Protestors in India burn Gere effigies

[Abbey Marie]

I guess Richard isn't as irresistible as he thought...

Protestors in India burn Gere effigies
By SAM DOLNICK, Associated Press Writer
Mon Apr 16, 11:24 AM ET

NEW DELHI - Angry crowds in several Indian cities burned effigies of Richard Gere on Monday after he swept a popular Bollywood actress into his arms and kissed her several times during an AIDS-awareness event.

Photographs of the 57-year-old actor embracing Shilpa Shetty and kissing her on the cheek at an HIV/AIDS awareness event in New Delhi were splashed across Monday's front pages in India — a country where sex and public displays of affection are largely taboo.

In Mumbai, members of the right-wing Hindu nationalist group Shiv Sena beat burning effigies of Gere with sticks and set fire to glamorous shots of Shetty.
Similar protests broke out in other cities, including Varanasi, Hinduism's holiest city, and in the northern town of Meerut, where crowds chanted "Down with Shilpa Shetty!"
The two appeared at a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday to highlight the HIV/AIDS epidemic among India's truck drivers. In front of a cheering crowd, Gere kissed the giggling Shetty on the hand, then kissed her on both cheeks before bending her in a full embrace to kiss her cheek again.

"This is a bit too much," Shetty said after the embrace.

On Monday, Shetty tried to stamp out the controversy.

"I understand this is his culture, not ours. But this was not such a big thing or so obscene for people to overreact in such manner," she told the Press Trust of India news agency.

"I understand people's sentiments, but I don't want a foreigner to take bad memories from here," PTI quoted her as saying.

The spokesman for Hindu nationalist party Bharatiya Janata Party condemned the kiss.
"Such a public display is not part of Indian tradition," said Prakash Javadekar, according to PTI.
...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070416/..._kiss_protests

[manu1959]

my wife is soooooooooooooooooo upset about this...

[Gunny]

I guess Richard isn't as irresistible as he thought...

Protestors in India burn Gere effigies
By SAM DOLNICK, Associated Press Writer
Mon Apr 16, 11:24 AM ET

NEW DELHI - Angry crowds in several Indian cities burned effigies of Richard Gere on Monday after he swept a popular Bollywood actress into his arms and kissed her several times during an AIDS-awareness event.

Photographs of the 57-year-old actor embracing Shilpa Shetty and kissing her on the cheek at an HIV/AIDS awareness event in New Delhi were splashed across Monday's front pages in India — a country where sex and public displays of affection are largely taboo.

In Mumbai, members of the right-wing Hindu nationalist group Shiv Sena beat burning effigies of Gere with sticks and set fire to glamorous shots of Shetty.
Similar protests broke out in other cities, including Varanasi, Hinduism's holiest city, and in the northern town of Meerut, where crowds chanted "Down with Shilpa Shetty!"
The two appeared at a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday to highlight the HIV/AIDS epidemic among India's truck drivers. In front of a cheering crowd, Gere kissed the giggling Shetty on the hand, then kissed her on both cheeks before bending her in a full embrace to kiss her cheek again.

"This is a bit too much," Shetty said after the embrace.

On Monday, Shetty tried to stamp out the controversy.

"I understand this is his culture, not ours. But this was not such a big thing or so obscene for people to overreact in such manner," she told the Press Trust of India news agency.

"I understand people's sentiments, but I don't want a foreigner to take bad memories from here," PTI quoted her as saying.

The spokesman for Hindu nationalist party Bharatiya Janata Party condemned the kiss.
"Such a public display is not part of Indian tradition," said Prakash Javadekar, according to PTI.
...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070416/..._kiss_protests

Perhaps Richard should have been a bit more aware of the culture he was playing to.

Having said that, this is just anotehr prime example of religious intolerance form the backwards-assed side of the world.

[Nuc]

Having said that, this is just anotehr prime example of religious intolerance form the backwards-assed side of the world.

This is not religious at all. It's cultural. People of all religions in the sub-continent are very conservative about sex and have taboos against sex outside of marriage and interracial sex.

[Gunny]

This is not religious at all. It's cultural. People of all religions in the sub-continent are very conservative about sex and have taboos against sex outside of marriage and interracial sex.

