Saul Loeb/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

To his government what he did was criminal, but to many people around the world his actions were that of a hero. He was arrested and tortured in prison, and yet received numerous donations of money from the rich and poor alike (and even offers of marriage).

The charge was “assaulting a visiting head of state” and on March 12, 2009 Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi was found guilty and sentenced to three years in prison. The public outcry to this sentence sounded loud and wide around the world and ultimately Mr. al-Zaidi was released after a year (an appeals court reduced his sentence). The original incident is a memorable one. On December 14th 2008 in Baghdad, during a press conference for George W. Bush’s last visit to Iraq, al-Zaidi threw his size ten shoe at the then US President shouting, “This is your farewell kiss, you dog. This is for the widows and orphans of Iraq.” After Bush ducked that shoe, the second was thrown, which was also ducked.

This might sound like old news, but the question of protest art, of using performative non-violent measures in opposition to military violence is ancient and timeless. Of course, should we even consider al-Zaidi’s actions as non-violent? One doesn’t have to make contact to be charged with assault. The same question of non-violence could be posed of the Vietnamese monk, Thich Quang Duc, whose self-immolation in 1963 against Ngo Dinh Diem’s government hurt only himself, but possibly caused his spectators trauma. Where is the line drawn between violence and non-violence in the muddy waters of direct action, civil disobedience, protest, and performance art? It’s not an easy question and while it won’t be answered here, maybe the question itself can be fleshed out more.

In our age of unprecedented political apathy on one hand, and the election of an unqualified yet authoritarian reality-television star to the highest office in the land on the other, we can observe a political left grappling to find the best path of resistance. Looking to the past can help. Iraq, the Second Gulf War, might have been George W. Bush’s war, but it still rages on today. As part of that sad legacy, Muntazer al-Zaidi still rages on today, thankfully. I checked in with him recently through my Arabic translator Mounawar Abbouchi to clear up some details about his infamous shoe-throwing and to see what wisdom he could lend to our present political situation.

—Jordan A. Rothacker

I. THE VIOLENCE OF A SHOE

THE BELIEVER: I have read your response in The Guardian from 2009 about why you threw the shoe, and it is a beautiful and powerful statement....