(MENAFN- Arab Times) In this week's Arab Times poll readers weighed in on the recent cancellation of American singer Akon's concert with only 31% of respondents believing that pop concerts go against the conservative culture of the country.
As reported earlier in the Arab Times the Ministry of Interior cancelled the music concert which was due to be held on April 11 at Sirbb circuit after objections raised by lawmakers. The concert was part of 'I Respect Life' a campaign to promote awareness on safer driving.
21% of readers felt that the move was insincere as the local radio stations play the same songs without any consequence. 'It makes no sense that a live concert would be cancelled on grounds of it being a negative influence to society while the same songs have been played on the local radio ad nauseam' a young professional shared. Another respondent pointed out that the MPs didn't seem to have a problem when a questionable reality show personality visited Kuwait some years ago.
19% of voters felt that this was just another instance of the MoI succumbing to external pressure from MPs. 'If there were legitimate grounds for the concert to not take place it would have been stopped at its inception not at the last minute after tickets were sold and the stage was set-up.' Many who had purchased tickets and had been counting down to the concert expressed their disappointment on social media. 9% of respondents shared that they prefer to go watch these shows in Dubai. 'You can never get excited about a show in Kuwait because it just might get cancelled. As frustrating and de-motivating as this is for organisers it really hampers expectation for the audience.'
7% of readers felt that the complaints and outrage against the concert was just a way of gaining publicity. 'There are a lot of South Asian artists who visit Kuwait regularly and perform for expatriates. I'm sure not all of these artists' lyrics are one hundred percent sanitised. The outrage against Akon is just for publicity because he has more clout' a reader expressed.
13% of the voters blamed the generational gap. 'This just goes to show that the MPs are really out of touch with the pulse of the youth. Here you have a group of young people trying to effect real change and actually make the country safer by raising awareness for more responsible driving a task that should essentially be the responsibility of the leadership and lawmakers. But they are stopped from doing good' a reader told the Arab Times.
Others were concerned that this move paints a dire picture of Kuwait to the rest of the world. 'It's sad that we've presented ourselves as this very rigid and closed society which we are not. I am very sad that the rest of the MPs remained silent. There was no counter statements made by liberal public figures and that is very disheartening.'
By: Cinatra Fernandes Arab Times Staff
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