Gene Simmons of KISS says he’s all for COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
"Should there be a mandate, which means a law, that you must get vaccinated? Yes, there should be,” the 72-year-old rocker told 95.5 KLOS in Los Angeles last week.
“Realistically, the idea that somebody says 'It's my body and my choice’ is so idiotic,” Simmons said. “It is not your choice, it is not your body when you come to a red light in your car. You don't have the right to go through it just ‘cause you feel like it and 'Don't tell me what to do.’ And here's why: because the rest of the world goes on green and stops on red. Just ‘cause you feel it's your right doesn't give you the right.
“You don't have the right to speak on a cell phone in your car, you don't have the right to not put on a seat belt — you don't have that right. You actually do not have the right to stand up in a movie theatre and yell ‘Fire!’ just because you think it's freedom of speech. You don't have that right … There are all sorts of rights you don't have.”
Simmons said there is no freedom to endanger other people. “You do not have the right to smoke in a restaurant or in buildings — you don't have that right,” he noted. “You know why? Because you're endangering other people.”
The rocker said it comes down to common courtesy. “Wear a mask. It's not all about you. You’re trying to protect other people,” he said. “In simple terms, before COVID, if you sneezed, it wasn't life-threatening. Wouldn't you cover your mouth? When you yawn, don't you, as a courtesy, cover your mouth? And that's with non-life-threatening stuff. As a courtesy to other people.”
Simmons’ KISS bandmate Paul Stanley, who is vaccinated, is currently in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, forcing the band to cancel several shows.
Simmons slammed the plethora of misinformation, conspiracy theories and people who think they know more than scientists.
“It’s shocking that… there are enough people out there who still believe it’s a hoax and they prefer to listen to politicians of a certain political party instead of doctors and the CDC,” he fumed. “It’s f**king nuts. It’s crazy.”
Simmons urged people to listen to experts, not the “stupid … evil, self-serving politicians.”