Do you remember seeing the pictures from Baghdad of people throwing shoes at the fallen statue of Sadam Huesein as it was dragged through the streets? Few of us at the time understood the meaning of the act. But we got the message loud and clear when Muntadher al-Zaidi, an Iraqi journalist, threw his shoes last year at then-President George W. Bush. And we also understood the full depth of Bush's ignorance of the Arab world when we saw his complete lack of understanding as he shrugged it off.

Make no mistake, that Iraqi's actions spoke volumes about not only his and many of his countrymen's feelings, but ours as well. Here is what Muntadher al-Zaidi has said at his trial when asked what his motivation was:

"I could only see Bush and feel the blood of the innocents flow under his feet, as he was smiling that smile -- as if he had come to bid farewell to Iraq and with the last support and more than 1 million martyrs. At that moment, I felt this is the man who killed our nation ... the main murderer and the main person responsible for killing our nation."

We can learn from this man. For as much as we value our freedom of speech, his simple act expressed everything that so many millions of Americans, Iraqis and people all around the globe have felt for so long. The next time you attend a political rally or event, bring an extra pair of shoes with you.