Some little time ago a certain George Bush was in a position of ducking and diving when an Iraqi threw a pair of shoes at him during a press conference. History could be said to repeat itself when, last evening, a somewhat disgruntled young man threw a pair of sneakers at John Howard former Prime Minister of Australia and side kick of GWB in protest of Australia's involvement of Iraq and the treatment of David Hicks a one time victim of gitmo hospitality

Watch john get the boot
No excuse for shoe attack - Gillard | Herald Sun (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/shoes-thrown-at-john-howard-during-qa/story-e6frf7l6-1225943456831)

The guy should be sent to GITMO along with the person who threw a book at Obama .
Obama has book thrown at him at Philadelphia rally | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1319448/Obama-book-thrown-Philadelphia-rally.html)

The guy should be sent to GITMO along with the person who threw a book at Obama .
Obama has book thrown at him at Philadelphia rally | Mail Online (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1319448/Obama-book-thrown-Philadelphia-rally.html)

We don't send our dissenters to Gitmo, Tom, and he will not be charged because Howard was gracious enough to ignore it. He counted it as good publicity for his book.

I think he should have been shot... what if it was a brick... or hand grenade?

I think he should have been shot....what if it was a brick...or hand grenade?

Our dissenters are a little less militant than yours, this guy was mifted he wasn't allowed to monopolise the proceedings, but you could expect he intended to do it whatever the outcome. I don't think he was strong enough to lift a brick, they said he threw like a girl, just a long haired lay about with a grievence

our dissenters are a little less militant than yours, this guy was mifted he wasn't allowed to monopolise the proceedings, but you could expect he intended to do it whatever the outcome. i don't think he was stong enough to lift a brick, they said he threw like a girl, just a long haired lay about with a grievence

Just a bit of luck... it could have easily been a ceramic knife that passed a metal detector... and it could have easily been a case where he was experienced at throwing knives... doesn't HAVE to be a gun or explosive to be very dangerous.

So... its easy to see how it could have easily been far worse...

He should have been taken at face value... and treated just as someone more serious would have been.

Clete , on another OP Spit has an incident involving the secuirty detail of a Senate candidate stomping on an agitator ,and is trying to use the incident to paint with a broad brush the 'Tea Party 'as a bunch of thugs.

I note that Michael Korzoi of the Sydney Morning Herald has similar concerns that incident by the dirtbag who threw his shoes at Howard will be used to demonize the left.


It wouldn't be a sensible act of stereotyping but it will happen: those already sceptical of left-wing politics will watch the footage of this silliness and it will reinforce preconceptions about people on the left, what they look like and how they behave. It is the sort of irresponsible behaviour which provides a justification for dismissing intelligent progressive ideas as the musings of delusional hippies.

Man Throws Shows At Howard On Q&A (http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/shoe-throwing-only-served-to-harm-the-left-20101026-1722a.html)

I surmise that they would counter that this does not represent the left but is the exception while at the same time conintinue with their characterization of the Tennessee case as typical Tea Party behavior.

Tom this occasion security was less than obvious and didn't use the heavy handed tactics that might have been warranted, apparently in your case security was less than tolerant, Tempers can be heated at a political rally and had the shoe thrower tried his act there he may have been thumped. I think we can now say the left is peopled by disaffected hippies and leave it there