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 tops of mountains are among the unfinished parts of the globe, whither it is a slight insult to the gods to climb and pry into their secrets, and try their effect on our humanity. Only daring and insolent men, perchance, go there. Simple races, as savages, do not climb mountains,—their tops are sacred and mysterious tracts never visited by them. Pomola is always angry with those who climb the summit of Ktaadn.”
    —Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    “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)

    “We should never stand upon ceremony with sincerity. We should never cheat and insult and banish one another by our meanness, if there were present the kernel of worth and friendliness. We should not meet thus in haste.”
    —Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)