In a stunning example of the huge gap between the freedom of the West and the totalitarianism of some Arab societies, a “gay” singer’s band concert in Jordan has been canceled, and a columnist rejoiced, saying the nation’s “Eastern, Arab society” still “opposes depravity,” says a report in Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.
Homosexuality long has been tolerated, even celebrated, across much of Western society, even if not by some faith groups, including Christians. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court created same-sex “marriage,” and homosexuals promptly started suing business owners who would not violate their religious beliefs to promote homosexuality.
Not so in Jordan, which is considered by many to be a more tolerant example of a Muslim society, as revealed in a new report from Middle East Media Research Institute.
In June, MEMRI reported, Interior Minister Ghaleb Al-Zu’bi abruptly canceled a concert scheduled by the Lebanese rock band Mashrou’ Leila.
The lead singer is openly “gay.”
The band already had obtained all the required permits but faced opposition from legislators and members of the public who objected to the offense that would be created.
“This is in fact the second time the Jordanian authorities have banned Mashrou’ Leila; a show that was to take place in April 2016 in Amman was also canceled at the last minute, less than a week before it was scheduled to be held,” the report said.
“The same year, Jordan blocked access to the Arabic version of the My.Kali webzine, which bills itself as ‘the first LGBTQIA-inclusive –  and the only regularly updated –  webzine in Jordan and one of the first in the Middle East and North Africa,'” said MEMRI.
On Facebook, the band complained that the decision was based on Jordanian authorities’ “fanatical conservatism” and that it did not reflect the feelings of the people.
Those objecting to the scheduled appearance by singer Hamed Sinno, a “declared homosexual,” were not without influence, however.
“MP Ibrahim Abu Al-Sayyid, of the Muslim Brotherhood’s faction in the Jordanian parliament, sent the interior minister a letter demanding to cancel the show because it would endanger Jordanian society and its values,” the report said.
Nor were they without threats.
For the rest of this report, and more, please go to Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.
