It’s interesting how the insult of hurling a shoe at someone with whom you disagree is catching on. I’m not really in favor of people lobbing their loafers at speakers but it sure beats hand grenades.
The only thing about the Wen Jiabao “shoe incident”:
When it happened to George Bush it was shown a gazillion times on Chinese state television and the Chinese public and press had a good time with it. And to be frank, I laughed along with them.
Now that it’s Wen Jiabao on the other end of the flying footwear all of a sudden Chinese netizens are in a tizzy and Chinese state media seems to have misplaced the footage.
Sadly typical. Come on guys, if you don’t think the whole thing is worth at least a chuckle then you’re just not having enough fun in show business.
I saw a great quote on the blog Bendilaowai: “Many Chinese are furious about this behaviour towards their adored grandpa Wen, but though I quite like Wen Jiabao myself, I like even more the idea of world leaders being forced to duck a shoe from time to time.”
Amen, brother.
Brief Comment: Shoes on other feet: I think it’s interesting how the insult of hurling a shoe at someone w.. http://tinyurl.com/co6bmp
the more shoes, the better. let them count themselves lucky people are placated with shoes.
Do you suppose these protesters come armed with spare shoes? Or do they have to limp home with one bare foot?
I recall being told a story that Kruschev was seen surreptitiously loosening his shoelaces several minutes before his supposedly “spontaneous” bashing the shoe upon the table outburst at the UN.
By the way, J, I have just nominated you for a Superior Scribbler Award (congratulations – you are already a winner!).
Yes, it’s a ‘meme’ thing, I’m afraid. I don’t generally approve of them, but it seems to a harmless, share-the-love kind of deal.
I seem to remember something the Foreign Ministry said about the Bush shoe incident … ah, here it is. Liu Jianchao, Foreign Ministry spokesman, December 16, 2008: “People may have different opinions, but a state leader should be treated with due respect.”
As the saying goes, the PRC (People’s Republic of China) has consistently and unswervingly opposed the throwing of shoes at world leaders. Evidently the time has come for the other PRC (the People’s Republic of Cambridge) to also adopt a position on the subject.
I do feel sorry for the Iraqi Reporter who threw his shoes at Bush because he lost a couple of relatives as the result of the US invasion. Moreever, this guy is probably going to get a few years in prison.
However, this protester who tried to throw his shoe at Wen throws like a girl and missed its target by 3 feet. I doubt that this guy will spend 1 month in jail.
I heard that the shoe missed Wen by at least 30 feet. The camera cannot have Wen and the shoe on the same screen.
It is odd how the CCP brutally suppresses peoples basic human rights and that I agree with the opinion of the shoe thrower, yet I find his act of throwing his shoe at Wen Jiao Bao to be a boorish and rude way of treating an elderly man giving a dignified speech. It would have been more effective if the guy had asked Wen a thoughtful challenging question during the Q&A portion of the speech about rule of law, human rights and political reform in China. Even though I am a loyal native born citizen of the US when I saw GW’s incident my first thought was “it’s about time” and was surprised that a member of UAW had made the trip to throw his shoe at GW to express his opinion about losing his job and his house in Detroit in foreclosure. It is amazing GW made it out of DC without getting more shoes thrown at him by Americans.
I hope this doesn’t start a fad. It was kind of cool seeing GW duck, but this second incident is a little passe.
Tom,
I think it’s fair to say that the CCP has a strict “no shoe tossing” policy regardless of the target…the media and netizens, not so much.
On the quality of the Cambridge fellow’s toss, which several commenters have mentioned…that’s how to have fun with it.
The Iraqi reporter’s throw was so good I remember joking that the Yankees had taken a flyer and offered him a 4-yr contract at $49 million plus incentives.
This new guy… I mean was this was the best arm at Cambridge? They didn’t have one guy from the cricket squad available? Really?
Look what I turned up this morning – mention of your writing in the New Yorker magazine online! Have you seen? That’s great.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/evanosnos/2009/02/update-national.html
also this which is linked from the top of that page (no mention of you but) interestingly touching on the relationship between China and Africa via emigration. An intercontinental relationship I am quite curious about.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/evanosnos/2009/02/chinas-huddled.html
Great stuff you’re in the TNY mag and I look forward to seeing the 2008 China Beat blog publication.
“On the quality of the Cambridge fellow’s toss”
So you’re outing him as a wanker as well as a shoe-thrower?
“I doubt that this guy will spend 1 month in jail.”
He won’t go to jail at all; Nor should he. Bit of community service, perhaps.
I’ve read that the chap wasn’t even British – accentologists identify him as German.
I think you meant this one
http://www.bendilaowai.com/?p=29
XW,
Yes! That’s the one. I’ve updated the post to include the link.
Is anyone, like me, wondering whether this shoe throwing trend is a reflection of growing discontent with the global political class? And if so where is it leading?
In all fairness I think we need to consider the distinction between an Iraqi throwing a shoe at Bush and a Westerner throwing a shoe at Wen. If it had been a Tibetan or Uighur or member of some other group that actually experiences repression I wouldn’t hesitate in the same way, but let’s be real: this is a privileged Westerner appropriating another group’s struggle who has the luxury of not even having to even think through the consequences of his actions in any significant way. The Iraqi was speaking for himself in opposition to the leader of the foreign occupying force in his country. The Cambriger was speaking for someone else against a leader of a country with arguably less political umph in the world than his own (and that’s not even getting into the historical baggage).
Still, I love the bendilaowai quote.