumed to be her superiors but were in fact her inferiors”. Was he trying to be smart? Or just plain annoyed with the current social and academic hierarchy.

The other one would be plain childish. And that award would go to Mr. Mar Roxas. With his heartwarming speech that would send your tongue-lashing uncle a run for his money. Using age old cursing words to express fury and disgust he was instantly on headlines all over. That's fine by the way. But then again, there always hangs that thought that he was just playing his cards right. (2010 presidential elections anyone?) Cursing words? I've heard a lot of people use that in public, and I've seen better ones too.And honestly, both of them fall short of the expected “al-Zeidi” effect. They are but sick excuses for people who think they are the avatars of the majority. Words are just words, and once again, words do fail even the most wise.

Just like everybody else, like Ms. Pangilinan and Mr. Roxas. A journalist such as Mr. De Quiros and Mr. Al-Zeidi has all the right in the world to be themselves, to do whatever they want necessary, just to get things of their chest. In Mr. Al-Zeidi's case, he threw the boot. In some of our journalists here, the best they can do is throw some malicious words and presto! They think they already threw the boot. They already think they did something great. Yes, being a journalist is double hard especially when the issue gets into your nerves. Its either watch what you're saying or the gulags for you. If Mr. De Quiros was right with something it was when he said that journalists, no matter what kind they are. Are just human. They are to be accounted for for their emotions. They are to express whatever they might feel. Even throw some shoes when needed. They are by the way, a very vital part of society. They are our eyes in society. “Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom” a very familiar line from a local publication. Well, that's true. And our journalists are the best implementors of this. They are but the eyes of the public.

All in all, there really was nothing “too” bad about what Al-Zeidi did. And according to the De Quiros article, it is a monumental achievement for any journalist to let go and let shoes fly. What I really hope for is that Mr. De Quiros himself would someday find the guts to do the same thing. Not necessarily the throwing of shoes part. A dirty underwear would do I guess, its the aerodynamics thats bothering me. What else would a projectile be when it can't hit its target?