Malaysia’s government bans Muslims from Black Eyed Peas concert

52883 comments so far (is that a lot?)http://www.parcbench.com/2009/08/27/malaysias-government-bans-muslims-from-black-eyed-peas-concert/Malaysia%27s+government+bans+Muslims+from+Black+Eyed+Peas+concert2009-08-27+08%3A42%3A55Randy+Haddock

Written by Randy HaddockcloseAuthor: Randy Haddock Name: Randy Haddock
Email: ranhaddock@gmail.com
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About: See Authors Posts (33) on August 27, 2009

Back in 2007 there were similar incidents with Gwen Stefani and Beyonce. Stefani was asked to cover up and simmer down her performance, and so she did. A few months later they tried to pull the same stunt on Beyonce and she gave ‘em an invisible middle finger.  She simply moved her performance to neighboring Indonesia.

Now Muslims living under the Malaysian theocracy aren’t allowed in the concert because, get ready for this, the event is organized by Guinness. You know, only the most delicious beer on the face of the planet.

The AP reports:

Malaysia’s government has barred Muslims from a concert by U.S. hip-hop stars the Black Eyed Peas next month because the event is organized by Irish beer giant Guinness, an official said Thursday.

The prohibition comes amid a clampdown on alcohol consumption among Malaysia’s Muslim majority. A Muslim woman who drank beer in public was sentenced to caning by an Islamic court last month, though authorities this week agreed to review the penalty. Officials also recently curbed retail sales of liquor in a central state.

In family and personal matters, Muslims in Malaysia are governed by Shariah or Islamic law, which forbids the consumption of alcohol.

The Black Eyed Peas will perform at a theme park near Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 25 as part of worldwide celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of Guinness’ flagship brewery in Dublin. Malaysia’s largest city is one of five places hosting Guinness’ concerts.

The Malaysian show’s official Web site said “the party is only open to non-Muslims aged 18 years and above.” Previous major pop concerts in Malaysia, including one by the Black Eyed Peas in 2007, have always been open to Muslims.

I have a feeling that, unlike Beyonce and similarly to Stefani, the Black Eyed Peas will kiss their integrity goodbye and do the concert anyway. Granted every country can govern itself whichever way they like, but to place this type of prohibition on a specific religious population is outrageous — not to mention the silliness and ridiculousness of alcohol prohibition but I digress. And if you break the law, you don’t get a simple fine or citation, you get freakin’ caned.

File this one under the “America rocks and we can never take our religious freedoms and individual liberties for granted” file.

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