Posted on 05/14/2004 11:35:58 AM PDT by missyme
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."
That was my favorite part.
They apparently have a Big Lebowski festival of some sort in Kentucky every year now. I'm moving up there in a couple of weeks. I'll have to check it out.
Maybe they treat there camels that way, but I doubt they treat Fido that way....I think the women should all buy Pit Bulls and Rotweilers and go on the Attack...
Bad business move for Simmons.
All those Muslim fans that stand in line for his concerts might never come back again.
Nugent is the same way.
Gene Simmons is a bright guy -- always has been. The make-up and stuff was just an act. They needed it to cover up their third rate musical talent, though a few of their songs are decent hard-rock anthems.
I've heard of giving somebody a good tongue-lashing, but Gene Simmons is one of the few people I know of whose tongue could actually leave welts.
Unknown by me.
But she's pretty well duped.
Or brainwashed.
Either way, she's way off base and shows massive ignorance of how muslims view, 'value' and treat women.
If she's a convert, she's doing a no-no by not taking a muslim name.
Freepers say he is Israeli...from his bio...
He also played the role of Arab terrorist Malak Al Rahim
in the 1987 Rutger Hauer movie "Wanted : Dead or Alive". Has a great ending!
Actually he reminds me of a Steven Segal type they could be brothers....
I think it was more to cover up their butt-ugliness.
Absolutely! You've now joined it!
on the dvd commentary, dave friedman said if they remade it he would want gwyneth paltrow. I said to myself "no way! she doesnt have the....uh...*features* that Dyanne and Shannon have...."
Gene was really slurring the bass notes on that one. I once counted something like 40 such figures of music in another song which I can't recall off hand - Gene is the master of the full neck slur ... I only lamely attempt to create the same sound on my bass.
"Those baloons make funny shapes?"
"No. Lessun you think round is funny."
Runaway?
(I had to google the title, but it was the one with Tom Selleck and those mechanical killer bugs - Simmons plays a great villian!)
Plain words bump.
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