Shoe Tossing - Insult

Insult

See also: List of shoe throwing incidents

In many Arab cultures, it is considered an extreme insult to throw a shoe at someone. It is also considered rude to display the sole of one's foot to someone (or even strike them with it) as well. This is because shoes are considered ritually unclean in the Muslim faith. In 2008, Iraqi cameraman Muntadar al-Zaidi threw a shoe at United States President George W. Bush while the president was visiting Baghdad, and was arrested and incarcerated. President Bush ducked and was not struck by the shoe. Shoe throwing as an insult is not just limited to the Muslim world, as there are also other notable incidents that have occurred involving other celebrities and world leaders. Some of these have involved Steve McCarthy, David Beckham, Lily Allen, and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

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Famous quotes containing the word insult:

    “The only gracious way to accept an insult is to ignore it; if you can’t ignore it, top it; if you can’t top it, laugh at it; if you can’t laugh at it, it’s probably deserved.”
    —Russell Lynes (b. 1910)

    “What is Americanism? Every one has a different answer. Some people say it is never to submit to the dictation of a King. Others say Americanism is the pride of liberty and the defence of an insult to the flag with their gore. When some half-developed person tramples on that flag, we should be ready to pour out the blood of the nation, they say. But do we not sit in silence when that flag waves over living conditions which should be an insult to all patriotism?”
    —Anna Howard Shaw (1847–1919)

    “I’m not making light of prayers here, but of so-called school prayer, which bears as much resemblance to real spiritual experience as that freeze-dried astronaut food bears to a nice standing rib roast. From what I remember of praying in school, it was almost an insult to God, a rote exercise in moving your mouth while daydreaming or checking out the cutest boy in the seventh grade that was a far, far cry from soul-searching.”
    —Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)