CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-TORONTO/MONTRÉAL:

SHOES FOR BUSH:

Pity poor Emperor George Bush II. As he tries desperately to "define his legacy" he is not only detested across the world but also ridiculed. The photo above pretty well sums up the general feeling of world opinion in regards to this man. It is the Emperor's misfortune to leave the throne not on a note of fear and awe but rather one of ridicule, and one man, the Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi, has pointed out that the Emperor has no clothes. This in front of the whole world. The actions of this journalists have made him a folk hero in countries both Muslim and otherwise, and solidarity demonstrations have been held across the world demanding his release from the Iraqi jail where he is being held.

Canada is no exception in this matter, and anarchists have been prominent in organizing the events in this country. To say the least this sort of action captures the public imagination with a far more favourable light than play-acting at Black Blocs. Here's the story of recent demonstrations held in Montréal and Toronto in solidarity with al-Zeidi. All that Molly can say is that Bush is a "shoe-in" for the most unpopular man in the world today. From the Toronto Sun...

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Protesters shoe Bush in effigy:
At T.O. and Montreal rallies
By JESSICA MURPHY AND TAMSYN BURGMANN, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Anti-war protesters held a symbolic shoe toss yesterday in support of jailed Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi.

About 40 protesters in Toronto and Montreal braved the cold to let fly in front of their respective U.S consulates.

In Toronto, a dirty pair of sneakers was stuck toe up in a high pile of fresh snow, protesters clutched red and aqua-blue flip-flops with messages like "Shame on Bush" and "Bush out/Mass Killer" scrawled on the soles and embraced the comedic side of al-Zeidi's actions.

Dressed in a Santa Claus suit and white beard, Hicham Safieddine handed out the shoes as "gifts."
'BIT HUMOUROUS'
"I thought I'd do something a little bit humorous, not every protest has to be serious," he said. "It's a non-violent form of our protest against the fact we still have an occupation in Iraq; we still have people dying."

Demonstrators in Montreal pelted a black-and-white photograph of George W. Bush with boots, shoes and slippers and denounced the U.S. war in Iraq and the NATO-led war in Afghanistan, before marching to a downtown Canadian Forces recruiting station.

"Today is an act of humour in a sense but it's also a profound situation and context," activist and journalist Stephan Christoff told the Montreal crowd.
DROP OBJECTIVITY
Organizers also urged local journalists to ditch their veneer of objectivity by lobbing footwear at the image.

"We want to break this ideal that journalists stand in this world of objectivity, stand in this world where opinions don't exist," Christoff said.

Amir Khadir, who was elected to the legislature in this month's provincial election, was one of the first to chuck a shoe. He said al-Zeidi's actions were simply an expression of rage at the hundreds of thousands of deaths caused by the war.

"I represent the deep sentiment of thousands of members of assemblies all over the world," he said. "Bush has denied democracy and lied to millions of people. He deserves no respect."
Since the incident, the journalist has become a sort of global folk hero. News reports say the Turkish shoemaker who made al-Zeidi's shoes has been flooded with 300,000 orders for the model. They're considering renaming it the "Bye-bye Bush."

CANADIAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT:

THE SHOE HEARD ROUND THE WORLD:ANOTHER STEP TOMORROW IN MONTREAL:

The shoe throwing incident in Baghdad has become what may be the defining scene from the reign of Emperor Bush II, as he tours the world, vainly hoping to leave a good smell behind him as he departs office. While his appearances in most other countries have been the occasion of riots, in Iraq he was treated to the Arab equivalent of having a bag full of shit thrown at him. In the end this may be a far more effective statement than any number of broken windows. Down Iraq way the citizens are trying to bump Greece off the headline news by constant demonstrations for the release of the journalist who hucked the fatal footware. The latest is that the Iraqi government has destroyed the "assault weapon" because the bidding for the holy hush puppies had already reached into the millions on e-Bay. Needless to say the "sole perpetrator" has become a hero to most of the Muslim world. Love that legacy Georgie !

The image of "the shoe heard round the world" has resounded here, there and everywhere. There are already two video games based on the incident. On one you get to play Bush, and points are vawarded for dodging shoes that comes faster and faster with each level. In another you get to play a secret service agent who gets points for shooting down shoes before they hit the President. Check out the links and see what you can score. On Molly's part we await a game where you get to be the shoe-thrower.

The image of the "Baghdad Boot" has rapidly become a standard in teh creative art of demonstration across continents. Here in Canada it will feature in a demonstration tomorrow in Montréal in support of Muntadar al-Zeidi, the journalist who "shot the shoe". The demo is sponsored by Block the Empire Montréal. Here's the lowdown. Come on out and "sock it to" the American Empire.

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Shoes for Bush in Montreal, Dec. 20, 2008:
“This is a farewell kiss, you dog!”

MONTREAL SHOE ACTION

In solidarity with Muntadar al-Zeidi

Bush out of Baghdad … Canada out of Kandahar!
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20 at 1pm

outside the US Consulate in Montreal

(1155 St-Alexandre, métro McGill)
---> Bring extra shoes and footwear to throw! Bring noisemakers!

---> We strongly encourage all journalists to join us in this action and to throw their own shoes.

After our action at the US Consulate, we will march west along Ste-Catherine Street to Bishop Street and the Canadian Armed Forces Recruiting Station, where our shoe action will continue.

--–> MAP: http://tinyurl.com/62s43k

Along with tens of millions around the world, we celebrate the recent action of Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zeidi who hurled two shoes at US President George Bush while shouting, “This is a farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans, and those who were killed in Iraq.”

We support the calls for al-Zeidi’s immediate release from detention, and denounce his abuse while in custody. And, in a simple gesture of solidarity by local anti-war activists and independent media journalists, we will gather outside the US consulate to hurl shoes in continued opposition to the US occupation of Iraq, as well as the already announced escalation of the US military occupation of Afghanistan by the incoming Obama administration (a continuation of “Operation Enduring Freedom”, launched by George Bush after September 11, 2001).

We also continue to oppose Canada’s complicity with the US-led “War on Terror”, with the Canadian Armed Forces’ military presence in Afghanistan. More Canadian troops in Afghanistan has effectively meant that more American troops have been available to occupy Iraq.

Organized by: Block the Empire-Montreal (a working group of QPIRG-Concordia)

INFO: 514-848-7583 or blocktheempire@gmail.com

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HUMOUR SECTION

Here's a couple of jokes that Molly has picked up about the incident. "Sole-Food" for the funny bone.

"I don't think Bush has dodged anything like that, well, since the Vietnam War"

-David Letterman

"Right now, they're trying to find out, they arrested the guy, trying to find out if he's a Shoe-ni or ma Shoe-ite. But it's the same old story. You hear this over and over again. A guy, a crazy guy, goes into a Payless store, he purchases a pair of Rockport shoes, and they didn't even do a background check on him"

-David Letterman

"This is the country we thought had nuclear weapons. It turns out they have a pair of size 9 Hush Puppies instead"

-Jimmy Kimmel

MORE SHOE JOKES LATER ON MOLLY'S BLOG. UNTIL THEN "DON"T LET YOUR FEET SWEAT".