The article is blaming it on some right-wing Hindu sect. Personally I don't have a problem. You can call me an "olfactory bigot." Indian's food and therefore its people stink and I can't stay far enough away from the stench.

[Nuc]

The article is blaming it on some right-wing Hindu sect. Personally I don't have a problem. You can call me an "olfactory bigot." Indian's food and therefore its people stink and I can't stay far enough away from the stench.

Well, since I am married to one and also love the food, I beg to differ.

[Gunny]

Well, since I am married to one and also love the food, I beg to differ.

Power to you. You're far enough away. Might have to rethink that moving in next door thing, tho.

I can't stand the smell. Is that like "chow bias?"

[Nuc]

Power to you. You're far enough away. Might have to rethink that moving in next door thing, tho.

I can't stand the smell. Is that like "chow bias?"

No I think you are probably just a very dainty sensitive person with refined and delicate tastes.

[Gunny]

No I think you are probably just a very dainty sensitive person with refined and delicate tastes.

[eighballsidepocket]

Gere messed up, and most likely didn't know it was culturally taboo.

When you go to other countrys of the world, we all must be cognizant of cultural differences. In some ways, this is a good way to convey to other countrys of the world that America isn't an overbearing nation, forcing it's values on others.

With that said, the reaction to Gere's cheek kiss and hug, was, well, quite strong. I myself never knew that public expressions of affection....i.e. cheek kiss, or hug was so strongly resented.

Actually, if I recall, didn't Russia shortly after the fall of the U.S.S.R. inact some pretty strong civil laws about public expressions of affection, too. Here was basically an atheistic country since 1917, that realized that values and ethics were needed to turn around a society that had culturally/ethiclly gone down the tubes under Marxism.

Maybe, as an American, I've been treated to the old "frog in the slowly heating water" phenomena, and have just gotten used to the change in public expressings of affection between males and females in my country. Actually, back in the 50's you didn't see that much public "necking" and "fondling" like is so common nowadays. Folks even attempt to "do it" under beach blankets on public beaches. This is not good. We seem to be one step from becomeing instinctual/animalist acting-out folks here in the U.S.A.. We aren't far from the acts of "leg humping" dogs in my opinion.

Gosh, I think I answered my own wonderings. Us Americans are becoming caloused/hardened to seeing the change in our own country, as it has slowly been changing......via the constant bombardment of Hollywoodized ethics and morals for some years now. Just thank People magazine, US magazine, Maxim.. and all the other "tripe" literature that is on the newstands now, including shows such as Entertainment Today, Springer, Montel, Sex in the City, Desperate Housewives....etc..

Boy, I think the water is actually boiling, and we are dead frogs now. Maybe the other parts of the world are reminding us of that.

Never the less, Gere's "thing" was just a wake-up call, and we need to re-asess our own cultural moreys and values......possibly?

[Trigg]

Perhaps Richard should have been a bit more aware of the culture he was playing to.

Having said that, this is just anotehr prime example of religious intolerance form the backwards-assed side of the world.

Just a thought here but, when others come here We are supposed to be sensitive to their culture and understanding when they are offensive to us.

Why aren't they supposed to be understanding of our culture when We go to their country??

Or is it only us??????????????????????????????

[Gunny]

Just a thought here but, when others come here We are supposed to be sensitive to their culture and understanding when they are offensive to us.

Why aren't they supposed to be understanding of our culture when We go to their country??

Or is it only us??????????????????????????????

It's only us.

[eighballsidepocket]

Just a thought here but, when others come here We are supposed to be sensitive to their culture and understanding when they are offensive to us.

Why aren't they supposed to be understanding of our culture when We go to their country??

Or is it only us??????????????????????????????

You are very right, and correct. It seems that big old, mean, oppressive "us" must "cow tow" to the other poor unfortunates of the world, but a higher bar or standard is expected of us.

Its rather hypocritical on the part of those that do visit, and possibly want to stay in our country and insist on bringing with them, and expecting us to accept what we interpret as abhorant behavior, or customs to our culture, that fly in the face of our values, and laws.