No Brokeback for UAE
The Ministry of Culture and Information will not allow the screening of the Hollywood film Brokeback Mountain in the UAE because of scenes involving homosexuals.Brokeback Mountain is a film which has nothing positive about it. The portrayal of the sexual behaviour of its main character is offensive to eastern societies, particularly Muslims and the Arabs since Islam forbids abnormal behaviors like homosexuality, said Dr Abdullah Al Amiri, Chairman of the Committee of Financial, Economical and Industrial Affairs of Sharjah Consultative Council yesterday.
“The film will upset the people of this culture and tradition,” he said, explaining that there were scenes showing two men romantically inclined to each other.
The decision of the Ministry of Information was hailed by the members of the Sharjah Consultative Council during the meeting yesterday. The members thanked the ministry for its efforts in protecting the society from unethical and immoral practices.
(via Andrew Sullivan)
Given the cartoon controversy and censorship issues that have been raging recently, I thought that this story it worth noting.
There are certainly some elements here in the United States who agree with this decision of the UAE and wish similar standards were in effect here. Needless to say, they are offended by Brokeback Mountain. It is also pretty clear that most of these people vote Republican. The converse of course, is that many who think the Danish cartoons were ‘needlessly offensive’ and Arab wrath about them has been justified are of the more liberal sort.
I haven’t seen Brokeback, and I don’t plan to, at least not until it comes out on cable. It simply isn’t the sort of movie I am interested in. I believe strongly though that it has a right to exist as a movie, and that those who are are oppossed to it are in the wrong. You don’t have to see it if you don’t want to, but you should not prevent others from seeing it if they wish.
