Egypt Bans Elton

The tiny dancer won't be hitting the stage in Egypt any time soon, as a music organization is banning Elton John from performing a private concert in Egypt. The superstar was supposed to play on May 18, but if the organization has its way, Elton will not be gracing Egypt with his talent. It seems that the country so ingrained in its past is forgetting that we are in the 21st century, as Elton is being banished for his sexuality.

"How do we allow a gay, who bans religions, claimed that the prophet Eissa (Jesus) was gay and calls for Middle Eastern countries to allow gays to have sexual freedom?" said Mounir al-Wasimi, head of the Egyptian Musician Union. 

In February, Elton told Parade magazine that Jesus was "a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems." He also quipped, "Try being a gay woman in the Middle East -- you're as good as dead."

Egypt's ultra-conservative government barely acknowledges the existence of homosexuality. Even worse, same-sex domestic partnerships are grounds for criminal indictment for laws against morality and contempt for religion. Let's hope that Elton finds some way into the country and Egypt finds its way into the 21st century.