I read the New York times report of Mr. Zaidi hurling his shoe at President George W. Bush with immense regret, anger and anguish. This is certainly not the way to react in a public forum. I am disappointed and I only wish I was present so as to help the situation.

I am totally against hurling shoes at what another mutineer calls ‘elected Presidents of a democratic nation’. But, once the aforementioned footwear was left to fly, I find it extremely unfortunate that Mr. Zaidi missed. Because hey, the shoe took flight anyway, and one must never fail to recognize intent. In many ways, I do not blame Mr. Zaidi, journo or no journo, for what he did.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, India has had excellent relationships with the US of A. And why not: sanctions, democracy, nukes. We got talking. But spare a thought for an entire generation of people who were brought up in the Middle East. Divided by war, occupation and an illegitimate interest in the region for oil. There is enough reason to hate America and Americans in that part of the world. Unfortunately, the Bush administration failed to understand that and I am glad he’s on his way out. Which is why for me i.e. for someone who grew up in the Middle East, although I haven’t had any visibility into George Bush’s anatomy, when another mutineer suggests he is a fellow human I beg to differ. Fellow humans don’t begin fake wars or bomb the wrong nation.

And whether I subscribe to Mr. Zaidi’s actions or not, I can’t help but wish there were some of him in India. For the common man who watched the terror attacks, the sight of a crisp, fresh pair of Woody’s or Bata taking off towards a Thackeray or a Patil or two serves two purposes: entertainment (for the viewer) and fear (for the politician). An infrequent footwear-flavoured act of subtle barbarism, at the cost of separating a pair of shoes, can do little harm, can it?