Outrage
as KISS player mouths off on Muslims - 14th May 2004
(Credit:
The Sydney Morning Herald)
KISS bass player Gene Simmons has caused an uproar
among Australia's Muslim community by launching an
attack on Islamic culture while in Melbourne.
The
lizard-tongued rock god who is touring Australia with
the world's most enduring glam rock band launched
an attack on Muslim extremists during an interview
on Melbourne's 3AW radio - including comments which
were labelled inaccurate.
"Extremism
believes that it's okay to strap bombs on to your
children and send them to paradise and whatever else
and to behead people," he said yesterday.
The
Israeli-born US musician went on to say Islam was
a "vile culture" that treated women worse
than dogs.
Muslim
women had to walk behind their men and were not allowed
to be educated or own houses, he said.
"Your
dog, however, can walk side by side, your dog is allowed
to have its own dog house... you can send your dog
to school to learn tricks, sit, beg, do all that stuff
- none of the women have that advantage."
He
went on to say the west was under threat.
"This
is a vile culture and if you think for a second that
it's going to just live in the sands of God's armpit
you've got another thing coming," he said.
"They
want to come and live right where you live and they
think that you're evil."
Simmons
said the United Nations approach did not work and
the west had to "speak softly and carry a big
stick".
The
radio station today fielded calls from Muslims upset
at the comments, including Australian Muslim of the
year Susan Carland, who said Australian Muslims rejected
extremism and did not fit Simmons' stereotype.
Ms
Carland said she had two degrees, was doing her honours
and "certainly do not walk behind my husband".
Chairman
of the Islamic Council of Victoria Yasser Soliman
said Simmons' comments were "very unfortunate".
"He's
very famous obviously and popular and, as a result,
influential," he said.
"Mixing
the entertainment world with the political and religious
world is a minefield."
He
said Simmons had begun by talking about extremists
but had gone on to vilify the entire Muslim culture.
"A
number of his claims regarding women and what they
are allowed to do and not do are wrong - Islam teaches
the opposite," he said.
Simmons
had a right to free speech, but this had to be balanced
against the damage done to innocent people, he said.
"I
think it would be good for overseas speakers and commentators
to be given some sort of advice in regards to our
vilification laws here," he said.
"They
leave and go back to where they arrived from, but
they leave behind a big mess that we have to live
with."
AAP
Links:
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websites
The
Sydney Morning Herald
AAP
Official
websites
KISS
United
Nations
Islamic
Council of Victoria
Articles
Kiss
tickets can cost $300 - 4th May 2004
Can't
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Great Yankee Promoters, by Greg Tingle
The
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