Friday, January 09, 2015

Islamists Slam Kuwaiti Lawmaker for Call to Allow Dancing, Alcohol


LA TIMES: liberal Kuwaiti lawmaker has come under fire by Islamists for his appeal to lift bans on dancing and alcohol consumption, calling the oil-rich Persian Gulf state "a country with no joy.

Nabil Fadhl provoked angry objections from fellow members of parliament when he proposed repeal of a 2004 law that prohibited dancing at concerts and festivals as contrary to the mores of Islam that dictate separation of unrelated men and women in public.

Asked by Islamist lawmakers -- apparently with sarcasm -- whether he also would support the legalization of alcohol, Fadhl reportedly replied, "Why not?" He said that drinking was tolerated in earlier times and that banning alcohol had led to the emergence of a black market where a bottle of spirits can be sold for more than $400. » | Carol J. Williams | Monday, January 05, 2015